The album includes the music from the documentary ‘Morente sueña La Alhambra’

S.C. Madrid, September 28th, 2005

Enrique Morente learned from Juan Rulfo that “you can also converse without speaking”, but at the presentation of ‘Morente sueña La Alhambra’ (‘Morente Dreams Up La Alhambra’), he wanted to explain some of the details about the new album with his own voice. Indeed, Enrique Morente used the right words... and a bit of wit. About the album inspired by the documentary of the same title by José Sánchez-Montes, he explained, for starters, how the idea came about. “I plan things out in bars over a drink; everybody plans things out wherever they can”.

Enrique Morente (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

About the production, which he himself is responsible for, he related that “my own projects just about turn out better when I don't direct them myself. I was slippery enough here. One day Isidro Muñoz was over at my house and I had him do ‘Donde habite el olvido’ and it was a great choice; he's done wonders”. And about the relationship between the music and the footage, he affirmed that “the footage covers up the incongruities of my music... The only thing we aim to do is come out unscathed with a good production”.

The documentary's director also took the floor. José Sánchez-Montes poetically described the experiences contained in the musical film, from the complicity of Enrique Morente with Khaled along the streets of Granada, to the experience of turning Estrella Morente into a queen in La Alhambra's Arab baths, with a recreation of the 1922 Cante Jondo Contest in between. And the thing is, the passing of seasons at the red Nazari fort encompasses infinite sensations, described by the cantaor's voice, that of Estrella Morente, Ute Lemper and Khaled, the baile by Israel Galván and Blanca Li, and the guitars by Cañizares, Tomatito, Juan Habichuela, Alfredo Lagos and Paquete.

It meant two years of work, a real “jigsaw puzzle to make Morente's agenda coincide with that of the other artists. I still don't know how he let me meddle in his life like that”. And he relates the collaboration of guitarist Pat Metheny with special fondness. “I asked Morente what jazz guitarist he'd like to sing with. And he told me Pat Metheny, because he's been a fundamental influence for a lot of flamenco guitarists. Pat was enthused by the idea and spent four days and four nights in Granada. From a song that was drops of water and clapping to the beat, out came all that music which is ‘Generalife’, a reflection of the good harmony there was”.

Enrique Morente and Niño Josele (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Premiere in Valencia

The documentary, which will be released on DVD within a few months, is going to premiere on October 24th, 2005 at Heineken Green Space in Valencia. Four days later, Enrique Morente will perform at the same venue with the group Sonic Youth, a collaboration which was scheduled for the film but had to be canceled; “it'll have to be for next time”. This tête-à-tête proves the Granada-born cantaor is still stubbornly determined to make his cante soar, whether it be with Pat Metheny, Khaled or Lagartija Nick. “I'm not going to sit still... even though I'm a classical cantaor and I do everything from cante flamenco”.

Until then, a sneak preview. Despite saying that in the morning he had “a really bad voice, full of dirt”, Enrique Morente delightfully sang ‘Chiquilín de bachín’ at La Casa Encendida Auditorium, the cultural venue of Obra Social de Caja Madrid (Caja Madrid's Social Work). A slice of this new album, based on a composition by Astor Piazzola, which he offered to the press live together with Niño Josele on guitar and compás by Ángel Gabarre and Antonio Carbonell.

Enrique Morente and José Sánchez-Montes (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

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