Now that no one's listening... Can a stale critic say out loud that a Japanese man dances gypsy without upsetting my cousins? Maybe I've gone too far. But that's what comes to mind after last night. All things considered, of course. A little skewed. However you want to put it. But this kid has it. And allow me to call him a kid, because he's only 24 years old and incredibly humble. flamencoThey are born where they can. Or where they want. Undevé raises them and they get together. And the Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena From Seville, he brings them more occasionally than not, opting for the toasted flavor of the pot. This time, it was the stickiness of the wok. It was one of those surprises that puts a smile on your face with the satisfaction of saying "I was there."
I missed the guitar solo of The Carqui, which offered a rhythmic accompaniment alternating between sweet and sour. flamenco throughout the recital. I'll be punished today for being late. There was nowhere to park the car and I breathed in the seat of the peña so that they could steal my air. Juani Romero, or Juani from the 3000s, gave me a point-blank beating, hitting me with a few fandangazos that still make my flesh hurt. What lyrics! You'll have to go hear it. Wild and untamed, he snapped. cante slitting his throat, breaking his ribs, leaving everything at the mercy of the audience from the moment he opened his mouth as if the end of the world were about to come. He let out a scream of pain that truly pierces your spine, stabbing his moans in your face, ravishingly gypsy, primitive, unique, untamable, bestial. Sebastian Sanchez He didn't sing badly. And he has a very flamenco voice, which he rocks and pushes with gusto. But comparisons are odious. Juani finishes the festivities. Because after him, who sings? And with his body bruised, the joyful dance of alegrías arrived. Jitan Suzuki.
«I'll save myself the trouble of saying that Jitan, for a Japanese man, danced well. No, gentlemen. Regardless of where he was born, he danced better than many of those who have trod the sun-drenched boards of the temple of flamenco from Seville with traditional surnames from renowned lineages"
This flamenco The Japanese knew how to play with the timing, to string together the markings well, to gather themselves, to wait for the right moments, to flirt with grace, to grab the jacket, to dominate the stage, to dance to the cante, always in time… He just needs more grease around his waist and a little more strength in his feet to make them shine with precision. But he's got it. He danced with age, macho and easy, naturally, without thinking about his pose or counting beats. I'll save myself the trouble of saying that Jitan, for a Japanese man, danced well. No, gentlemen. Regardless of where he was born, he danced better than many of those who have trod the sun-drenched boards of the temple of flamenco from Seville with traditional surnames from renowned lineages. We are no longer afraid that the flamenco be universal. Although when someone from outside does it so well, it's surprising.
El cante Through tangos by Juani and Sebastián, he once again blew our minds with his original repertoire and unprecedented rhythm. Carqui performed an extraordinary prelude filled with musicality in the soleá. Jitán chewed the tension by stopping the dance, elegant, without fuss in the arm movements, intense in the brush, solemn in the walks, jondo in the silences… They arrived at the auction with bulerías, and Jitán threw in the leftovers with panache, enjoying and making others enjoy a recital with a soy-flavored and fennel stew performance alongside a peculiar—but first-class—group. There was no shortage of a celebratory finale, which they joined in with. The Yunko y Katoha with two little legs of age to continue corroborating that Japan has a lot to say in the flamenco. And another one of The Petete, from whom we saw that the Japanese had drunk. The applause was well deserved. Jitan stirred up the crowd with his dance Torres Macarena.
Credits
Dance Recital by Jitan Suzuki
Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena of Sevilla
March 28th 2025
Dance: Jitan Suzuki
Cante: Sebastián Sánchez and Juani Romero
Guitar: Daniel Mejía El Carqui
Palmas: The Petete
