Martín Guijarro, August 2006

Yeah! Flamenco guitar is headed for another revolution. Anyone who thought that with Paco de Lucía everything had been reinvented was wrong. A new generation, free now from pressures, hang-ups and constraints (though utilizing the undisputed master as a springboard, of course), are pushing out in new musical directions with this instrument whose richness seems inexhaustible. And there's one name in particular to watch. And he also comes from Algeciras. Must be something in the air down there.

You have to listen to José Manuel León carefully... and without prejudice. Because from the very first note of his ‘Sirimusa’ he makes absolutely clear that his guitar is something you haven't heard before. When virtuosity is as easy as pie to you, your hands and mind are free to wander. The young guitarist from Algeciras's style of playing and composing is imaginative, open-minded and very individual. It's at once both flamenco and contemporary. And in addition, it has the virtue of being accessible, in the sense that it's easy on the ear. That doesn't mean to say it's simple. Quite the opposite, those deceptive, fresh sounds are the outer signs of a complex world, built on absolute mastery of both technique and compás.

'Sirimusa'. Front Cover

As Faustino Núñez comments in the booklet, that's why you can detect original aspects such as “the versatility the flamenco rhythm pattern offers when you really know what you're doing”. That's how León manages to slip from tientos into tangos, not forgetting tanguillos and even bulerías in ‘Rejas de bronce’. And that's just an example of the giant steps on offer here. The opening piece, ‘Sirimusa’, is a veritable manifesto. And add to that the alegrías ‘Chorroskina’, the tango ‘Tonga’ - where he truly turns the standard inside-out - and ‘Travesía de la soleá’, which as its name suggests is a tour of this mother of all styles... his way. Then the experimentation starts to come to the fore in the vivacious rumba ‘Hay que ser positivo’, jumping to the fandangos ‘Isla verde’, and rounding off with the original piece ‘Los niños del atún’: one part flamenco, one part funk, and one part ‘León’. Must be something in the air down there.

One thing to bear in mind, and for which it deserves double the credit, is that it's a self-produced album. Now that the big recording companies almost boycott solo guitarists, today's ‘tocaores’ go it alone. And they make a pretty good job of it too... just take a look at the presentation of the disc, in a cardboard sleeve with wonderful photos and an original booklet-poster. In this case, it's released on the independent label Bost, set up by bassist Pablo Martín (yep, the one from the Gerardo Núñez trio), which was launched with his own recording debut ‘Doméstica’. Incidentally, that's who did the production work and provided the studio (a home studio, would you believe…).

'Sirimusa'. Inner art

Contents

Interview with José Manuel León, guitarist (June 2006)