More than six decades have passed since the creation of the first festival flamenco from Andalusia, the Gypsy stew from Utrera, and they remain as current as ever. It's true that many of them have disappeared, while others have refocused their aesthetics, format, and duration, including cultural activities over several days. However, despite the current times, new festivals continue to appear in different locations with the same intentions as the original ones, embracing the format, aesthetics, and duration—at least those of recent years that have abandoned the odious need to last until dawn, like those of the 80s and 90s, which stretched to nine hours. Santa Fe (Granada) A public-private initiative has emerged from the City Council and the company Chipé Producciones that wanted to give lustre to this historically flamenco town where a large population of good fans reside, who usually have to travel to other towns to see flamenco. With the name of Festival Flamenco Cradle of Hispanic Heritage, a luxurious lineup for its first edition, was a success artistically, but not so much with the public. I don't know how the general admissions turned out, or how many hundreds of fans attended, but the truth is that due to the openness of the space, the football field, it seemed uncrowded. However, the audience was respectful of the artists despite the presence of a café at the back of the venue.
The person who opened the evening, who I thought was reserved to close, was the one who opened the evening, because the big names usually perform at the end. Manuel Carmona Nene from Santa Fe He is. He may not have had the popular recognition on stage that he deserves, but there is no doubt that he is a living legend of the cante And it must be said. A traditional singer, a Mairenista without reserving the right to other aesthetics, he started with a powerful voice, raspy but captivating, with a personal version of the Romance of the Captive Mora, with interludes of recitations between Pinto y Marchena, something unusual in his repertoire but which he handled with exquisite taste. He took from the bottle of essences the echoes of the introductions he made Chiquete At the festivals of the 70s, with the permission of Paco Cepero and his influence on the singers of that generation, which he translated into light tientos that flowed into zambra caracolera, with comings and goings. He continued with bulerías camaroneras, maireneras, de Fernanda and Bernarda at the Romance of María Mercedes, and the Jacket, with his inseparable guitar, his son's Manuel Carmona, who handled falsetas perfectly Moraito and Tomato. He wanted to point out before singing that he was going to do it for the good fans, that is, for seguiriyas, and among them those of Twin, remembering the maestro of the Alcores. They accompanied him to the beat Amaro of Santa Fe, who is also a very personal local singer, and Ismael Cazuelas, who also dabbles in the cante.
He gave the baton to Juan Cortés Duquende, which although it didn't surprise with its repertoire, shrimp-like from beginning to end, knew how to sweeten the palate of its followers. He was dedicated in the taranta and the cartagenera, complaining, looking for a pellizco which translated into raising his voice and almost reaching for the expressionless cry that was well recognized by the audience. He completed his repertoire with soleares, tangos, seguiriyas and bulerías in which he abused the quejío, wasting the mid-tone that suits his voice so well and with which he squeezes and sweetens everything that passes through his throat. The guitar of July Romero It was accurate, tight, and with a classic touch that successfully filled the spaces without cante. He closed with The good and the bad de Ray Heredia.
"If Nene de Santa Fe was and already is a living legend of the festival, Marina Heredia is destined to become one in the near future. I have no doubt she's the most flamenco singer in Granada, but I go further: she's the one who does it best."
If Nene de Santa Fe was and is already a living legend of the festival, Marina Heredia She is the one who is destined to be one in the near future. I have no doubt that she is the most flamenco singer in Granada, but I go further, she is the one who does it best. In her and in her voice, the history of cante Sacromontano seasoned with the sound virtues of other Andalusian geographies in which cantes like alegrías, which is what she started with, position her as the singer of the 21st century, modern, avant-garde, capable of combining the old and the modern without any links. With a powerful and high-pitched voice, she ridiculed her predecessors and those to come because she shone with her own light. She sang tientos finished with Tana de Carmen amaya. Superb. Unsurpassed. He gave his all in seguiriyas, leaving his voice on the stage, reminiscent of Paco the Light y Silverio, Playing with time in the singing forms of more than a century ago, with an impeccable sonanta by Bolita, which is twenty years ahead of the rest of the universe flamenco, with a way of playing so personal that it forces you to listen carefully and stop the clock to delight in his personality. Marina closed the seguiriya set with the My share de Juanichi the Manager. Later, he addressed the Malaga of Chacon and the Flat of Sales very close to that of the trinity in the forms ending with fandangos of the earth, of Maria la Gazpacha, Peppermint Bottle and Paquillo del Gas. For bulerías, fan of cantes in which he included couplets and memories of Luis de la Pica, Aurora Vargas and again Fernanda and Bernarda de Utrera. He rounded off the night with tangos from Granada. No one steps on his toes there, no one overshadows him. He leaned close to Curro Albaicin and drank from the fountain. Nothing can go wrong. He accompanied himself to the beat of Fita Heredia y Victor Carrasco at palmas and percussion Augustine Diassera.
Although it is not common, it is necessary that in any festival format there is space for the solo guitar, although it can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, because the music fan cante does not always value the touch in its proper measure, and on the other hand, because the noise that is usually generated does not allow one to appreciate the nuances of the touch. However, the latter was fulfilled. Neat silence to listen to the sonanta of Diego del Morao, who was accompanied on stage by Ane Carrasco to the drawer and Lollipop y Marcos Carpio at palmasIt began with a touch of taranta finished with bulería MadmanHe continued with bulería por soleá, tangos and bulerías. Almost everything has been said about Diego; he is the Jerez guitar with a vision of the future while maintaining the primitive skeleton of the guitar of the saga of The Moraos with a twist in projection and musical dimension.
The dance was left for the end. Moreno, son of Farruquito, as the closing party of this first festival Cradle of Hispanic Heritage. With the voices of Mari Vizarraga, who not only directed the vocal part but was sublime in everything he did, David de Jacoba, to which we barely hear four lyrics and a few choruses, and Pepe de Pura, who also captained this part with Mari. The Jerez native's guitar Manuel valencia He rose to the altars starring in exceptional moments, with astonishing technique, speed and skill. El Moreno, the continuer of the saga of the FarrucosHe's faithful to the family aesthetic. Strong feet, hair-trigger movements in each remate, and, in his case, a fairly refined technique and verticality. He's still in training, and it shows, but he promises to be a good dancer, without a doubt. He's got a lot of energy and alegrías, with barely any escobilla and a firm, anticipatory step into the bulería, which lasted almost longer than the alegrías and then became a lengthy, yet unnecessary, finale, as the previous dance was sufficient.
We must trust that this first Santa Fe festival will have continuity and support from institutions and fans to keep the flame of the festival alive. flamenco in every corner of Andalusia.
Credits
The Festivals Flamenco Cradle of Hispanic Heritage – Santa Fe (Granada)
July 12, 2025
Cante: Nene de Santa Fe, Duquende, Marina Heredia
Guitar: Diego del Morao, Julio Romero, Manuel Valencia, Manuel Carmona
Palmas: Amaro de Santa Fe, Ismael Cazuelas, Fita Heredia, Victor Carrasco
Percussion: Agustín Diassera, Ané Carrasco
Cante from behind: Mari Vizarraga, David de Jacoba, Pepe de Pura
Dance: El Moreno
