Vicente in London (Full Version)

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Romanza -> Vicente in London (Feb. 16 2006 9:17:08)

So, did anyone make it to the Vicente concert in London last night? What were your thoughts? I loved every minute of it personally! Vicente and group seemed to really enjoy it and it all just flowed so well. 2 hours seemed like 30 minutes! His playing is just so beautiful...

Does anyone know who the main singer was? He looked really familiar.



Kate -> RE: Vicente in London (Feb. 16 2006 14:37:22)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Romanza
Does anyone know who the main singer was? He looked really familiar.


I take it there was no programme or was it simply that it did not mention the singer. Isn't this so frustrating. I see this so much in flamenco, especially foreign tours. I just had a google around to see if I could see who Vicente was touring with but no luck.

Glad to hear it was a good concert and in flamenco terms quite a long one as well. Was Vicente on stage all the time ? Did he have a dancer and were they mentioned by name ?

Kate



Romanza -> RE: Vicente in London (Feb. 16 2006 15:07:39)

Hi Kate. I think there was a programme but we got there so late I didn't have time to get one (London traffic - it must have been the most anxious bus journey I have ever had!). In fact we just made it to our seats before the concert started..

Vicente came on alone at first and was on stage throughout. He was gradually joined by a group of 6 others who joined and left the stage at various intervals - 1 bass, 2 cajon players, 1 other guitarist, a 'keyboard man' and the main cantaor. But most of the group did a bit of cante and some palmas (sorry if I've gotten these terms wrong) at some point. They were an interesting crew - especially the keyboard player. I couldn't believe he could play so well given he was literally jumping around in his seat!

I presume his group is comprised of the musicians from his album 'Un momento en el sonido' as the concert was basically that album. It was an all-male affair. There was no dancer. I commented to my friend that I think that kind of flamenco (very fast and quite jazzy), would be quite difficult to dance to, but I'm not sure.

Vicente introduced each member of the group, but I didn't really catch the names. He seemed comfortable with the audience but a lot of conversing in Spanish - very frustrating for us non-Spanish speakers!

The main cantaor looked a bit like Diego el Cigala who I love - his voice makes me melt. I'm sure Vicente said something that sounded like 'Kigala' which made me suspicious. However I don't think it was him (he just had the hair!).

It was truly fantastic - going from very fast and energetic one minute to slow and dreamy the next. They really seemed to know how to manipulate the audience in terms of build up and creating and maintaining momentum.

Anyway, I'm not very good at describing concerts iin technical terms.. It was just great stuff!



Cloth Ears -> RE: Vicente in London (Feb. 16 2006 17:19:04)

Blas Córdoba was the cantaor. Very moving.

I have to admit that hearing VA 5 years ago for the first time got me to put down my electric and work hard on the nylons. I have much to thank him for. It was a thrill to see him. A Maestro to many maestros. The band was totally together. I adore the sublime mix of the modern and traditional. Just beautiful music.

His solea at the start was a pastiche of several: bits of say, tio arango, thrown in with falsetas from other soleares. If you write music yourself you will know this process. Lovely.

He missed nearly all of the grace notes at the start, but of course it takes a while to warm up. It is also harder to pick them up on a stage condenser than a studio mic.

Just like Romanza, I enjoyed every last moment.

The rhythm section solo was gorgeous. Sychopated cahons. WOw!

I went home sad that I have no companieros of my own to pick up the compas, in this country. Ah well, I have the holiday booked ;-)



Cloth Ears -> RE: Vicente in London (Feb. 17 2006 16:53:44)

..forgot to mention the encore:

Gitano de Lucia.

Played in a much more traditional Buleria style than the album. The compas glowed through the falsetas. A good choice Vicente!



Kate -> RE: Vicente in London (Feb. 18 2006 15:40:23)

Thanks for the reviews both of you. I do miss the London theatre scene. Did you go to any of the other concerts ?

Kate



andante -> RE: Vicente in London (Feb. 19 2006 4:43:32)

I too saw mi amigo vicente play 5 years ago, so I knew exactly what I could expect. But he still blew my socks off. I don't remember ever enjoying a concert more.

I was interested to see him cross himself as he walked on stage, but as Romanza says, he looked very relaxed. Someone in the crowd shouted "Torero" and he quietly answered "I'm scared of bulls."

Last week in a tiny room I saw Diego Amador, who was also pretty amazing. Unlike the last time I saw him he played solo, and accompanied himself only on the piano. He seemed quite surprised by the response he got, saying "what a great audience, I should have brought a bigger band."

I saw the latest Sara Baras extravaganza, which I suppose was impressive but I've never been too keen on big dance shows.

And it was great to see Enrique Morente. He's not my favourite singer and I only really went along so as to support cante concerts and in the hope of seeing Nino Josele, but I'm so glad I did, I really enjoyed it. It's a shame the hall wasn't full.



Romanza -> RE: Vicente in London (Feb. 19 2006 19:29:18)

quote:

Did you go to any of the other concerts ?

No unfortunately not. The Sara Baras show seemed to get mixed reviews in the press, with some saying it seemed too 'stagey'.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/critic/review/0,,1708645,00.html
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14936-2038590,00.html
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/theatre/reviews/article345598.ece

I sometimes find London frustrating but I have to admit it the music scene is so good - I feel unbelievably lucky that I've seen two 'flamenco greats' in concert in the past 6 months.. then there is Paco Pena to look forward to in April.

I still would like to see flamenco in a more 'natural' setting.. hopefully in Jerez..



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