First gala at the International Festival of Cante of the Mines of La Unión, held in the early hours of Friday to Saturday, after the actor's proclamation the day before Imanol Arias, in addition to performances by the 2024 winners. This first professional gala featured Antonio Rey, one of the best guitarists today, winner of two Latin Grammys. The most recent, last year, around this time Stories of a flamenco, whose songs he presented here. The Madrid guitarist triumphed here in 2003 in the famous competition Cante de las Minas, winning the Bordon Minero, the highest guitar award. Back then, he came as a young contender, a promising guitarist. Now he's appeared as one of the guest artists. More than twenty years later, with several awards, several albums, and world tours, he's returned to this stage, proving that he remains a king of flamenco guitar, living up to his name.
In the call Cathedral of the canteIn the old public market of La Unión, Antonio's guitar sounded with its usual richness, both in melodic nuances and geographical and musical roots, from jazz to almost rock at times, but always with a fundamental connection to the flamenco tradition. And what has always interested me most about this guitar master: his ability to move from one emotional register to another. His strings often sound joyful, optimistic, as if hopeful about life, but they also have room for deep feeling, for intimate and autobiographical emotion, moments in which a feeling of nostalgia flows.
"His strings often sound joyful, optimistic, as if hopeful about life, but they also have room for deep feeling, for intimate and autobiographical emotion, moments in which a feeling of nostalgia flows."
Antonio Rey came with a formation composed of Manuel Heredia y Toñi Rey as second guitarists; John Grill, flute; Bronkio Fernándes, low; Johnatan y Raul, choirs and palmas; Alex, percussion; and Mara Rey, cante.
At first, I thought I noticed a slight imbalance between the band and the guitarist, which gradually resolved itself as the minutes passed. The audience, which unfortunately didn't fill the venue, left the concert feeling comforted. Friday was a day for relatively young guitarists, as in the afternoon Yerai Cortes had received the Castillete, the competition's highest honorary award. And this Sunday, a veteran and excellent guitarist, Pepe Habichuela, will receive the same recognition, while at the same event the writer and flamencologist Jose Manuel Gamboa will present the book Now of never, about the guitarist from Granada.
