NIÑA PASTORI. PREMIERE IN MADRID OF ‘JOYAS PRESTADAS’

Natural

Àlex D’Averc. Madrid, June 8th, 2006

‘Joyas prestadas’. Niña Pastori: cante. Josemi Carmona: guitar. Chaboli: percussion. Alfonso Pérez: piano. Martín Pérez, Fernando Favier: drums. Irene, Toñi and Juan Antonio: choruses. Sala La Riviera. Madrid, June 7th, 2006

Niña Pastori comes out on stage and her followers greet her enthusiastically. There aren’t any great choreographic displays, elaborate lighting or instrumentalists keen on grabbing the spotlight. Although she is well accompanied by the flawless sobriety of Josemi Carmona on guitar, Alfonso Pérez on piano and Chaboli on percussion, it’s very clear from the beginning that the show is conceived for her to shine and that she’ll monopolize the attention. In fact, ‘Joyas prestadas’, her latest album – already a platinum record in Spain - has that same slant: versions in which the novelty or musical boldness of their adaptation do not matter as much as the possibilities of performance they offer to the artist from San Fernando.

	Niña Pastori at La Riviera (Photo: Àlex D’Averc)

In that sense, the show is laudably honest, transparent in its concept. What you see is what you get. It’s a gift for those who enjoy Niña’s vocal qualities, her simplicity in the staging and her form, now carefree, now intimate, in tackling the songs chosen. There’s no pretentiousness or tricks to take anyone in and pass the singer off for what she isn’t.

And moreover, Niña Pastori has feeling. She’s brightness and a private angel to uphold her repertoire and make it sincere and credible. The concert alternates the songs off her new album with some of her already known tunes. Among the latter, two different lines are well distinguished. There are half times, peering at the romantic ballad, and others which draw straight from flamenco, from the more rumba-like compases and the festive rhythms of Cádiz. In them, Niña Pastori seems livelier and more easygoing, with the talent to make the crowd’s feet move and give varied, colorful, original turns to the compositions.

She works on the versions with the same weapons. They are mostly relatively recent classic ones of pop in Spanish. Risk might not have taken priority in the selection, and the complicity is played with of a crowd that knows them like the palm of their hand. Though that’s also a double-edged sword. Because you’ve got to be bold to sing so freshly such a well-known hit as ‘Mediterráneo’ by Joan Manuel Serrat. Or to take away dramatic weight from ‘María de la O’ and give it that joking aftertaste it had in the evening in Madrid.

But if there’s an asset the artist relies on nowadays, it’s her ability and vocal power. She reaches high and at the top of her lungs and is more than capable of sketching out arabesques and doing caracoles. On occasion, she even falls into a certain sensationalism; a brilliant, powerful voice which gushes forth in torrents without channeling or elaborating. But when she handles those conditions with measure and good taste, her style has irresistible strength and charm. That is proven by the pleased grin lingering on our faces after seeing her grace and impudence in stealing those jewels of others.

magazine@flamenco-world.com