'THE NEW SCHOOL OF FLAMENCO GUITAR' LIVE

Breeding ground dialogues (in a cool joint)

Martín Guijarro, September 2003
Photos: Daniel Muñoz

Gerardo Núñez presents. The New School of Flamenco Guitar. Guitars: Gerardo Núñez, Jesús de Rosario, Juan Antonio Suárez Cano, José Manuel León. Contrabass: Pablo Martín. Box drum: Cepillo.

	Gerardo Núñez
	Gerardo Núñez and Pablo Martín

"The personal need as a guitarist and musician to offer the work of these young tocaores, who even though they have great difficulty making their work known, don't stop studying and practicing like hell" is the idea of commitment driving forward 'The New School of Flamenco Guitar', a project in which Gerardo Núñez gives the alternative to several exponents of the flamenco guitar breeding ground. And he does so not only producing an album for them, but also accompanying them live on a tour which has stopped, among many other points throughout Europe, in Madrid's Club Calle 54 in late June 2003.

The godfather freed his godchildren's wings in the first part of the recital. That night in the glamorous place promoted by filmmaker and producer Fernando Trueba was opened by Algeciras-born José Manuel León, whom on no few occasions is called on by Gerardo Núñez himself for second guitar. He presented himself with an introduction which despite its abstraction, drew on the firmness of toque flamenco. Making way for himself through the clinking and clanking of the customers' glasses and cutlery, he performed a soleá cleanly, including Cepillo on percussion to turn to bulerías. With rhythms, dynamics, and a certain 'Vincentism', he next attacked through tanguillos, the timely base enabling him to flutter about at leisure.

Juan Antonio Suárez 'Cano' led in, more cub¡st if possible. The Sanlúcar-born percussionist also offered him coalescence to the beat of seguiriyas. Balance between technique and creation, between calm and vehemence. And the waiters serving out designer maxi burgers... Detached from the hustle and bustle of the tables being waited on, the Catalan guitarist debates between introspection and extroversion, interesting with another composition which ends up defining itself as a rumba. Next, the turn goes to Jesús de Rosario, a guitarist with extensive experience in composition for baile. Following a free tune with a mining song style, Caño Roto appears in all his splendor through bulerías. Tradition and rhythm as his banner. The box drum, stirring things up. To top off this first part, pupils and maestro, with Pablo Martín and Cepillo as guests, sit down together to share. Tension and temperance tangle. The wise onlookers - curiously standing up or crammed on the stairs - call for silence. Delicacy and imagination. They dialogue and zap on the strings. The gathering vibrates. A rhythmical amalgam. Mutual understanding. Room for everyone. Conversation.

'The New School of Flamenco Guitar'

"I loved that one who played so strangely". "Well, I liked the one that seemed older and played with so much rhythm I really liked". "Will you give me a rum and Coke?" "Well I think more T-shirts of this place are sold than records of the musicians who play here". "Is this seat taken?" "Look what a nice purse I bought myself this afternoon". A fifteen-minute intermission provided time to exchange opinions, go over the menu, get reseated... The hostess again called for silence and the audience again resisted, even though those remaining at those late night hours were more into listening than swallowing. The Gerardo Núñez Trio came ready to reel off some of their key pieces, knowing they were being duplicated on the giant screen above stage for the diners on the first floor. The 'triumvirate' preluded by soleá through bulerías, as if setting the ambience with that melody now recognized as the group's trademark. Pablo Martín solidifying, Cepillo marking the way. They gain intensity, cutting back the silence. The trio amuse themselves to the beat of bulerías, laying down authority by means of supernatural beauty. The listener has his palate filled, brimming over with the aftertaste of musical nuances. Dessert again took shape in a six-way conversation. Gerardo Núñez pulling a cart full of the most miscellaneous wares. Cano with his stratospheric playing, León without getting away from his maestro's guitar, De Rosario putting rhythm first and he from Jerez letting loose and picking up with the base melody starting the bulería 'Labios de hielo' ('Ice Lips') from the latest Carmen Linares album. Each one gives to the sonanta his particular pataíta, challenging each other, spurring each other on, going beyond the whole until Gerardo Núñez calls to close right in the middle of all the enjoyment. Rising, rising, rising, eruption.

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