Flamenco-world.com, September 2003

The flamenco recording industry reawakens after its summer lull. Independent label Karonte is preparing to launch three new discs. The months of September and October will see the release of guitarist Carlos Piñana's fourth album, a double album of fandangos from cantaor Diego Clavel, and a flamenco tribute by cantaora and bailaora Ana Salazar dedicated to French chanteuse Edith Piaf.

	Diego Clavel (Photo: Paco Sánchez)

Following on from 'El cuidado de la esencia', 'Cal-libiri' and 'Palosanto', Carlos Piñana has put together twelve tracks on this his fourth album, with a range of styles including alegrías, la farruca, la soleá, la rumba, la seguiriya and tanguillos. Five of the songs played by the youngest member of the Piñana clan were recorded live in July 2003 at the Auditorium and Congress Center in his hometown of Murcia.

Diego Clavel, veteran cantaor from Puebla de Cazalla in Seville, has decided to base his new disc around fandangos. This double album from the versatile vocalist, who has previously recorded a disc of poems by Gerardo Diego, is the result of painstaking research into this style which some theorists situate at the genesis of 'cante flamenco'.

'Chanson Française'

The most daring of the label's three new releases is by Ana Salazar. The bailaora and cantaora from Cadiz follows in the vein of her 'Chanson Flamenca' disc, where she sang a bulerías version of the standard 'Les feuilles mortes' (Autumn Leaves). This time she homes in on the legendary singer Edith Piaf, commemorating the fourteenth anniversary of her death. Ana Salazar has already presented this project in her live shows, combining her dance and vocals in an audiovisual spectacular.