Flamenco cantaor Pansequito
releases the album ‘Un canto a la libertad’

Moraíto, Aurora Vargas, Miguel Poveda, Niño de Pura and Raimundo Amador collaborate on the recording by the veteran Cádiz-born artist

Flamenco-world.com, December 2009

Pansequito puts an end to nearly a decade without an album with ‘Un canto a la libertad’. On this new disc, the veteran Cádiz-born cantaor offers “a synthesis, nearly an anthology” of his personal cante. And he does so with an attitude somewhere between traditional and modern. If in the seguiriya ‘Cuando me acuerdo de ti’ his voice is alone with Moraíto on guitar, in the song por bulerías ‘Los galanes’ the instrumental accompaniment is multiplied, including the special collaboration of Raimundo Amador. The album also includes the participation as guests of cantaora Aurora Vargas, cantaor Miguel Poveda, Las Peligro and guitarist Niño de Pura, among others.

Pansequito, 'Un canto a la Libertad'

‘Un canto de libertad’ is the disc with which José Cortés Jiménez ‘Pansequito’ seals his maturity as a cantaor. The album, which is released eight years after ‘A mi Bahía’, consists of ten songs covering from the most festive styles to the calmest ones. The repertoire of this new record, produced by Diego Magallanes, especially features bulerías. The Cádiz-born cantaor offers up to four variants of this style: ‘A quien dejo mi voz’, the opening with the guitar of Diego Amaya, string arrangements and programs; ‘María Elena’, with the guitar of Moraíto and Miguel Poveda’s collaboration; ‘No me importa lo que digan’, also with the Jerez-born guitarist, plus musical arrangements; and the song ‘Los galanes’, with the collaboration of electric and flamenco guitar, and vocals by Raimundo Amador.

There are also other styles with a lively rhythm such as the rumba in ‘Las gitanas me dicen’; the alegrías ‘Vive una gitana negra’, with the guitar of Juani de la Isla; and the tango with a rociero theme ‘De romería vamos’, with the voice of his wife, Sevillian cantaora Aurora Vargas. He tackles the most intimate side of cante in styles like the soleá ‘Dime quién tiene sentido’, with guitar by Moraíto and sequencing arrangements; the seguiriyas with vocals and guitar ‘Cuando me acuerdo de ti’; and the final taranto ‘Levántate mal acostao’, with the toque of Sevillian Niño de Pura and other musical arrangements.

Pansequito (La Línea, Cádiz, 1946) was recognized in his early days as a renovator of cante. Thus, after working for several years at tablaos in Madrid and touring Europe with Antonio Gades, he won a unique award: the ‘Prize for Creativity’ at Córdoba’s 1974 National Contest, which has never been awarded again. Although it is hardly available on the market at present, he has recorded an extensive discography together with guitar greats such as Juan and Pepe Habichuela, Gerardo Núñez, Enrique de Melchor, Tomatito, Parrilla de Jerez, and above all, Paco Cepero. Over the past few years, he has focused his career as an artist on the Andalusian festival circuit, but from time to time he has visited forums abroad such as the 2007 Mont de Marsan Flamenco Festival.

Pansequito con Miguel Poveda / Pansequito con Aurora Vargas, Alba Cortés y Moraíto

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