Israel Fernandez (Corral de Almaguer, Toledo, 1989) always boasts of being a good fan. For some time now he seems to want to prove it at all costs. After several published albums, in which he dares to compose his own lyrics and make some variations to the cantes, has been returning to tradition for some time. He has done so with Antonio the Watchmaker on his most recent album (and accompanying recital) and this Saturday he wanted to prove it again at the Flamenco Sum of Madrid together with his inseparable Diego del Morao with a recital of cante qualified Blue Rooster.
The singer said he wanted to do under that title – anyone who knows Jerez even tangentially will understand where this is going – a tribute to cante from Jerez. And so he did: he started with Chacón's malagueña, presenting his credentials as a singer. And from there, the entire repertoire chosen for the Suma Flamenca night had its origins in Jerez, but sounded like Israel Fernández.
After the malagueña would come the soleá and taranta of Juanito Mojama, tientos and tangos, bulería por soleá – around a table, making time with knuckles, a formula that has become a cliché of cante from Jerez–, seguiriyas, fandangos –the most personal of all that he sang, and he did it at the request of the public– and bulerías from the Paquera. Yes: he remembered all the singers from Jerez that he mentioned in the program (Isabelita, Earthquake, Manuel Torre, Mojama, Antonio Chacon…) but everything sounded like Israel Fernández. Special mention must be made of the bulerías he sang Diego del Morao to give relief to the singer in the last part of the recital, you know, a trademark of the house.
The theatre was packed, and with this singer, for some time now, there has been a great dissociation between what the public perceives and what we who write the chronicles of what happens in the theatre perceive. The ovation – and there were several – had already begun even before we heard, before the Toledo singer sang, as soon as he came on stage, and then he went wild with oles and bravos and ovations that would bring the theatre down as soon as Fernández finished the performances. cantes.
But this one who signs, once again –and there are already a few– left the theater cold. Israel Fernández is a singer with many virtues: he has a beautiful voice color, a gypsy echo and very flamenco, has the stage presence, the tuning, the beat, the knowledge of the cantes ... But he has found a formula for success, a way of singing in which he feels comfortable and everything he does follows the same pattern. Always in the high tones, always finishing with elongated thirds with a strong profusion of melismas, always with that gesture of standing up and leaving. He knows which springs to touch with his voice, when to let out the scream and when to withdraw the cante, but it does the same for seguiriyas, soleá or taranta. We always want to see when it breaks, when it turns to a whisper, when it takes on a cante in low tones. When he does something different, that surprises us and stimulates us.
«Israel Fernández remembered all the singers from Jerez that he mentioned in the programme – Isabelita, Terremoto, Manuel Torre, Mojama, Antonio Chacón… – but everything sounded like Israel Fernández»
This Saturday in Madrid, that did not happen. He showed knowledge and enthusiasm, of course. The humility that he boasts so much about would be good to go into more detail at some point. Because he likes himself and exploits his resources. Nothing to say about that. Of course not.
And he also surrounded himself with musicians from Jerez: on the guitar, his inseparable Diego del Morao, the magician of the beat, the guitarist who fell into the cauldron of the soniquete and on top of that he does it with sensitivity and success, always following his singer, and on the cajón flamenco, Ane Carrasco However, he did not shine in the Madrid night. He did what he could, but on other occasions we have seen greater success and, above all, greater versatility. The cajón sounded poor (it also sounded little, it gave the impression of not being microphoned) and although it did not detract, it did not add anything special either.
It was almost at the end, when they played the fandangos and bulerías, when Fernández could be seen at ease in his cante, more relaxed and perhaps, more successful.
He did it with a sober recital, with no more scenery than some lights that alternated the overhead light towards the singer and guitarist with some composition with some spotlights placed behind that gave amplitude to the scene. Some black wooden chairs, like all the artists who passed through the stage were dressed in strict black. This time, Israel Fernández did not address the public more than a couple of times, to greet and introduce some cantesya the musicians. A sign of respect, perhaps to the more than 200 fatalities and a thousand or so missing due to the floods in Valencia? That's what we wanted to think, although what a timely vehicle the flamenco to show sympathy for the victims and what a wasted opportunity to do so…
Said Kiko Venom In a few simple and always accurate verses: “Coca-Cola is always the same, but not me, I can change.” Well, that’s it. Israel Fernández has found the formula for success. Like Coca-Cola, wherever it goes it triumphs. Coca-Cola is always the same. flamenco.
Credits
The Blue Rooster, by Israel Fernandez and Diego del Morao
Suma Flamenco Festival in Madrid
Red Room, Canal Theatres
2 of November 2024
Cante: Israel Fernandez
Guitar: Diego del Morao
Percussion: Ané Carrasco
Palmas: Marcos Carpio and El Pirulo
