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The foyer of Fnac has an air of royalty
about it. And it isn't because Madrid's cultural hypermarket's tiny concert venue
has red carpets, or gold trim, or chandaliers, it's because Carmen Linares has
brought that air along with her... just as she took it along to the Teatro Real,
Madrid's Royal Opera House, for the presentation show of her new disc 'Un ramito
de locura' (A bouquet of madness). In this designer basement, where those who
weren't able to find a seat had to make do with the floor, the 'cantaora' from
Jaen was at home with the intimate environment she shared with a diverse but mainly
young audience (who showed their dedication, by the way, by waiting in a line
that stretched around the building). The repertoire she chose demonstrated clearly
that she'd anticipated the audience to a tee - a light, fresh and accessible set,
Pepe de Lucía's
tangos, Borges's 'Milonga del forastero' and Vainica Doble's bulería. Backed
by the Gerardo Núñez trio: Pablo Martín on double bass, Cepillo
on percussion, together with José Manuel León, the guitarist from
Algeciras, the 'cantaora' sketched out her latest disc with the same warmth, charm
and self-assured manner as she displayed on the grand royal stage. But not without
the group first making a joint effort to present the disc with a few carefully-chosen
words. José Manuel Gamboa, the album's producer, defined the project as
"a classical flamenco recording, but with a wild creativity creeping into
the harmony." Gerardo
Núñez, who worked on this musical aspect, explained that he
accepted Carmen Linares's offer because, unlike on her previous 'Antología
de la Mujer en el Cante', featuring an abundant elite of musicians, "I had
space to explore and be creative; I was able to contribute my idea of how guitar
and 'cante' should go together". He was also determined to "put an end
to the cliché of accompaniment and make sure that singer and musicians
alike worked as a team." And the cantaora also spoke: "I always planned
to record with Gerardo because he gets totally involved, because everyone contributes
their own ideas and we work as a close-knit team... they've put their music at
my service, at the service of 'cante' ". And the close-knit team wasted no
time in getting tight, loosening up, and once again working the miracle of prudence
in the hands of adventurers... as demonstrated in their encore 'por bulerías'.
Text: Silvia Calado Olivo
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