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"HE SINGS BETTER EVERYDAY"
2nd Chapter of:
CAMARON DE LA ISLA: COMPLETE RECORDINGS.
by JOSE MANUEL GAMBOA RODRIGUEZ
"Cada vez que nos miramos"
The second album of Camarón
de la Isla, with the special collaboration of Paco de Lucía, was released
at the start of the new decade. The graphic design of the first album was maintained,
with photos of both of them and similar headings, but in this one Pérez
de León went even further and placed the pair face to face in a position
similar to the Mountain of Olives, complete with cross and an apocalyptic horizon
in red tones. The yellowed faces of the performers made them seem as if they had
just suffered an attack of severe hepatitis. Ole'! León.
The authorship of the «cantes»
was signed by the father of Paco de Lucía, Antonio Sánchez Pacino,
and five of the lyrics by Antonio Fernández, «Fosforito». Ramón
de Algeciras joined them as second guitar in the rhythmic passages. A generally
calmer atmosphere can be noticed in this album, which begins with the «soleares»,
of La Serneta «Cada vez que nos miramos». The «romera», with «La cantiña
de Ia contrabandista», although echoes «El niño de Barbate», keeps a personal
tone maintained in the «tientos». In the "granaína" we can sense the influence
of José Cepero. Camarón once again performs fandangos, singing those
of Rafael, "El Tuerto" and "El Gloria" (3), as well as others from Huelva -a style
quite appreciated by José and Paco. We say "once again" because those were
not good times for these styles of "cante", wich the purists rejected outright
because they considered them a minor variety. In more than one occasion they tried
to convince Camarón not to perform those "cantes". Even Antonio Mairena
himself, who was not infallible, went so far as to rebuke him because of it in
the festival he organized in his home town. But Camarón never allowed himself
to be persuaded and, intelligently, went his own way. In the opening notes of
the "bulerías", tangos and "tientos" he begins to jabber the "lerele, le,
le""lora,lolailo"...Behind the pretended "taranto" is hidden the popular (in other
days) "taranta" of La Gabriela with a different verse. In the "seguirillas" he
presents the innovative halftones of Enrique Morente.
To summarize, it should
be noted that in this album Camarón reveals himself as an important figure.
What was promising in the previous album is confirmed here. He stands out not
only for his unique manner of using his voice, but because of his uncommon personality
as a «cantaor». His music was played repeatedly on the radio and he was always
requested to perform in the Andalusian summer festivals, where he would appear
with the guitar of Paco de Lucía at first and later with that of Ramón
de Algeciras.
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