¡Hola de Jerez! (updated 3/5/07)

Last Day at Jerez

Folks, here it is, almost 11 days of the festival concluded ( it goes on about another week). Great shows (and some not so great) tasty tapas, and the tremendous hospitality of friends will become a fond memory. So...I´m going to take this last day to enjoy the beautiful Andalucian sunshine, buy flamenco tchotskies, and pack. See you all in a day or two on the other side of the Atlantic!

(written 3/4/07)

La Farruca & Company "Gitanas" @ the Villamarta, 3/4/07 9:00 pm

Singers, dancers, musicians... all advertised as "Gitana" performed with that special earthy quality that some in flamenco just never get right. But tonight La Farruca not only got it right, she reigned over her company as a queen.

She was assisted in this undertaking by dancers Angelita Vargas, La Faraona, Carmelilla Montoya, and Saray de los Reyes. Canté was supplied by Juana del Revuelo, Encarnita Anillo, María Vizarrága, and Mara Rey. José Acedo and Paco Iglesias brought their guitars and the rest is history.

Starting out with a Seguirya, everyone introduced their particular dance styles. Angelita went into a Tientos, La Faraona did a Tangos, and newcomer Saray got to show she could keep up with the big girls in an Alegrías that rocked the party! Farruca´s Soleá was haunting and passionate, and the Bulerías at the end of the show was rousing! The singing was just as varied and intense with each woman alternately challenging, begging, and comforting dancers.

The subtext of the show was the give and take between women in a Gypsy hierarchy. At one point there was a look in La Faraona´s eyes that promised somebody was in deeeeeeeeeeeep trouble, but mercy soon ensued and balance returned much to the audience´s relief.

The major set was a peña or tablao. the internal sets represented the homes of the different women. It was simply done and nicely done. Costumes were cut in tradional patterns using modern prints and fabrics... this showed the costumer´s vision of taking the ancient into the present-day. I like touches like that... What more is needed?

La Farruca came up to the audience at the end of the last curtain call and thanked us but also politely reminded us that it was the Company and not just her who deserved our generous and enthusiastic applause. In what brought tears to many eyes, she also asked that we hold a special thought for her son, Juan.

I liked it, and so it seems, did everyone else. In the lobby, her younger son Farruco mingled with the high flamenco aristocracy of Jerez´ Gypsy contingent. Also spotted... Angel Muñoz a perennial Flamenco Buzz favorite son.

Jerez, Jerez, Jerez... what a town!

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(written 3/3/07)

Compañía María Pagés, ‘Sevilla’ @ the Villamarta 3/3/07 9:00 pm

I´ve seen Compañía María Pagés over the years and all the shows were good. This one however - - - was GREAT! In fact I would say at this point it is in the top 3 Jerez Festival shows I´ve seen and very well may be the best of the best without a doubt. María Pagés always gives the audience what it wants: great dancing, stage/art direction, and a story, but tonight she outdid herself!

With a `little help´ from her musicians, especially the stellar Ana Ramón performing (as she has for many seasons) haunting cantanté and José Carrillo on lead guitar, she served up Sevilla in gorgeous facets. Here was no limp-wristed rendition, these were strong images of Sevilla in all her golden glory: Carmen in the tobacco factory, the Fería de Sevilla, the mystery of the Holy Virgin, Bulerías in Triana, the Torre del Oro, the River Guadalquivir, I could go on and on...

Dancing by her company lead by principal dancer Emilio Herrera was stunningly competent if a bit uniform. But I have to say there was NEVER a boring moment. All dancers were on their mark and showed flashes of individual brilliance. Artistically, each scene came into view (exceptional was the interior of the "Alcazar") as a specific representation of Sevilla. The costumes were at times impressionistic as opposed to traditional, sets were painted on a tissuelike fabric and hung in rapid succession to create totally different moods. It was such a fascinating night I don´t know where to begin, in fact I left before the finale because the words were buzzing in my head like a nest of disturbed hornets.

