Flamenco in Scotland

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

Flamenco in Scotland

I just read a review of Paco Peñas show in Scotland. The link is here
http://www.sundayherald.com/40604

Did anyone see it ? I heard from afficionada on another forum that she saw it in the States and hated it and walked out. And she lives somewhere where I think you would take any flamenco that came your way. Would be interested to hear anyone's views on the show if they saw it or even heard from some-one who did.

Amazingly he has with him 5 dancers and 9 other musicians ! It must cost him a fortune.

Kate

_____________________________

Emilio Maya Temple
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CA6OBC
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emiliomaya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2004 20:57:56

Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Kate)

quote:

But Peña wants to show how it all happened, tracing the folk form from domestic beginnings to big-stage splendour in this slick docu-dance show.

Oh Lordie, he is playing near me soon. Should I heckle? Isn't a thunderbolt down the spine enough explanation? I thought Mario Maya's intro to dance embarrasing enough, talk about a power trip.

There was a guy in Jerez who introduced every pena performance with the history of flamenco. Apparently we were witnessing the most important purveyors of the art - that's every frigging night

. He droned on for ages whilst we chit-chatted at the bar. I can do a passable impression of him now.

What I found most amusing was watching him ducking into a limo, 10 minutes later. He is an actor, apparently.

_____________________________

Foro Flamenco founder and Admin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2004 21:09:10

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Escribano)

I think Paco Peña is resting on his butt now.
In fact he has probably been doing so for the last 15 years or so.
After 20+ years of treading the boards and doing his "concert plus lecture" set that has stood him in good stead finacially, I think he's "retired" now.
He was a very serious guy when he was young, a "blade" as I have said before.
I think he was overtaken by the surge of post PdL energy amongst young guitarists in Spain like Tomatito and Vincente Amigo.
I don't think he really recovered from that.
So now he goes on, doing what he knows and does best to keep from sitting around and just doing nothing, and to keep an income coming in.
From what I hear from others this sadly seems to be a bit disappointing.
I'm sure if you were at a private party where Paco was playing, your view would alter considerably.
The man is capable of producing some of the finest flamenco guitar I've ever heard, and even though his style is rather old hat these days, I have very much respect for the man.
Very much respect.

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2004 22:39:01

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Escribano)

Long introductions and thank yous happen all the time in Spain. People like to talk. You're lucky there was only one presenter.

kate

_____________________________

Emilio Maya Temple
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CA6OBC
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emiliomaya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2004 22:53:41

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Ron.M)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ron.M

I'm sure if you were at a private party where Paco was playing, your view would alter considerably.

Absolutely . No disrespect to Paco's playing its the staging. I blame the director , choreographer, lighting designer, concept fatigue whatever. I saw him play a long while back, one of my first flamenco shows, with a small group in an intimate theatre and it was wonderful. He must be lost amongst 13 other performers and a big stage show with voice overs. In the beginning.....there was a narrator. I'm not sure flamenco need stage effects.

Though I haven't seen this show so I'll just shut up .

No disrespect to Paco though.
Kate

_____________________________

Emilio Maya Temple
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CA6OBC
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emiliomaya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2004 23:00:40

Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Ron.M)

quote:

Very much respect.

Respect, Ron... I was commenting on the laptop and commentary. Without "Toques Flamencos" I would be lost.

_____________________________

Foro Flamenco founder and Admin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2004 23:00:57

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Kate)

Hi Kate,

voces y ecos

I saw the show in Glasgow, let me tell you that it was absolutely fantastic.
Sounds strange, but I was kind of dragged along, my wife bought the tickets.

The last time I went to see Paco in one of these 'Big' shows, the Losada brothers took over and there was too much ballet flamenco, which I hate. I thought this time round it might have been the same stuff and therefore, wasn't too fussed.

