'Flamenco pa' tos' rounds off a magnificent line-up with Tomatito, Chocolate, Güito, Pepe Habichuela, La Macanita and María Pagés

The charity festival, which runs from 3rd to 6th June 2002 in Madrid,
launches an anthology of songs by Emilio el Moro

Flamenco-world.com

Once again flamenco lends a hand to children at the school in Calcutta founded by Spanish radio presenters Gomaespuma. The third edition of the 'Flamenco pa' tos' (Flamenco for all) festival boasts a fine programme including cantaores such as Chocolate and La Macanita; guitarists such as Tomatito, Pepe Habichuela and Niño Josele; and bailaores such as El Güito and María Pagés. The event, which runs from 3rd to 6th June 2002 at Colegio de Médicos in Madrid, also incorporates morning workshops and conferences, including one dedicated by journalist José Manuel Gamboa to Camarón de la Isla. 'Flamenco pa tos' simultaneously launches an anthology of songs by comic cantaor Emilio el Moro from Melilla. All profits from sales of the disc will be donated to the humanitarian aid project.

Esperanza Fernández. Flamenco pa'tos 2001
(Photo Anahí Cármody)

The first day sees a mixed bag this year at 'Flamenco pa tos'. On Monday 3rd June, José Antonio Galicia will be up with the lark to give an 11am percussion workshop. The following activity at 6:30pm, is the showing of a documentary 'Los herederos' (The heirs), by Álvaro Delgado. An hour later, Antonio Benamargo gives the first of a series of conferences, this one on 'Flamenco discography'. And on stage in the evening, a taste of rock andaluz, suburban flamenco and humour from Cadiz, featuring Tabletom, the group from Malaga, comedy group Las Marías, and cantaora María Lizárraga with Los retoños de las 3.000 viviendas ('New shoots' from Seville's 3000 viviendas housing project). On Tuesday 4th June, Galicia completes his percussion workshop. And in the afternoon there's a documentary by Paco Millán titled 'En las calles de Nueva York' (On the streets of New York), followed swiftly by Pedro Calvo, who'll give a conference entitled 'Music at the crossroads'. A triple bill in the evening: singing from Chocolate, dancing from El Güito, and the guitar of Niño Josele.

A new morning workshop begins on Wednesday 5th June, where musicologist Faustino Núñez gives classes on flamenco music. The afternoon programme includes the documentary 'Teruo, un samurai flamenco', by Paco Millán, and journalist José Manuel Gamboa's conference on 'Camarón's masterpiece'. And the evening is shared by guitarist Tomatito from Almería and bailaora sevillana Manuela Carrasco. On the closing day of the festival, Thursday 6th June, Faustino Núñez gives the second part of his course, there'll be a showing of the documentary 'Tanto tiempo' (So much time), by Guillermo Paneque, and Enrique Hernández Luike reads his paper on 'Flamenco lyrics'. The finishing touches to the festival are supplied by the triumvirate comprising guitarist Pepe Habichuela from Granada, cantaora La Macanita from Jerez, and bailaora sevillana María Pagés.

Gomaespuma's school at Calcuta

Fund raising for the school which Gomaespuma founded in India, where almost a hundred children already study, will be from sales of their third disc - a collection of songs by cantaor Enrique el Moro (1924-1987). This tribute to the flamenco humorist from Melilla is the third in a series of compilation discs featuring the cream of flamenco singers and musicians: Vicente Amigo, Enrique Morente, Arcángel, Cañizares, Carmen Linares, Mayte Martín, Esperanza Fernández, José Mercé, Tomatito, Gerardo Núñez, Diego Carrasco, Moraíto... All united for a common cause, summed up by the radio presenters in the sleeve notes to 'Flamenco pa'tos 2': "Maybe the children at the Gomaespuma school in Calcutta will never learn what a soleá is, will never be able to strike up a rhythm por bulerías. But thanks to those who do know and who've contributed their talent, and thanks also to those who've wanted to enjoy listening to them, in that far-flung corner of the world, a few of the underprivileged will be able to take a small step to escaping a cruel and unjust destiny."

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