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We live in times in which flamenco critics and good fans point out that there are no personal singers who stand out for having their own stamp, for not resembling anyone else, for firmly assuming a career that, even having references, is solidified with materials. jondos. This is not the case of Jesus Mendez. In the gossip mill flamenco from Albaicín, after his performance in the peña oldest in the world, The Silversmith, the common comment was about who there is in these years who is a reference for the cante of Jerez and the name of Jesus was on everyone's lips without fear of mistakes. It is true that the cradle of cante still keeps the flame of its tradition alive despite the dreaded phrase that any time past was better. The truth is that there are still bastions in the Plazuela, quite a few less in Santiago, but there are some. However, one of those that most and best sounds like its land and its people is Méndez.
Coincidentally, the last two times he has visited the peña There was a football match between Madrid and Barcelona, which did not diminish the attendance of the public eager to listen cante by right.
Getting down to business, it is necessary to carry out this criticism taking into account the analysis of the cante of Jesus and the touch of Alvaro Martinete, who was the one who accompanied him, in addition to the beat of Diego Montoya y Manuel Salado. I remember the longed for Jose Luis Galvez, A great fan of Jerez, living in Madrid, who when he wrote and critically reviewed recitals, analysed them with vast knowledge, alluding to and categorising each style. It is not the intention to delve into the stylistic systematisation, although it is necessary to inform about what Méndez was capable of presenting.
He started his recital with cantiñas on a rainy and cold night in temperature, but warm in the cante. A tour of various styles of cantiñas and ending with alegrías, attributed to the Twin and Enrique the Butron, with classic toy of The Mumps. Through malagueñas, temperate and adjusted to the canons, he remembered Gayarrito in his version of Antonio Mairena finishing with the well-known Mellizo long one. Jesús knew how to adjust his breathing, go for the high tones when necessary and show off his bass. He didn't need to finish with abandolaos because he simply sang malagueñas. Without embellishments.
«He was so pleased that he sang fandangos without a microphone in an encore that was long-awaited and longed for by an amateur audience that knew how to appreciate the exquisite taste and wisdom that Jesús Méndez has accumulated over time»
He wanted to continue with tientos and tangos, more of the latter. In the former, classical lyrics and styles of Mellizo and Torres. In the tangos he imitates Pastor Pavon and choose a nice long set from the repertoire of Luis de la Pica.
What may have seemed like a last-minute change, at the expense of appearing to be an adjustment in extremis on stage, it was planned. When Álvaro begins with soleá, he does so at a moderate pace, slowing down, pulling back the tempo followed by the rhythmic support marked by Montoya and Salado. This change and accompaniment is not usual in the soleá unless the change to bulerías al golpe or bulerías pa escucha is planned, as it was. Despacito encaró Jesús el cante de La Serneta and the evils that come with the time to listen to a little-used style such as that of Teresa Mazzantini and recover again to La Serneta in two of its variants followed by the cante bravest Jerez native of Beans.
But where the truth of the cante It was in the seguiriya. The Martinete-Méndez tandem was perfect. Álvaro's rocking touch fit like a millimetric gear with Jesús's voice, so we can affirm that a Jerez touch is not necessary for a cante Jerez native. Alvaro knows the cante and knows how to adjust to the canon without breaking a sweat, which makes him an excellent companion. Jesus, faithful to his land, remembered Manuel Torres, Paula's uncle in the short seguiriya par excellence of the city of wine with an explosive ¡ay! that preceded the cante. The Thomas Pavon borrowed from Joaquin la Cherna considered as apprehended and closed with the cabal of Manuel Molina that was put into circulation Manuel Rye with the well-known lyrics "And I live with the pain that the one I love with all my senses is not by my side."
We were eagerly awaiting the Jerez bulerías of the Plazuela in the echoes and memories of Torta when it blended in with those of Uncle Crazy. He approached the bay to show his respect to Juan Villar Antonio Mairena at his party in Triana, another good bunch of Fernanda and Bernarda from Utrera, fandangos por bulerías and a round of couplets by Luis de la Pica with a classic ending of the bird-watching lover popularized by Rafael Ramos Antúnez The Glory. That's nothing! Oh, and a little kick included. The Martinete's playing is outstanding, sounding like Jerez, clean in execution and with a sense of rhythm.
He was so pleased that he sang fandangos without a microphone in an encore that was expected and longed for by an amateur audience that knew how to value the exquisite taste and wisdom that Jesús Méndez has accumulated over time. In line with this review of punctually noting the styles, it must be said that he remembered Chocolate and Manuel Torres. Here he laid his remains. Outstanding recital of cante, of purity, of dedication and of depth for Jesus.
Credits
Recital by Jesus Mendez
Peña The Silversmith, Granada
26th October 2024
Cante: Jesus Mendez
Guitar: Álvaro Martinete
Palmas: Diego Montoya, Manuel Salado
