Flamenco Spotlight, May 2022

Rosario La Tremendita Wins Best Flamenco Album at MIN Award

Vocalist and bassist Rosario La Tremendita’s recording “Tremenda” won the 2022 MIN Award for Best Flamenco Album. The MIN awards are granted by Spain’s Independent Phonographic Union (UFI) and recognize the most seasoned talents on the Spanish national independent music scene. “Tremenda” is an exciting journey through flamenco cante with electronic textures.

“Tremenda” was produced by Rosario’s friend and producer Pablo Martin Jones.

Manuel de Angustias Launches “Yo no soy” Music Video

Flamenco singer Manuel de Angustias has released a music video titled “Yo no soy”, directed and produced by the Noidentity Films team.  

The video was conceived and directed by Joaquín Ortega after observing Manuel de Angustias’ numerous performances throughout his career singing to love and heartbreak. Ortega thought that Manuel de Angustias’ narrative is a universal story that should be reflected in the short film that any man or woman can identify with.

LXI Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas Unveils Poster by Carlos Saura

The Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas, Spain’s largest Flamenco festival and music competition, revealed the poster for the 2022 edition. Hosted by the city of La Unión in southeastern Spain, this year’s festival pays homage to its most outstanding cantaora (flamenco singer) on its poster. Encarnación Fernández won two top Lámpara Minera awards in 1979 and 1980. The poster was designed by the renowned filmmaker and photographer Carlos Saura. He used of his own pictorial technique, which combines photography and painting, which is part of the concept Fotosaurios (Photosaurs), transforming a printed photograph of the singer from La Unión through watercolors, temperas, crayons and colored pencils.

The president of the Cante de las Minas Foundation, Pedro López, took the opportunity to advance some brushstrokes of the programming of this upcoming 61st edition, such as the 15 selective competitions that are going to be carried out throughout the Spanish geography to find the greatest exponents in guitar playing, in dance, cante and instrumentalists so that they will have “a career full of successes” thanks to the promotion from the Festival.

The festival will include a performance by the Rancapino Family, as well as a tribute to guitarist Paco Cepero, who will receive the Bordón Honorífico for his entire career to “thank him for his contribution to flamenco”.

“This Festival is everything for La Unión, because it is not just a contest but is part of our idiosyncrasy and way of being, because it is the greatest cultural heritage that our ancestors have left us,” said Pedro López.

The Return of Madrid Flamenco Festival in 2022

Festival Flamenco Madrid returns to the Spanish capital after a year of absence. The event will present some of Flamenco’s biggest stars along with rising artists.

The Festival this year has expanded to twelve stages in Madrid that will present song, music and dance. The main venue will still be the Fernán Gómez theater at the Centro cultural de la Villa at Plaza de Colón 4, although the aim is to reach the widest possible audience throughout Madrid.

Ángel Rojas will direct the festival once more, after three years. The programming is plural and diverse, from the most orthodox flamenco, provided by Antonio Reyes and Pedro El Granaíno in the opening concert, to the more transgressive projects such as Rosario La Tremendita.

The lineup includes consecrated names, such as Mayte Martín and Pedro G. Romero, who directs Lucía La Piñona; along but with emerging talents, such as the Chilean artist Florencia Oz and the young pianist Antón Cortés.

Nearly all the scheduled shows presented in Madrid are either absolute premieres, or they have never taken place in the Spanish capital. The festival also includes the Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreography Contest that will take place within the framework of the festival from May 11 to 13 at the Teatro Fernán Gómez.

Families will be able to enjoy flamenco at Espacio Abierto. Other activities include the Quinta de los Mlinos inclusive dance with José Maldonado and Rita Notuel, group classes for all audiences with Juan Paredes and Torombo. Additionally, the festival will feature documentary screenings at the Cineteca Madrid in Matadero and a photography exhibition by Antonio Gades at the Fernán Gómez. Added to the plurality of stages is the diversity of schedules.

One of the most significant novelties this year is that for the first time the Festival will cross the stage doors to go out into the street. This will happen on San Isidro day (San Isidro is Madrid’s patron saint). At four points in Madrid Río park there will be performances or activities around flamenco.

This year the festival has associated with the Bienal de Sevilla and will welcome an artist invited by the Bienal: guitarist Joselito Acedo who will perform in Madrid for the first time. Joselito will be joined by a superb cast that includes guitar maestro Ragfael Riqueni, Pastora Galván, Arcángel and Rafael Esteve.

To conclude, and do it in style, on May 29, Flamenco Madrid will close at the Sala Guirau at Fernán Gómez with the gathering “30 años. Las mujeres cantan al mito” (30 years. The women sing to the myth). This is a tribute to the legendary Camarón performed by top female vocalists Remedios Amaya, La Kaita, Montse Cortés and La Fabi.

More information at https://festivalflamencomadrid.com

Luis el Zambo at Madrid Flamenco Theater

The Círculo Flamenco de Madrid has scheduled a concert by Luis el Zambo accompanied by Miguel Salado for Tuesday, May 3, which will be dedicated to the memory of Alfredo Grimaldos. It will begin at 10:30 p.m. hosted by Pedro Calvo and Miguel Ángel Rodríguez at the Madrid Flamenco Theater (Teatro Alfil), located on Calle del Pez 10. The poster is a design by María Artigas.

Nolasco Unveils “Olor a romero” Video

“Olor a romero” is the title of the new song and video by singer-songwriter Nolasco. The artist from Seville combines flamenco, rock, pop and other elements in his music. “Olor a romero” is a flamenco rooted and Tex-Mex border inspired song that will appear in Nolasco’s upcoming album “Petricor”.