There are places where the magic of flamenco It arises thanks to the diversity of people, fate, and good taste. We can never say for sure why things happen that seem different to us, but we can say that the presence of certain people shapes everything and modifies the meaning of thought and the flow of customs. Art demands the presence of creatures with a high degree of sensitivity to beauty, to the unique, the changeable, and the rebellious, to put it another way, focusing on a discourse that is evidently much more complex.
This year marks the centenary of the birth of Francisco Moreno Galvan, the Moorish painter, lyricist and urban planner who reconfigured thinking about the flamenco en La Puebla de Cazalla (Seville), a man and a milestone that represented a step forward in the construction of flamenco lyrics, in the way of telling life, in the way of painting the cry and the heartbreak of the people who sing of their joys and sorrows, loves and heartbreaks, habits and rebellion, life and death.
La Puebla de Cazalla has paid a beautiful tribute to its illustrious Moor, dedicating the ten days of the intense programming of what has been called since its origin (1967) the Meeting of Cante Jondo, an exquisite festival that in those years came to share the summer flamenco events that were being created in places with interest flamenco.
The Moorish City Council has made a special effort on this occasion to celebrate the anniversary and has managed to complete a program of flamenco activities that focused on Francisco as a focal point for various forms of expression. Talks, roundtables, exhibitions, courses, master classes, student activities, and the premiere of the documentary film Pepe Lamarca directed by Emilia Gálvez, etc. One exhibition stands out in particular, that of Contemporary Art Museum of the town, which has managed to assemble a remarkable collection of original works by Francisco Moreno Galván. Not to mention the performances that culminated the daily menu, which took place in different designated spaces in the town, outdoors and free of charge. The culmination, the 56th edition of the Meeting of Cante Jondo from the town of Cazalla, took place this year on the second Saturday of July, as has become tradition, to conclude the magnificent and varied cultural program around the life and work of Francisco Moreno Galván that was held in the previous days.
In parallel, the private initiative has also collaborated with the group of fans Friends of the Central, who have decorated the town with photographs and posters of the works of Francisco Moreno Galván, donated by the magnificent photographer José Eduardo LamarcaThese banners and posters have been printed on display to decorate balconies, schools, institutes, and other public and private spaces. The idea was for Francisco Moreno to be everywhere in his Puebla de Cazalla, for those who knew him, but with greater interest to raise awareness among a young audience who weren't fortunate enough to share time and space with the honoree. It's important for young people to know who Francisco Moreno Galván was. His ideal was to bring culture to the people to its ultimate consequences.
"To raise awareness among a young audience who weren't fortunate enough to share time and space with the honoree. It's important for young people to know who Francisco Moreno Galván was. His ideal: bringing culture to the people to its ultimate consequences."
Focusing on this year's Meeting, crossing the gate of the La Fuenlonguilla Estate It transports us to an almost liturgical moment, greeted by the scent of rosemary, lavender, and mastic, spilling onto the ground. With that aroma, Moreno Galván accompanied us throughout the evening in the courtyard of La Fuenlonguilla, at a festival we will remember for the respect, admiration, and dedication shown by the audience and artists throughout the night. One of the most well-attended nights in recent years.
What did you say Sara Arguijo At the start of the evening's presentation, "Francisco Moreno Galván taught us the importance of taking care of our beauty." After giving a brilliant welcome, he gave way to José María Velázquez-Gaztelu, a regular at the Meeting of Cante Jondo from the beginning, and a personal friend of Moreno Galván, among other intellectuals and cultural figures, who wrote an intimate and heartfelt eulogy to the honoree, full of memories and deep affection for the artist.
To continue, nothing better than the soleá chords of Rafael Riqueni, so admired in these parts, to create a climate flamenco Of total magnitude. Rafael was especially intimate this evening. But his guitar's discourse opened the door to the Andalusian cadence, filling our senses with the colorful chords. flamencos of the soleá.
The first singer of the night, Incarnate Ring, already a veteran in Puebla de Cazalla as this is not her first time here, poured out the salt of her native Cadiz in abundance, opening the senses of the large audience with her grace, simplicity and wisdom in performing the cantefilling our souls with the most contagious joy in the world. Accompanied on the guitar by Pituquete, her artistic partner and the one who knows how to carry her in tones like no one else. With the palmas de Robert Jaen y Miguel KatumbaEncarna performed alegrías, malagueñas, soleá, tanguillos and a bulerías finish with her unique grace, in which the singer's little kick was not lacking.