So it was super, no Losados just real young tallent and a very mature sophisticated and in control, Paco presenting a performance that let everyone shine.
The nice thing was that the show looked at the way flamenco had changed over the last century and this theme allowed Paco an opportunity to play some of his more traditional pieces in the context of the earlier style and as the show moved on, the younger performers shone in their own light and I have to say, they provided some incredible music and dance.

I can't remember names, but there was a fantastic Farruca with guitar and male dancer. Absolutely unique and original interpretation.
There was a point in the show when Paco slips of his shoe, takes of his sock and played Rumba with his sock over his left hand like a glove. Sounds a bit daft, but in the context of the show, it was magic!

At the end, they all get together for a big Buleria and by that time the normally quite reserved Scottish audience was up on the chairs shouting for more.

A great show and not to be missed. I can't recommend it strongly enough.
Made me think, staged over 3 nights and sold out, so where did all these folk come from?

There's hope yet up here in Escotia!

Cheers
Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 21 2004 17:50:03

Billyboy

Posts: 389
Joined: Aug. 18 2003

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Jim Opfer)

.I saw the show in Manchester, and thoroughly enjoyed it, I thought the dancers stole the show, I wonder if it makes a massive profit as there is a huge cast. I heard that Paco has the biggest house in Cordoba, his pad in London looked nice when it was in some Sunday mag a few years ago. He made it when times were good for all things guitar wise, in the 60's 70's, like Julian Bream did, his success never to be repeated
Dave

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 11:40:50

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Billyboy)

I've been to Cordoba for the summer school, the course was based in what we were told was Paco's home on the Plaza del Potro, nice location and quite a substantial home but I wouldn't have thought , the biggest in Cordoba. Might be that he has somewhere else, I don't know?
Paco's a great player and he holds a deep sense of tradition he truely deserves his success.

Cheers
Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2004 11:05:20

Billyboy

Posts: 389
Joined: Aug. 18 2003

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Jim Opfer)

He may or may not deserve it, but I doubt that any of the new crop of Guitarists, V Amigo, Jeronimo etc ever will make as much money as Mr Pena, he became a house hold name in the UK, along with Classical guitarists like Bream, does anyone remember when Bream was on Parkinson along with Micheal Caine, that type of thing will never happen again.
Dave

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2004 15:48:06

Billyboy

Posts: 389
Joined: Aug. 18 2003

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Jim Opfer)

I once spent a couple of days at the Festival but it wasn't someones home, more like a school with balconies, a courtyard, was this quite a while ago that you went.
Dave

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2004 15:52:00

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Flamenco in Scotland (in reply to Kate)

Guys I wrote a review of Paco Pena's show here in Scottsdale, but it was unfortunately deleted by administration. Turns out a guest took exception to one of my irreverent phrases and put out some phrases of his own that were...well they weren't reverent too. In the mess the whole thing was deleted.

My review was quite negative. I almost wonder if we saw the same show. This Paco lacked energy and none of his flamenco showed any trace that the last twenty or thirty years had even happened. He played well and his guitar tone was beautiful, but what he played sounded a lot like Toques Flamencos. Hey, I love Toques Flamencos but when I go to see a Paco that's not what I want to hear. Another thing is I wonder if he's been in Britain too long. His playing does not strike me as particularly Spanish or Flamenco, it sounds like Classical Guitar to me.

The dancers were subpar, the male dancer did too many pirouettes and was trying to be too avant-garde. His solo(s) were too long.

The highlight of the show were two superb singers. In the second half, Paco sat back and seemed content to rest and let the other two guitarists take over the show. He disappeared completely; it was easy to forget he was even on stage.

Sorry to put this so negatively. Like everyone else who cares about flamenco guitar, I regard him as a trailblazer in education, and some nostalgic fondness since my first experience with flamenco guitar was Paco Pena. But the show, perhaps because I saw about 30 shows in Spain, struck me as very lacking in energy and aire. It was gloomy and boring.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2004 15:42:51