Bernarda de Utrera was born Bernarda Jiménez Peña in 1927, in Utrera, near Seville. She came from a legendary family of Flamenco performers. Bernarda was the daughter of José el de Aurora and Chacha Inés and the granddaughter of Pinini. Pinini, according to those who remember him, was a gipsy whose profession was not that of “cantaor” (singer). Nevertheless, when he began singing everybody stopped doing anything and listened to his songs.
La Calle Nueva s'alborotao
porque Pinini s'amborrachao"
"Nueva Street is in a mess
'cause Pinini got drunk"
This is the song that people used to sing in Utrera (Seville), the village where this Gypsy man was born, when he appeared drunk and singing all along Nueva Street, where he lived. Bernarda, Pinini’s granddaughter, inherited that magic that all the gifted have, and when she sang, her wonderful, imaginative and voracious voice made easy what really seems too difficult: singing with rhythm.
Fernanda de Utrera was Bernarda’s sister, with whom she sang for the first time at family gatherings and private parties. Both sisters continued singing together since then. They even managed to record twenty albums.
Bernarda was one of the Flamenco artists featured at the Spanish Pavilion at New York’s World Fair. She won the Bulerías award at the Córdoba National Contest of Flamenco Art in 1957. Moreover, she also won the National award of Flamenco. She also won the prize known as The Best Music of the year 1988 in Radio Paris, and was given the Andalusian Arts’ Medal.
At the age of 72, Bernarda recorded her first solo CD. It was a unique CD because it was the first time Bernarda sings without her sister Fernanda.
Bernarda de Utrera was a master of flamenco rhythms such as the bulerías, tientos and seguiriyas. She died on October 28, 2009 in Utrera, Spain.
Discography:
Fernanda y Bernarda De Utrera: Sevilla, cuna del cante flamenco (1959)
Canta y baila Andalucía (1962)
Por ver a mi madre diera (1962)
Jaleo flamenco (1966)
El flamenco de Manuela Vargas (1966)
Festivales flamencos (1966)
Festival de cante jondo Antonio Mairena (1967)
El cante de Fernanda y Bernarda de Utrera (1967)
Quisiera ser como el aire (1967)
Si me ven hablar contigo (1967)
Archivo del cante flamenco (1968)
Potaje gitano de Utrera (1968)
Romance de la reina Mercedes (1968)
Al mismo juego (1970)
Antología de las bulerías (1971)
Fiesta en Utrera II (1971)
Duende del cante 1972)
Su cante (Movieplay, 1972)
Triana, ay mi Triana (1974)
Manuela Vargas, flamenco puro (1975)
Utrera canta (1982)
Magna antología del cante flamenco (1982)
Antología del cante gitano de nuestra tierra (1986)
Medio siglo de cante flamenco (1987)
Maestros del flamenco. Bulerías (1988)
Flamenco. En concert à Paris (1988)
Cante flamenco (1988)
Maestros del cante (1990)
Raza y compás (Pasarela, 1990)
Testimonios flamencos. Historia del flamenco (1996)
Cultura jonda 7 (1997)
Cultura jonda 10 (1997)
Quejío, ritmo de la sangre (1997)
Un gitano de ley (1997)
Utrera en directo (1998)
Cantes inéditos (1999)
Gitanas de Utrera por bulerías (2000)
Solo:
Ahora (LunaDisco 1998)
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.