Paco de Lucía, Carmen Linares, Diego el Cigala and Vicente Amigo are among those who participate on the album which pays homage to the cantaor from Jaén

Flamenco-world.com, January 2003

From Juanito to don Juan - once he was little Johnny; now he's Sir John. With the passing of time, Juan Valderrama has finally got the recognition he deserves. And this is amply demonstrated on the album 'Tributo flamenco a don Juan Valderrama', featuring leading flamenco guitarists and vocalists, as well as young disciples of the cantaor from Torre del Campo. The highlight of the disc, that is expected to be released on the BMG label this February, is the taranta sung by Valderrama himself, accompanied on guitar by Paco de Lucía. But the rest of the material is not to be underestimated, with performances by Potito, Vicente Amigo and El Pele, Miguel Poveda and Juan Habichuela, Montse Cortés, Pepe de Lucía and Paquete, Guadiana, Arcángel and Juan Carlos Romero, Diego el Cigala, Carmen Linares, José el Francés and Niño Josele.

	Juan Valderrama

For several years now, flamenco has been trying to breathe life back into the figure of Juan Valderrama. His adventures with traditional 'canción española' meant that he does not boast universal acceptation within the world of flamenco. There was the much talked-of tribute at Madrid's Ventas bullring in 1994 and the subsequent release of 'Homenaje a Juanito Valderrama'. Then there was the homage paid to him at the Festival de las Minas in 2000, and the recorded version 'Don Juan'. Now comes a new homage in the form of 'Tributo flamenco a don Juan Valderrama', a collective project featuring an elite band of cantaores and guitarists performing the maestro's songs. And with the added bonus that Juan Valderrama himself has taken the trouble to oversee the project, and even takes time out to record his vocals on the cornerstone of the project - a taranta on which he's accompanied by Paco de Lucía on guitar.

Vocalists from different styles and generations come together on this tribute. While Potito sings fandangos de Huelva, Montse Cortés decides to go for tientos. And while Carmen Linares opts for malagueñas con verdiales, Guadiana reinvents the soleá por bulería 'Tengo el gusto tan colmao'. Pepe de Lucía and Paquete opt for an upbeat zambra, while Arcángel and Juan Carlos Romero choose a serrana. And of course a special place is reserved for the maestro's best-known hits. 'El emigrante', a song he wrote with Niño Ricardo which has come to be seen as his flagship, is performed by El Pele and Vicente Amigo, 'por bulerías', and by José el Francés with Niño Josele on guitar, 'por pasodobles'. The milonga 'La rosa cautiva' is left to Miguel Poveda and Juan Habichuela, while Diego el Cigala tackles the copla de Quiroga 'Mi mare' por bulerías. And the final member on the staff of the album is Javier Limón, the producer.

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