Sergio Monroy was born in Cadiz (Spain). He has developed a unique synthesis of flamenco and piano music. His debut album was acclaimed in the new flamenco community for its freshness and accessibility, wedding flamenco with jazz. Sergio fuses all the components of flamenco – the guitar, the palmas (hand-clapping) and the voice – without imitating them, bringing all the piano’s melodic resources, rhythm and harmony into play.
Monroy’s career began at an early age: at seventeen the pianist performed his first open air concert at the Mentidero square in Cadiz and his true debut came at twenty when he accompanied celebrated flamenco singer Miguel Poveda in the Central Lechera theatre, also in Cadiz, in 2000. Since then he has performed in many renowned theatres in Spain, ranging from the prestigious Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid to the Mercado de Música Viva showcase in Vic. He has also played concerts in England, Netherlands, Germany, United States of America and France.
His first album, titled Monroy – Piano Flamenco, was released in 2003. It already showed his interest in approaching flamenco and jazz and included appearances of celebrated singers such as Javier Ruibal and Miguel Poveda. Chicuco, his second recording, showed the ancient wisdom of Cadiz flamenco and a deep respect for the folk songs as they were sung at the popular Mentidero square and where they were caught in the air by this fresh-minded flamenco artist, eager to renew his sound.
Chicuco is how you call in Cadiz the brisk boy from the northern coast who has come to the town to help out in the little corner shops. It is a true homage to his roots, to his father, to a lifestyle and a spirit. There is also a village in Mozambique and a valley in northern Mexico called Chicuco. And Monroy is wise and humble enough to listen while he’s working and melting together an universe of artistic influences: flamenco, jazz, Spanish folk music, Cuban son and other rhythms.
Discography
* Piano Flamenco (Ediciones El Bujío, 2003)
* Chicuco (Ediciones El Bujío, 2009)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
