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Flamenco-world.com, December 2011
Having a mark of your own is one of the greatest achievements a musician can have. Having one as a flamenco guitarist, given the quantity and quality of the proposals, is an even greater achievement. Carlos Piñana has one. And, with the weight provided by the experience of six previous albums, he develops it on ‘Manos libres’ (‘Hands Free’). As Norberto Torres expresses in the booklet, the base of his style lies in being “between flamenco and classical guitar”. And that dual complexion causes his music to be resolved elegantly and fluently, with exquisite control of the scores and of the performance he does of them, both solo and when he chooses to have accompaniment. They’re the two typologies of toques offered on this album. On the one hand, there’s the solo guitar like in the minera ‘Tarantilla’ which he dedicates “to the memory of Enrique Morente”, in the rondeña ‘Con ternura’ and in the soleá ‘Trianera’ with vocals by Curro Piñana. The first two have in common the importance of what isn’t heard, of the spaces and the air, and also of the caress. The toque for his brother’s cante moreover plays at balancing the personal with the orthodox reference. On the other hand, there are the rhythmic songs wrapped with elaborate instrumental company. The Levante-born guitarist presents himself thus on this disc, with the rumba ‘Hacia Oriente’ which, amidst choruses, clapping, percussions, mandolas and the warm virtuosity of the guitar, takes on a deceitful Moorish complexion. Play and composure shake hands in ‘Bulería de Piñana’, also seasoned, but always with tact and restraint. The accompaniment lies on another level in ‘Templaza’, a creation very much his own por farruca which highlights the idiosyncrasy of the style not due to its rhythmic structure, but rather because of other less quantifiable factors such as color, climate, expression. ‘Guajirón’, just with clapping, vocals and percussions, highlights the freshness of the comings and goings, in order to establish a dialogue with itself… between guitars, between here and there. The zapateado ‘Naseer’ is another story, like a continuous mantra which moves forward. Following the rondeña and the soleá comes the bulería ‘Cairo’ which, far from being a summary of falsetas, has a narrative nature, the guitar coexisting with bass, piano and violin. And at the end, everything closes with ‘Año Nuevo en Poznan’, an intimist, nostalgic, free guitar fantasy… a demonstration of his own mark.
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CD. Carlos Piñana,
'Manos libres' More information, audio, orders |
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"His music is resolved elegantly and fluently, with exquisite control of the scores and of the performance he does of them"
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