3 May 2018 Madrid

Some comments on shows I’ve been seeing:

Friday, 20 April@ Casa Patas Fundacion—Guadiana. Voice not unpleasant like years before. He has great feel, sentiment, pitch, soniquete. An 8.5 Accompanied by Carlos de Jacoba, who plays with really good swing. A little short of material, a little boring, his bulerias a 9+. 2 boys as palmeros who danced pataitas por bulerias super-well. A satisfying evening!

Thursday, 3 May at the Fundacion, again. Capullo de Jerez: groove, soniquete, sentido, swing, verdad—inspirado! With Manuel Jero, son of Ninyo Jero, he’s also called Jerito. He’s got all the mugging looks, smiles, arcane glances of his father. Similarly, his limited technique: mostly thumb, virtually no picado, arpegio, horquilla, tremelo. But, along with 2 wonderful palmeros, produced a grooving pocket of flamenquismo that was damn engaging!

Contrasting the “jazz” of Jorge Pardo with Josemi Carmona, Javier Colina, and Bandolero (May 1st at Club Bogui in Chueca): jazz without swing (don’ mean a thing…), too damn many useless notes and scales, fast and loud and furious; everyone competing to outdo each other. Did I say I generally detest bass and drum solos? In fairness, I felt Josemi played very very well and I enjoyed his toque immensely. But, the rest? Has Pardo forgotten how gorgeous a long and lyrical spellbinding line can be?