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SANLUCAR 2009
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Pimientito
Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella
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 SANLUCAR 2009
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I have an infected eyelid from lack of sleep….I have a tendonitis in my left hand….my liver has turned to paté. My dining table is covered in pages of transcriptions, photos, and hours of recordings.My mobile phone is full of new numbers. It’s been a week now since Sanlucar and yet I’m still buzzing from an experience that felt more like a family reunion than a flamenco course…..and yet no-one has posted a word about 2009 in Sanlucar.
I can only think that if everyone there feels like me, its hard to know where to begin. All I can say is to everyone reading this who was there…THANK YOU! Thank you guys for being the biggest hearted, coolest, die hard, flamenco party animals in the world. The sense of friendship and solidarity was overwhelming. You are all great!
This year numbers were way down, maybe 35 guitar players and 70 or so people on the course in total but the level of fiesta was at a new record. Classes followed by concerts followed by fiesta followed by beach parties until dawn every single night. So much so that by day 5 of the course Gerardo Nuñez walked into an empty auditorium (for the first time in Sanlucar history) that led later to a private class with only 5 very exhausted guitarists.
Matic was my roomie for the week and I talked him into doing the advanced course this year. He did really well and I can’t believe how quickly he picked up the material. Olé Matic, I know you got a lot out of your Spanish experience this year.
I didn’t take so many photos this year but Errol must have taken around 2000. He captured some amazing images so I’m looking forward to him posting them on Flikr around the end of August. Many people have posted on Ramins facebook site and there are already 400 or so photos there.
There were a lot of cool memories. Rafa de Utrera was in the Hotel room next to ours and it was great to hear him singing in the shower as I was waking up. When we arrived in Sanlucar there were posters all over town advertising the international flamenco week at the contratiempos. I thought "Wow! thats great, we should go to see that" only to realise later that in fact we were the international flamencos  . I remember the students being thrown out of the Barbadillo bodega at 3.00 in the morning after drinking literally every drop of sherry at the party! In fact the level of activity during our week there inspired a visit from the mayor of Sanlucar to the course to thank us all for coming.
Norman, it was great to finally meet you. Shame you couldn't stay longer but hope to see you again soon.
The scariest episode for me at least, was having to follow Gerardo in concert at the Peña flamenca. The place was packed to the gills and Gerardo came on stage and played a buleria en tono Rondeña at probably the best I have heard him. It was
quite simply the most breathtaking daredevil display of guitar virtuosity I had ever heard. The place erupted into riotous applause. Gerardo came backstage smiling. “I think that went quite well” he said. There was no way I was going to follow that so Ricardo was pushed on first followed by Errol and then me. It was a very nerveracking experience indeed. You sit up there and it’s hard not to let you mind turn to mush and your hands into jelly. Fergus came on after and played great.
On the last night Gerardo signed my Guitar in his garden which pretty much made my year. It was genuinely hard to leave and I miss you all. Transcriptions are coming in the next month or 2 so look out on the tabs section
Now I’m going back to bed. Zzzzzzzz……………
_____________________________
Follow my blog http://pimientito.wordpress.com/
"Ceremonial" by Mark Shurey "Pimientito". CD and digital download vailable on Amazon and
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 1 2009 3:10:50
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NormanKliman
Posts: 1143
Joined: Sep. 1 2007
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RE: SANLUCAR 2009 (in reply to Pimientito)
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Hi Mark!
quote:
...I have an infected eyelid from lack of sleep….I have a tendonitis in my left hand….my liver has turned to paté.
Wait a minute, you paid money to get that, didn't you?
quote:
My dining table is covered in pages of transcriptions, photos, and hours of recordings.
Ah, that sounds better.
quote:
My mobile phone is full of new numbers. It’s been a week now since Sanlucar and yet I’m still buzzing...
It was great to finally meet you guys (missed Matic), and I had a lot of fun just cruising into town on my own for lunch and actually finding you guys at that bar! It was interesting to look into that back room and recognize the heads of people I hadn't actually met! The Internet is such a funny thing.
quote:
In fact the level of activity during our week there inspired a visit from the mayor of Sanlucar
Raising the eyebrows of local authorities, eh?
