Flamenco research in Jerez
The 3rd International Prize of Flamenco Research has been left unawarded. Why doesn’t the City Council hire a group of good researchers who will spend many hours checking the archives and providing information about the many local flamenco artists of the 18th and 19th centuries?
The 3rd International Prize of Flamenco Research, organized Jerez City Council and Williams & Humbert Cellars, has been left unawarded, since none of the submitted works met the established requirements. I’m not surprised, since many of the good flamenco researchers in our days don’t bother to submit their work, because the jury is often made up of people who have never researched anything in their lives, although they may have published books copied from other books. Even I myself, having researched flamenco in Jerez and having plenty of material, have never considered to submit any of my work if I believe it will end up being judged by people who don’t have a clue. Can I be more straightforward? Actually, I can.
«What is known in Jerez about flamenco history in this city which so much flamenco tradition? Very little, barely anything»
Flamenco research must be supported, and this can be done regardless of this contest, which hasn’t worked out after its three editions. Many years ago, I proposed creating a team to do flamenco research and provide documentation from all over Andalusia. This team should be financed by the Junta de Andalucía’s Culture Council and coordinated by a respected researcher. All this material would be published in a website, also created by the Junta, so that artists, aficionados and other researchers could access trustworthy and verified information.
Why hasn’t this been done yet? Because they only care about the things that get them votes. What is known in Jerez about flamenco history in this city which so much flamenco tradition? Very little, barely anything. Who is fixing this? Nobody. They just create a contest to look like they care about flamenco research so they can be featured in newspapers with the winner of the prize, that’s all.
Why doesn’t the City Council hire a group of good researchers who will spend many hours checking the archives and providing information about the many local flamenco artists of the 18th and 19th centuries? This is what should be done in Jerez, Seville, Málaga and in all other provinces of Andalusia.
