Espantapitas 2004 mixes flamenco and other types of music on the Almería coastubtítulo

Flamenco-world.com, August 2004

Almería concludes the summer season with two different ways of understanding flamenco. On the one hand, the 38th Almería Flamenco Festival offers a classic program featuring great cante and toque figures such as Tomatito, Estrella Morente, Diego el Cigala, Vicente Soto Sordera and Miguel Poveda, among others. The event is held from August 23rd to 25th at Plaza de la Constitución in the Mediterranean town. On the other hand, from September 2nd to 4th, the alternative music festival Espantapitas makes room for flamenco with the sneak preview of the show ‘De Cádiz a Buenos Aires’ by Carmen de la Jara and performances by other local artists.

Miguel Poveda (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Estrella Morente (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Thirty-eight editions have made the Almería Flamenco Festival a more-than-solid event on the summer festival circuit. The program opens on Monday, August 23rd with two star performances: that of Almería-born guitarist Tomatito and that of Granada-born cantaora Estrella Morente. The second evening, called ‘Seducción y magia’ (‘Seduction and Magic’), focuses on cante with performances by Diego el Cigala, Miguel Poveda, Vicente Soto Sordera and Mari Ángeles Fernández, who are accompanied on guitar by Diego del Morao, Chicuelo and José María Molero. The veteran festival closes on Wednesday the 25th with a day devoted to flamenco made-in-Almería. The bill consists of cantaores El Pirri, Zoraima, José Sorroche, Juan Gómez, Luis de la Venta, Antonia López, Carrete; guitarists Josele, Niño de la Fragua, El Niño de las Cuevas; and bailaora La Rabota.

5th Espantapitas Experience

A few days later, in the Almería-province town of Vera, the jondo art will be lived a different way. The alternative music, debate and art festival Espantapitas saves room for flamenco amidst performances by groups such as Brazilians Zuco 103, Spanish hip hop group La Excepción and that of electronic Carlos Jean. Specifically, on Thursday, September 2nd - with free admission - there is a sneak preview of the flamenco and tango show ‘De Cádiz a Buenos Aires’ championed by Cádiz-born cantaora Carmen de la Jara; and also scheduled is the performance of Almería-born cantaora India Martínez, winner of the 1st Flamenco Entre Quejíos y Pitas Contest. Flamenco artists already having appeared at this encounter, organized by the El Marrajo Culture and Youth Association, include Jorge Pardo and Raimundo Amador.

Jorge Pardo (Photo: Espantapitas.com)

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