The night continued with the cante classic, jondo and gypsy of Pedro the Granaíno, one of the best singers on the current scene, who gave us a magnificent performance of cantes por seguiriya, granaína, tangos from Granada and Morente, and bulerías. He was accompanied by the guitar of Child Sponsorship, who earned several cheers from the audience for his brilliant execution of the accompanying touch, and the palmas Miguel Heredia y louis gold.
The first part of the Meeting was closed by the master's degree of Carmen Linares, the lady and the elegance of the cante of a woman on stage. If there is one thing worth mentioning about Carmen, it is her dedication, her way of living in flamenco style, and a lifetime dedicated to a passion that is difficult to match. She was accompanied on stage by the guitars of Salvador Gutierrez y Edu Espín (his son), the palmas de Ana maría gonzález and Rosario AmadorCarmen recalled the importance of this Gathering in her life and the experiences it treasured, impossible to forget. She sang alegrías, cantiñas, romera, toná, petenera and taranta, soleá and seguiriya, to maintain the custom, as she herself told the audience. To finish off, she toured the cantes from Huelva.
«The respectful silence of the audience, the enormous quality of the show as a whole, the organization and the admiration with which this 56th edition of the Meeting of Cante Jondo from La Puebla de Cazalla dedicated to the centenary of Francisco Moreno Galván»
Returning to the Second Part, Riqueni raised the curtain with his concert touch and his own composition with sounds of Maria Luisa Park y InheritanceRiqueni has a special love for Puebla de Cazalla, and that's why every time he comes, he treats us to a longer repertoire than expected. The program includes Free Touch, and with that freedom, he played three pieces from his production, which, as usual, are imbued with beauty, freedom, freshness, creativity, imagination, and transmission. Triana dances on the six strings of his guitar.
He continued Eva La Yerbabuena With her unique and perfect dance. Her choreography, stage presence, and body placement make Yerbabuena one of the greatest dancers flamenco Current. It began with a seguiriya, full of drama and tragedy, and in the second dance, she shone with alegrías and cantiñas. It's a true privilege to watch Yerbabuena contort her body to this dance. flamenco a classic that he masterfully masters. An unbeatable back completed his picture with three voices cante who know where to put the tone and the tuning, the cante de Miguel Ortega, Ezequiel Montoya y Antonio the Turry, the guitar of Paco Jarana and the percussion of Daniel Suarez, with the palmas of the dancer The OrucoA painting that only needed the icing on the cake.
It is a tradition at the Meeting of Cante Jondo that the poster contains one of the local figures. In this edition the icing on the cake was placed on the throat of Ana Ramírez la Yiya, who took the stage with the confidence and great responsibility of singing for her hometown. Yiya, as a great admirer of Francisco Moreno Galván, includes a large number of his lyrics in her repertoire, as was to be expected. Yiya shone especially brightly at the 56th Reunion with a powerful and clear voice, ripe with the profound wisdom of the cantes of the Sevillian countryside. She dedicated some to the public cantes from his album The heart's power, with caracoles, tientos tangos, bambera, and finished with seguiriya with the cabal of Silverio.
The toná dance followed, in the darkness, with three brilliant performances by La Yiya, Pedro el Granaíno, and Encarna Anillo. The gathering concluded with a bulerías dance finale.
It is worth highlighting the respectful silence of the audience, the enormous quality of the show as a whole, the organization and the admiration with which this 56th edition of the Meeting of Cante Jondo from La Puebla de Cazalla dedicated to the centenary of Francisco Moreno Galván.
Credits
LVI Meeting of Cante Jondo from La Puebla de Cazalla
La Fuenlonguilla Estate, La Puebla de Cazalla, Seville
July 12, 2025
PART ONE
Gloss to Francisco Moreno Galván. José María Velázquez-Gaztelu
Solo guitar: Rafael Riqueni
Encarna Ring (cante), Pituquete (guitar), Roberto Jaén and Miguel Katumba (palmas)
Peter the Granaíno (cante), Sponsorship Son (guitar), Miguel Heredia and Luis Dorado (palmas)
Carmen Linares (cante), Salvador Gutiérrez and Edu Espín (guitar), Ana María González and Rosario Amador (palmas)
PART TWO
Solo guitar: Rafael Riqueni
Eva La Yerbabuena (dance), Miguel Ortega, Ezequiel Montoya and Antonio el Turry (cante), Paco Jarana (guitar), Daniel Suárez (percussion), El Oruco (palmas)
Ana Ramírez La Yiya (cante), Antonio Carrión (guitar), Sofia de la Rosa and Noelia de la Rosa (palmas)
Tonás Round
Closing party with bulerías
Presenter: Sara Arguijo
