"'El pequeño reloj' is an outline
for a possible good album"

S.C.O. Madrid, June 23rd, 2003
Photos: Daniel Muñoz

Making it clear that what he was drinking was water, Enrique Morente defined his recently-made recording as "an outline and a proposal for a possible good album". With such a shattering ability to downplay things, the Granada-born cantaor presented 'El pequeño reloj' ('The Small Watch') at the central offices in Madrid of the Caja Madrid Foundation on Monday, June 23rd, 2003, accompanied by the album's co-producer Javier Limón, Virgin director Javier Liñán, guitarist Niño Josele and bailaor Israel Galván. Though described by the press and hosts as a "living legend", "liberalizing", a "new talent" and an "experimenter", the artist opted to play down such praise and simply highlight the hours of work put into creating a record which "is complete, that's all".

	Enrique Morente sings 'El pequeño reloj'

Upon going more deeply into the album's contents, the cantaor, defending above all "the sincerity" with which it has been made, emphasized the use he has made of "the music that used to be played last century by geniuses such as Ramón Montoya, Sabicas, Manolo de Huelva... at the time when they started to fight". And he stated that, despite all the avant-garde, "as long as you work respectfully, you don't have to give up loving tradition". Enrique Morente commented that "we chose those tunes -'A Ramón Montoya', 'Alegría Sabicas', 'A Manolo de Huelva' and 'Caña de Tío José el Granaíno'- as a homage to guitar and guitar playing for singing, since the maestros are the ones who set the example".

This work delving into the past confronts the dialogue between flamenco and other musical expressions on the album. On the one hand, the collaboration of electronic musician Carlos Jean on 'Reloj Molesto', which Morente says he feels satisfied with. "I hear techno music on the radio, but I have no further knowledge... I do like what is done with machines which, at times, are better people than us". On the other hand, something already sketched out in the encounter 'África-Cuba-Cai': the interaction with Latin music. "Caramelo, Alain Pérez, Jerry González and Horacio el Negro are brilliant Cubans whose art amazes us". Nevertheless, the cantaor assures that the participation of these musicians on the album was not something premeditated, that "coincidence is decisive, chance is determining on my records, it's a wicked lover".

"Art serving people"

Regarding the contents of 'El pequeño reloj', he alluded to the title as an essential theme: "I used to think watches were only used to see if you were on time, but they mark more feelings, more passions". And he added a comment to that concerning the sundial making up the cover: "A cover is always debatable, it is always intended to be seen as simple... Since it is marking the hours of the day, a sundial should be invented which also marks the hours of the late-night bar hoppers". He also talked about why he dedicated a song to Lula, the current president of Brazil. The cantaor explained that it is an act of gratitude: "We have a tendency to generalize, to say that they're all the same, but when one comes out and promises a program and keeps his promise, showing that what he does corresponds to his intentions, he is to be thanked. And Lula is the hope of Brazil, of Latin America and an example for the world". He jokingly added that "he needn't get scared. I don't intend to ask him for any subsidies; he has enough on his hands collaborating to eradicate hunger". From the specific he moved on to a general plane to comment on flamenco's social obligation: "On the one hand, many say they don't understand politics; but, on the other hand, it's undeniable that cante has historically reflected the most important social facts that have occurred. The flamenco also has a right to think". He added that "art only used to show how great we are doesn't interest me; I'm interested in art serving people". And he points out "the anti-war tune superimposed on Beethoven's Moonlight -'Alegato contra las armas'- ('Declaration Against Arms'), which is a pamphlet in the defense of children, due to the defenselessness of minors in third-world countries".

Touring Watch

	Enrique Morente presents 'El pequeño reloj'

'El pequeño reloj' will begin to materialize live immediately, combined with other musical adventures such as the project he is carrying out with a gospel band. "As soon as we define the concert we're going to hold on June 27th at the Palace of Carlos V in Granada - at the 52nd International Music and Dance Festival of Granada-, we'll define the script of the recital at Cuartel del Conde Duque in Madrid - where he performs on July 13th, 2003-, which we want to connect as much as possible to the album". In addition to the tour in Spain, and given the warm welcome the cantaor received from the crowds in Paris last May at the Théâtre National de Chaillot, Enrique Morente is scheduled to perform this coming November in Boston, Washington and at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. He talked about how 'El pequeño reloj' is adapted to the stage in the presentation itself together with guitarist Niño Josele and bailaor Israel Galván. And, with all due respect, the maestro must be contradicted. Enrique Morente's new album is something more than just a circular-shaped piece of plastic.