Flamenco-world.com presents
in Real Audio 'Lío', the first single of the
new album by José Mercé
José Mercé plumbs the depths of
understandable flamenco with 'Lío'
The Jerez-born cantaor
keeps up the eclectic style of 'Aire' and 'Del amanecer'
Flamenco-world.com
'Lío'. ("Lío" can
mean tangle, mess, trouble or even love affair.) With that choice title applicable
to life itself, José Mercé launches his third album with the Virgin
label. The Jerez-born cantaor, following the style of 'Aire' and 'Del amanecer',
again presents himself as an all-terrain voice in a repertoire both experts and
novices can appreciate. Isidro Muñoz produces and composes the lyrics and
music of this work hoping to surpass the sales figures of 'Aire', double platinum
with two hundred thousand copies, and 'Del amanecer', with one hundred fifty thousand
copies sold. And it is Moraíto Chico who seconds the cantaor on the guitar.
The promotional tour of the record, scheduled to be released on September 23rd,
is already underway.
José Mercé y Moraíto (Photo:
Anahí Cármody)
José Mercé's new album has ten
tangles in store for listeners. The first one is 'Lío', the bulería
that christens the album and the banner which, as a single, will defend it. Categorized
as "for the general public ", a singer-songwriter's track is also included.
If it was Luis Eduardo Aute's 'Al Alba' on the previous album, this time Mercé
reinvents 'Te recuerdo Amanda', by Chilean Víctor Jara, following Jerez's
reigning compás. Likewise to be highlighted is the malagueña recorded
in the Basilica of El Carmen de Jerez, with Moraíto Chico on the guitar
and Ángel Horta on the temple's organ pipes, a memento of Mercé's
beginnings as a vocalist. Next, cante jondo takes shape in soleares and seguiriyas,
while the party swells into alegrías, tangos, jaleos, another bulería
and yet another, but with a family celebration flavor, 'La Filarmoney del Barrio
de Santiago'.
Besides Isidro Muñoz, the work's
alma mater, the cantaor from Jerez has had a privileged lineup of guest artists.
Elbow to elbow on the guitar with Moraíto Chico are Juan Manuel Cañizares
and his son, Diego de Morao, who already seconds voices of the likes of La Macanita.
Percussions are covered by Tino di Geraldo and Paquito; bass, by Manolo Nieto;
the choruses, by Ángela and Trini Bautista, Antonio and Rafael de los Reyes;
and clapping and jaleos, by Chícharo, Gregorio, Rafa and Bo. On the technical
side, Boris Alarcón was put in charge of the mixing and masterization at
Eurosonic Studios in Madrid, while Mario G. Alberni was the recording technician.
The recording was made between May and July 2002 at La Kaleta Studios in Cádiz.
Even though 'Lío' will not be released
until September 23rd, José Mercé is scheduled live at squares in
towns such as (near Madrid) Alcorcón (September 7th), Jerez (September
10th, November 29th and 30th, December 1st), (near Málaga) Carratraca (September
14th), (near Seville) El Coronil (September 28th), Seville (October l10th), Barcelona
(October 11th), Madrid (October 21st), Cádiz (November 8th) and Granada
(November 15th).
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