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Phil -> Flamenco in Jerez (Sep. 12 2003 19:37:09)
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I went to Jerez today to meet Estela, who is here for the Bulerias Festival. I was having a beer (or 2) with her and Melchor, and who walks up to our table to say hello to Estela? Paco Cepero! Melchor has met him a couple of times before and runs into people like Moraito regularly, but for me it was a big deal. I’m telling you guys (and girls) that if you’re going to go to Spain for guitar lessons or dance lessons, there’s no better place to go than Jerez. I’m sure the level of instruction is just as good in Granada or Sevilla, but those places just don’t have the Flamenco ambience that Jerez has. There are the peñas, which have performances every weekend and entrance is FREE; there’s the Centro Andaluz de Flamenco, which shows films, has performances, has libraries of recordings and videos that you can listen to and watch, and is FREE; and then there’s the very high probability of running into your favorite Flamenco artist walking down the street, which is also FREE.
Your lessons, however, will not be free, but if you deal directly with the teachers and don’t go through some booking agency, they will be very cheap (in comparison with what you’d pay in the States or the UK). And with the money you save you can pick up very nice guitar for a very reasonable price. Just stay away from the ones with the “media luna” on the headstock.[;)]
I know I sound like I work for the Jerez tourist bureau or something, but I’m really just sharing some of my excitement with you. After all, I told my Andalucian wife that I met Paco Cepero today and she said, “Paco, who?” If any of you ever decide to come here, write to me and I’ll be happy to help you out anyway I can. (And no, Merle, you can't stay at my house). [:)]
Phil
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