(headline image: Pepe Habichuela performing live at Suma Flamenca 2024 – Photo by Pablo Lorente)
Last night, Pepe Habichuela inaugurated the 19th edition of the Suma Flamenca festival, a prominent flamenco event organized by the Community of Madrid. The debut of Yesqueros, a new work by the legendary Granada-born guitarist, reflected on his early years in the placeta of Yesqueros in Granada, where the four Habichuela guitarists first developed their craft.
Running until November 3rd, Suma Flamenca features 44 performances, including 14 world premieres and 18 Madrid debuts, with over 240 artists participating under the theme “Flamenco Orient: From Ronda to Cartagena.”
The festival, directed by Antonio Benamargo, will highlight the influences of eastern Spain on flamenco, with performances representing contributions from regions like Málaga, Jaén, Granada, Almería, La Unión, and Cartagena. Other notable world premieres this year include El Gallo Azul by Israel Fernández, Tierra Virgen by Marco Flores, La Poeta by Alfredo Lagos, Andenes del Tiempo by Vicente Amigo, and Adelante y por Derecho by the Jorge Pardo Trio.
In Yesqueros, Pepe Habichuela (born in 1944) was joined by his son Josemi Carmona on guitar, Bandolero on percussion, Javier Colina on double bass, and Montse Cortés on vocals. The piece celebrates the legacy of the Habichuela family, who introduced a fresh, innovative flamenco style to Madrid in the late 1960s. The performance captured Habichuela’s signature mix of depth, sensitivity, rhythm, and soul.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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