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Martín Guijarro
Translation: Joseph Kopec
A great male flamenco voice. A mature
artist who knows what he wants. Traditional but
updated cante. A message in the lyrics, in new
lyrics. Flamenco fusion. Songs with refrains.
A balanced, quality album. All of these ingredients
can be found in ‘Confí de fuá’
by José
Mercé. The Jerez-born cantaor once
again puts his money on legible, open, universal
flamenco, which he has been cooking up since ‘Del
amanecer’. And he achieves a varied, dynamic,
believable album, made together with one of flamenco's
most personal producers and composers: Isidro
Muñoz.
The songs on this album have
substance. José Mercé upholds a
record with a commitment to the problems of today's
society. ‘Confí de fuá’
is moreover a song through bulerías uttered
with extreme sweetness, a statement against the
abuse of women. ‘Líbreme el hombre
de vencer al hombre’ sends out an anti-violence,
pro human goodness message, putting the cantaor's
skilled vocal musicality to the test, with arrangements
close to pop ballads. ‘Clandestino’
by Manu Chao, as is well known, cries out against
the illegal trafficking of people, but here with
the flamenco tone that José Mercé
has given to it... through bulerías, with
pampering, with subtlety. He did so on previous
records with ‘Al alba’ by Luis Eduardo
Aute and with ‘Te recuerdo Amanda’
by Víctor Jara.
Staying close to the young audience
and at the same time vindicating the party side
of flamenco, he cultivates tangos, rumbas, alegrías
and bulerías. The lyrics in this group
of tracks mix the popular with phrases by Isidro
Muñoz, many of them full of Andalusian-style
puns and humor. ‘Juana’ is tangos
based on tradition, with a catchy, mellow refrain.
‘Saliva curativa’ is a rumba with
genuine Cuban accompaniment in which even Diego
Carrasco provides a touch of his brilliant
rap to the beat. The alegrías ‘Tirititrán’
keep to the traditional scheme of things, both
in the lyrics and in the accompaniment on the
guitar, with the mere adornment of a soft refrain
sung by a chorus and the timely heel tapping of
Joaquín
Grilo. ‘No me digas’ is the album's
orthodox bulería, in the style of the Santiago
neighborhood, with clapping, guitar and cante.
And outside of the flamenco styles is ‘Oxígeno’,
a pop rock song abounding with the freedom enjoyed
by this cantaor.
+ DVD
As on prior records, Mercé
doesn't forget orthodox flamenco, either. The
soleá ‘De tu olvido me curé’
sticks to the old model, sung and played intimately.
The fandangos ‘Cuenta que tiene un amante’,
despite the lyrics' double-entendre, go along
the same lines, with a José Mercé
ready to satisfy the most demanding enthusiasts.
And if that weren't enough, he sings two sets
of martinete lyrics, another couple of tonás
and a debla. Without music; just his naked voice.
The roots of cante... and of the cantaor. But
be careful because this last cut - plus an extended
version of ‘Saliva curativa’ - is
only going to be included in the initial limited
edition which moreover has a DVD. On this extra
included with the album, there is an audiovisual
in which José Mercé sings the debla,
martinete and toná in a courtyard of Bodegas
Barbadillo in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, with
a chilling result, as well as the fandango together
with Moraíto
Chico on toque. A real pleasure to see him
perform those cantes of such flamenco vitality.
Moreover, it also offers an interview on video,
which the artist takes advantage of to speak about
the album, producer, recording, songs and Andalusian
way of life. And, last but not least, the gallery
combines photos from the album with 'the making
of' of the session itself, a curious feature completing
a well-rounded album.
More information:
Giveaway.
Flamenco-world.com is giving away a guitar signed
by José Mercé
‘Confí
de fuá’ by José Mercé.
Exclusive Special Feature at Flamenco-world.com
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