Henry and his girlfriend, Mark, Ramin, Ricardo, Ed (are you on this forum?) and anyone else I might be forgetting, it was nice meeting you all!
_____________________________
Be here now.
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 2 2009 9:14:52
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Matic
Posts: 603
Joined: Jul. 3 2006
From: Slovenija
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RE: SANLUCAR 2009 (in reply to Pimientito)
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I thought that last year was absolutely amazing, as amazing as it could get... but this year the edge of amazingness was pushed way up. One thing was that I was much more relaxed and confident regarding travelling (last year was my first time flying, first time organizing bigger trip and first time travelling alone...). Other thing is that this year I came to Sanlucar and first thing was hugging Mark, Christophe, Tom, Louise, Ricardo, Ramin, Henry... and other 'old' friends, while last year noone really knew me (except for the foro friends in a way) and it was more about meeting people and making new friends. Which is a lot of fun, no doubt. Just this year i was meeting new people, making new friends and having fun with the old chaps.
We missed a few people, as Mark said there were fewer students. But the painful truth was that the level of fiesta leaped way into the morning hours... And there were victims. But I always got at least one hour of sleep before the curso started at 10am. Yes, I went for the advanced one. Mark gave me a speech on 'Why is it good to take Gerardo's advanced curso'... and after 12 seconds I knew I was in. And I'm glad I did it. The material Gerardo taught us isn't impossible to play as I thought it would be. I could even use some of the stuff in 29 years!! Seriously, he showed us some haunting soleares falsetas, loads of material in the key of Eb (bulerias, solxbul), tarantos, bulerias in A, tangos, rondenas....
And Tino was amazing. I don't know how he can do it. It's true that he knows some of Gerardo's material from previous years but he's actually able to learn the amazingly advanced falsetas in one afternoon. He may not be able to play it at Gerardo's tempo but he can play all notes in time... He's genious and a great teacher. He also played us his material after every repetition class and he always amazed me. His compositions are fab!
Another great thing at the cursos were singers Gerardo invited for us to sing. Gerardo, Tino, Antonio Carrion and Ricardo accompanied them... I'm glad Gerardo puts an important emphasis on the cante. I'm waiting for Curso de accompanamiento. That would be fabulous. As Henry said, there was loads to enjoy this week if you are a cante enthusiast. I had goose bumps three quarters of the time there.
The worst news during the week was when Henry and his girlfriend told me during our dinner that they met Norman and that he's gone back to Jerez. I SO want to meet you one day, Norman. You're like my guru, man!  Oh, I bought Mundo y Formas del Cante Flamenco for 35€ in Granada. The '71 edition, in great condition. I'm so excited!
After the curso Pimientito drove Annemarie, Hannet (2 coolest Dutch flamenco legends and great friends) and me to Granada. It was a fun trip. Kinda hot.
In Granada I stayed at Kate and Harold's place. Wow! Everything was perfect. Kate and Harold are one of the coolest couples I've ever met, and Kate is a legendary cook. I envy Harold so much... you have to send me some of the recipes of the things I ate in your house because you spoiled me and I want more! Harold showed me his studio which was fun! Can't wait to return back. Granada itself is a beautiful city. I felt like in heaven walking along the streets of Sacromonte and hearing flamenco all around me. And the sound was not coming out of my headphones!!
There's so much more to tell about the 2 weeks I spent in Andalucia...
Thank you all for making it perfect, can't wait to see you again in a few months.
Matic
PS: I'm a bit worried about the constant delays and errors that are happening to the foro again. We invited many people over in Sanlucar and they were excited about joining us. But I'm afraid they won't be able to or will loose interest just because of the technical issues. I'm sorry if you find me annoying but it would be great having those people here, they have a lot to share! So what's up with the planned move to another home? Did I miss anything?
_____________________________
vengo de los san migueles
si no me caso este año que yo
me caso el año que viene
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 3 2009 8:19:59
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). There's a black and white one of you that would be a great publicity shot. 