Bottom Line: If you are a US promoter wondering if this show is worth bringing Stateside, I am here to tell you that your audiences will clamor for more and that you will sell out every seat after the first night once word spreads about one of the most exciting Compañía María Pagés productions I have ever seen!!! You read it here FIRST - if you can only do ONE Flamenco show this year then THIS is the ONE to DO!!!

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Written 3/2/07

Just a quick note to say that I caught the Pastora Galvan show - an amazing dancer with the ability to carry an entire performance. The show was called "Francesa" and was a sendup of the French-born imagery of the Spanish woman as a fiery maneater a la Bizet´s Carmen. The direction was by her brother Israel Galvan - so you can imagine the innovation there!

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(written 3/1/07)

Wednesday night´s show at the Villamarta featured dancers Andrés Peña & Pilar Ogalla, in ‘A fuego lento’ with guest artist Luis `el Zambo´ doing mad-skills canté.

I liked Pilar right away because she was graceful but soooooo experienced in her movements that butter wouldn´t melt in her mouth. Loved, loved, LOVED everything about this flamenquita with a faint resemblance to Maggie Gyllenhaal. Her footwork with the bata was good, but her cuerpo with it, posing and undulating like a snake in heat was perhaps one of the best this reviewer has seen in some time. Also I loved the cotton eyelet of the bata, it was jammin´...

It took me a little longer to warm up to Sr. Peña perhaps because I couldn´t understand his relationship to the compás in a particular Bulería, but by the end of the show I was his latest fan. He was not as photogenic as a bailiaor can be, but his style is distinctly his own and it´s apparent he knows his stuff.

This was flamenco with a capital F (ok...maybe a little too close to the tourist joints in Sevilla but compared to some of the other artists I´ve seen, a real and distinct pleasure to watch!)

The 3 singers and 2 guitarists who accompanied the 3 featured performers were also `solo-act´ quality and could carry their own shows with no problem. The old man of the group, Sr. Luis `el Zambo´ is one of those rare individuals that grace a private juerga deep in some Andaluçian pueblo that you and I will NEVER find ourselves invited to. Needless to say lucky for me, huh, to be there at the Villamarta to see and hear what I did???

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(written 2/28/07)

Having arrived after a BRUTAL 30-hour travel period (3 different flights all delayed) I was treated to some fabulous shows. Starting with Romancero Gitano (Compañía Cristina Hoyos) at the Villamarta this past Friday night, (2/23/07) I then walked up to the Gonzalez Byass Bodega to see the magical Mayte Martín sing.

Following that on Saturday (2/24/07)was Rafael del Carmen who is the Energizer Bunny of flamenco (Paco de Lucía uses him a lot) Got REALLY ill with a 24 hour bug that was goin´ around and passed on all the shows Sunday.

Saw the one and only Juana Amaya with her young daughter (who is really looking & dancing like an exact replica of mom...) on Monday (2/26/07) at the Sala Compañía...FRONT ROW!!! Sometime around 3:00 am in the morning I made my way from a peña where I saw some pretty raw dancing and even more raw singing back to the crash pad to sleep a little and woke up around 4:00 pm this afternoon...

Then Tuesday (2/27/07) saw Ursula Lopez at the same venue (not my cup of tea but hey, es flamenco ¿vale?) As I called it years ago, Rocio Molina is a powerhouse of talent and intellect and has come into her own and had a show the same night at the Villamarta. (The Buzz predicted and rightly so that her time as a chorus dancer in another star´s show would not last long!)

I´m looking forward to the Pastora Galvan espetacolo direct from this year´s Bienal (sold out ages ago). Then there is the Gitanas show featuring all Jerezana Gitana women with lots and lots of years of experience.

Great stuff eh? More to follow soon!

By the way...if you plan to attend the Festival - come on by and say "hola" to me if you see me wandering aimlessly about the streets of my beloved Jerez. Flamenco Buzz will have very cool flamenco journals, accessories, and other items for sale so don't blink or you might miss out!!!

Hope to see you there!