CENTENARY TRIBUTE TO FLAMENCO CANTAOR ENRIQUE ‘EL MELLIZO’
GRAN TEATRO FALLA, CADIZ

Por alegrías

Carlos Sánchez. Cadiz, 24th May 2006

Cadiz's Gran Teatro Falla opened its doors to commemorate the centenary of the death of one of the greatest cantaores this part of the world has ever produced: Enrique Jiménez Fernández ‘El Mellizo’. A hundred years on since his school of cante was founded, more than thirty Cadiz-born artists gathered to pay homage to a legendary vocalist whose legacy is still ever-present in the collective memory of flamenco.

El Junco and his Company (Photo: Victoria)

The gala tribute was divided into several sections to make room for the throng of cantaores, guitarists and bailaores that crowded the stage of Cadiz's main venue, each offering their own small contribution to an evening where alegrías were the guiding light.

And with the rhythmical adornments that are the hallmark of the city. This was how the evening kicked off, with dance from Juan José Jaén ‘El Junco’, lead dancer in the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía. Subjecting the audience to a demonstration of skilled footwork. And warming the audience up for the group ‘Aires de mi barrio’, comprising cantaores Antonio Reyes, Chiquito de Cádiz, Paco Solano and Momi de Cádiz. A selection of mellow, brooding cante with all the fundamentals of alegrías. In the inimitable style of the ‘Tacita de Plata’ – the little silver cup, as the city's affectionately known. The first song comes from Momi. Antonio Reyes opts for seguiriyas, and Paco Solano follows him with the first malagueña of the evening. The stage was set for the notes of the revered Chiquito de Cádiz's fandangos. The stalls are filled with a buzz of excitement.

Now comes the turn of the group ‘Duende flamenco’, taking up the cante baton. Carmen de la Jara, Selu de Cádiz, Joaquín Alegría and José Anillo. Up on stage the guitars of Niño la Leo, Antonio Carrión, Ricardo Rivera, Antonio Higuero, Juan José Alba, Adriano Lozano and José Herrera, among others, work their way in amongst the notes of the vocalists. Snippets of bulería in the performance of Joaquín Alegría. With charm and grace. A walking encyclopedia of the local approach. Lyrics from the bay of Cadiz abound too in the vocals of Selu de Cádiz, por alegrías. With a whiff of the estuary region. He steps aside for José Anillo's bulería por soleá. The past and present of Cadiz's cante unite, under the watchful eye of one Antonio Fernández ‘Fosforito’, who watches the proceedings from the theater's VIP box.

Time to sink deeper

Encarnita Anillo, Felipe Scapachini, Pepi de Ignacio, Miguel Rosendo and Nani de Cádiz are the group members of ‘Jondura y sentimiento’. Pepi de Ignacio began the proceedings. An excellent performer of saetas, she began por caracoles. The cantiñas group of styles is the flavor of the evening. Nani de Cádiz gives her reply, por soleá. Each one does what they do best. The depth is still as present as ever in the timbre of Miguel Rosendo's voice. He sang seguiriyas dedicated to “all those who travel around the world telling everyone they're from Cadiz”. A reminder of all those gaditano artists that couldn't take part in this event because they're away from home. And once again it was time for alegrías with the sweet, velvety voice of Encarnita Anillo. With a finesse that recalls a certain cantaora from Linares. Felipe Scapachini rounded off the quintet of cantaores por malagueñas. During the interval another small tribute was paid to vocalist Antonio Fernández ‘Fosforito’, the latest winner of the Llave de Oro del Cante, and to Gonzalo Rojo, president of the National Foundation for the Flamenco Arts.

Flamenco dance made another appearance in the second part with Lidia Diánez. She also decided on alegrías. But the evening was drawing to a close, and most of the participants took to the stage to round off the tribute por bulerías. Three intense hours of flamenco for the creator of a school, Enrique ‘El Mellizo’.

Joaquín Alegría (Photo: Victoria)

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