VICENTE SOTO SORDERA. LAUNCH CONCERT FOR ‘ESTAR ALEGRE’

An injection of life

Silvia Calado. Madrid, 11th January 2005

‘eStar Alegre’. Vicente Soto Sordera: cante. José María Molero: guitar. Rafael Soto: second guitar. Carlos Rodríguez: keyboard. José Soto Boy, Manuel Soto: cajón. Manteca de Jerez, Enrique García Soto, Rafaela Soto, José Manuel Soto: backing group: palmas and coros. Venue: Galileo Galilei. Madrid, 11th January 2005. 10pm.

Vicente Soto 'Sordera' (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

A song brimming with the sounds of the old forges breaks the silence in the venue. Vicente Soto Sordera just can't forget “those old-time cantes”, no matter how joyful he feels. And he delicately negotiates the soleá, before launching into a bambera, singing his way toward the repertoire drawn from his new album, performed live here for the first time. The cadence and the singular melody of this type of cante, defined by La Niña de los Peines, fits perfectly with the power, composure and subtleties of Vicente Soto Sordera's voice. And it wasn't the only tribute he paid to the legends of cante. ‘eStar Alegre’, being joyful, is a therapeutic state of mind in the form of music. But it's also a collection of tributes - “memories” according to the cantaor - dedicated to leading female vocalists that went down in flamenco's history books.

The alegrías ‘Pa’vestir santos’, penned by the vocalist’s right-hand man José María Molero, began the tour of material from the new album by the son of Sordera de Jerez. A track which allows Vicente Soto to demonstrate his versatility, changing styles and applying nuances to his cante at whim. He smiles... and the smile stayed put. Especially after the appearance on stage of “la trova de Santiago” - the full line-up of “Sotos” and “Sorderas” that make up the next generation of the family clan. Whether it was playing cajón, clapping palmas, on guitar or singing backing 'coros', they all provided a fine service, not only in terms of their musical qualities, but also for their contribution to the feel of the album. “I want you to be like the album, joyful!”. And both audience and backing group obeyed his orders. The truth is that it was easy to feel happy with this collection of tangos and bulerías, and the contemporary flamenco feel he gave them.

Vicente Soto 'Sordera' (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

He took us back to Pastora Pavón with the tangos ‘Pañí’, a word that means water in gypsy slang. The rhythm comes gushing forth in a torrent of percussion, mimicking the sound of the water. A lot of fun goes into this one, the coros are cleverly interwoven with the vocals, providing choice company. Next in line to receive a tribute was Adela la Chaqueta, in the bulerías ‘Sale la luna’, wisely chosen to open the album. He sings the verses, then with a shrewd gesture of his hand asks for silence. Just the percussion and his awesome voice, his rhythmical wisdom. And there's a tribute too for one of Spain's regions: ‘To Extremadura’. Tangos... Extremadura-style, but performed “my way”. The atmosphere at the concert maintains the same warm, vivacious feel to it. Vicente Soto is in full command of tempo and expression. Another side of tangos now, those associated with La Repompa de Malaga, who he recalls “very affectionately”. ‘No te lo vendo’ begins with a passage on piano and a restrained chorus, making room for the dense, powerful cante. The accompaniment adds substance, the situation is under control, the cantaor is having fun. Then he recalls La Perla de Cádiz, whose “inspiration I feel inside me, I carry her duendes with me always”. For sure he does. The cantaor makes for a tremendous finale, what we should expect from one of such noble lineage. The flamenco oozes with Jerez flavor. And as such, a grand finale is inevitable. Everyone is on their feet now... leaving a gangway just wide enough for the obligatory turn 'por bulerías'. An ode to being happy. Vicente Soto Sordera rounds up bursting with joy, singing and dancing in time with his own songs. The epilogue. The two final fandangos were a way of showing thanks for the warm reception of an album with all the ingredients to reach those huge audiences hungry for flamenco... living flamenco.

magazine@flamenco-world.com