María la Tero, April 2007

Flamenco is always in need of a rescue operation. And more so when the legacy is scarce. In the case of a cantaor like Luis de la Pica, who hardly released anything in his lifetime, it is even more satisfying for not just a compilation of his cantes to come out, but at the same time, a book in his memory.

Excerpt from book 'El duende taciturno'

‘El duende taciturno’ is a pack which includes a record with ten cantes recorded live in different performances between 1989 and 1999, the year of his death. You have to ignore the sound quality and appreciate the value of these testimonies, the lyrics written by this cantaor-poet, his idiosyncrasy and the aftertaste of the moment.

And the last pages of the book include all the lyrics sung on the record, as well as the date and place of the recording, and the guitarists, among them, Antonio Jero and Fernando Moreno. But the book is much more than a booklet. Journalist and researcher Alfredo Grimaldos went to Jerez to trace the memory of this Bohemian artist. And the testimonies he collected from family members, friends and artists shape up this ‘puzzle’, including the voices of his mother María la Pica, musicians such as José Mercé and even bullfighter Rafael de Paula. The entire text is moreover sprinkled with a great many photos of the star.

Contents

Special feature. Jerez cante families

Review. Chocolate, ‘Cobre viejo’