The cantaor turns Spanish poetry from the Golden Age into cante flamenco

Flamenco-world.com, January 2005

After having done the live show for several years, José Menese records the concert ‘A mis soledades voy, de mis soledades vengo’ on CD+DVD and on DVD. The performance, which sifts poetry from Spain's Golden Age through flamenco, was recorded at Seville's Maestranza Theater on September 13th, 2004, in the setting of the 13th Bienal de Flamenco. The cantaor from La Puebla de Cazalla is accompanied in this show by Joan Albert Amargós, in charge of the orchestration, guitarist Enrique de Melchor, cantaora Laura Vital and bailaora Carmen Ledesma, among other artists.

José Menese (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Verses by the most relevant poets of Spain's Golden Age - Góngora, Lope de Vega, Ruiz de Alarcón, Fray Luis de León, Calderón de la Barca, Tirso de Molina, Miguel de Cervantes - and the mystic poetry created by Santa Teresa de Jesús, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and San Juan de la Cruz, structure the show which cantaor José Menese has offered over the past few seasons with huge success since its premiere at Madrid's Royal Theater in November 2001.

The presentation of ‘A mis soledades voy, de mis soledades vengo’ in the latest edition of Seville's Bienal de Flamenco was recorded for its release on CD+DVD and on DVD. The album picks out the cantes performed by the Sevillian cantaor, among them, toná, soleá, rondeña, liviana and peteneras. And only at the end does it add the lullaby performed by Laura Vital. The audiovisual does include the entire concert, with all the cantes performed alternately by the cante maestro and the young vocalist. The whole repertoire is accompanied by a chamber orchestra directed by Joan Albert Amargós, guitarists Enrique de Melchor and Eduardo Rebollar, and clappers Gregorio and Chícharo. Moreover, Carmen Ledesma provides the audiovisual with a touch of baile through alegrías.

Besides the complete show, the DVD includes an exclusive interview with the cantaor, subtitled in English, a ‘making of’ in which all the hidden behind-the-scenes secrets are revealed, and the star's complete photo gallery. Another attraction is the mastering in Dolby Surround 5.1, which enriches the nuances of the sound.

‘A mis soledades voy, de mis soledades vengo’ is the second live album in José Menese's extensive discography, following ‘José Menese with Enrique de Melchor at the Albéniz Theater’ (1995); and the first audiovisual focusing exclusively on his work, always featuring classicism and defense of cante's basic styles.

José Menese and Enrique de Melchor (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

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