SON DE LA FRONTERA AT CALLE 54. REVIEW, PHOTOS AND ONLINE VIDEO

The magic of communication

Silvia Calado. Madrid, February 10th, 2005

Son de la Frontera. Raúl Rodríguez: Cuban tres. Paco de Amparo: guitar. Moi de Morón: cante and clapping. Pepe Torres: baile and clapping. Miguel Flores: clapping. Calle 54 Club. Madrid (Spain), February 10th, 2005. 11 p.m.

Son de la Frontera (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Raúl Rodrígeuez, from Son de la Frontera (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Playing before the crowd at Calle 54 is always trying. The enemy lies in wait: a fashioned joint, cool menu, cocktail list... There might be some exceptions, but in most cases the name of the artist is a mere circumstance. And Son de la Frontera was not to be included ‘a priori’ as an exception. The crowd's expressive reaction to the show by the group, Martirio's usual band, was therefore more than surprising. The vitality of this music contrived solely from the dialogue between flamenco guitar, the Cuban tres and rhythm, captivated - and how! - the crowd at the Madrilenian jazz club.

Son de la Frontera, one of the most eloquent flamenco groups of the latest batch, lays its stakes on the direct route. Communication begins the very first second. The group comes charging in with rhythm and baile through bulerías, making use of just percussion. There is no way out. Without delay, the guitar and tres challenge each other, radical in the cuts and attacks. With guts, with zeal, with a nearly rock-style attitude... so flamenco and so worldly. A touch of cante, that of a mature voice done by Moi de Morón, closes the introductory piece. The offer is clear.

Son de la Frontera at Calle 54 (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

The vintage soleá makes way for the instrumental development. Harsh, old, the voice accompanies. The clapping is constantly present, is always in its place. The strings converse. The withdrawal continues with a solo by Raúl Rodríguez on metal strings. So much tension. Such a high level. This tocaor's musical quality amply surpasses the average as well as, as it could be heard said, Diego del Gastor himself, who inspires him. Tempo counts, and dominating it is a resource which the group masters perfectly. The bulería is back again, the rhythm growing. Continuum. And a thousand nuances.

The alegrías turn West Indian. Frolicking for the guitar and the tres. A journey to the past. A round-trip journey. “Olé to fusions!”, they shout. The two instruments confront each other once more, tripling the fusion. Arab music appears in ‘Arabesco’, a zambra belonging to the repertoire of the mythical Morón-born guitarist which a new dimension is given to. Moorish, mellow, cajoling. So as not to break the charm, the trintrin of a martinete by Joselero announces the seguiriya ‘Cambiaron los tiempos’. A touch of serious, strong, elegant baile shakes up the audience. And without giving it time to dwindle, a change of pace. Teasing tangos, Cuban style. Complicity. Fun. And the party goes on... through bulerías. The most-played flourish by Gastor, the manisero which comes and goes, clapper Miguel Flores takes a little stroll with his art. The room bursts into enthusiastic applause, convinced by this warm, communicative, universal, local, cross-border music. Encore at Calle 54.

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