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Ricardo -> RE: cante jondo (Apr. 28 2024 18:34:15)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Morante
Anybody has an opinion why gitanos sing cante jondo better than payos (honourable excepions such as José Menese apart)?
I believe the answer is the gitano community kept the music closely guarded for generations via the traceable flamenco dynasties, and the payos they worked beside were involved to a certain extent, however, the way the gitano cultivates tradition (and still does, even non-flamenco musical things), and the fact it is encourage at such early ages (I perform Romanian gypsy weddings and always there are some children very advanced at guitar and singing naturally that join us with Gypsy Kings repertoire and other famous tunes), results in the majority of decent artists from this group. Conversely when payos do appear involved they tend to be exceptional precisely because it is NOT their cultural situation and they work much harder to do a convincing job, gain acceptance, etc., and the gitanos actually appreciate this level of commitment (hence I get highered for these weddings as much as certain gitanos in the community that could also do the job).
Now, the other important thing that is not given much focus but is uniquely important to this flamenco thing vs other gypsy traditions, is that inside the flamenco community there has always been A LOT of racial mixing. This is rather unusual for gypsies and seems to go hand in hand with the flamenco music to some extent. Because it is a bit taboo, you notice researchers lumping together people that might identify as payo or Gitano, keeping them separated, when the truth might be more complicated genetically. For example, my cantaor friend from Barcelona, identifies as a payo artist…however, a deeper probe into his family reveals gitano blood going back to Sevilla….and this explains too much that normally would be overlooked, does it not? My mentor Gerardo Nuñez is the only kid born in Jerez, his family being from Granada, and his sisters wanted to take dance class got him started in flamenco in that town. Being “born” into it, unlike his family members, he ends up marrying a Gypsy dancer and speaking Calo, extremely integrated into the community and history, and and it becomes difficult to separate his toque as a “payo” toque. This thing will extend to singers and dancers IMO. I believe the racial mixing thing to be part of the story from the beginning of flamenco history (my personal research has turned up names dates and places in this regard), and continues to do so. Possibly the hidden strength and beauty behind the art form that is too often overlooked.
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