The concert's appeal is not, to begin with, a good one. The Magnificent Ones, an honorary title reserved for university rectors, illustrious and extraordinary figures who stand out for their position, or for anything that, due to its dignity or splendor, excels in any aspect
And I say this because it comes to mind for the critic. The seven magnificents, a film that became popular in the sixties of the last century and whose protagonists –Yul Brinner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, James Coburn, Horst Buchholz or Robert Vaughn, among others– are celebrities in the world of cinema whom we consider excellent.
It's clear that the four artists performing in Jerez are remarkable, but I don't find them pretentious at all. On the contrary, they're humble and unassuming, so I suspect the marketing has gone too far. The promotional strategy hasn't achieved its goal, which doesn't diminish the merits of these four artists who, I don't recall, ever presenting themselves as more important than they are.
Sandra Carrasco, Andres Barrios, the yyo y David of Arahal They don't glorify themselves. They don't even act arrogantly. That is to say, they are neither haughty nor do they overvalue their own qualities. Their strength lies in their unwavering commitment to exploring their art in depth, progressing in technique and knowledge, and enriching it for its impact on society.
Thus, after the presentation of the protagonists with the Malaga-Granada native of Mr. Antonio Chacon With the fandango from Albaicín and the verdial variant that already categorized the upper range of Sandra Carrasco, the artists alternated, but for the analyst there were two clearly differentiated blocks.
Namely. One of them features Andrés Barrios with the dancer El Yiyo, in which the instrumentalist demonstrates his polished interpretation and ingenious arrangements in the bulería for the zapateado or The TararaFor example, even though it circulates between Romanticism and the flamenco, between jazz and Latin music, in order to display his interpretive and creative resources, all presented with an updated language and a technique that connects with the rich diversity for the instrument.
"The expansive projection of an optimal flamenco singer, Sandra Carrasco, with lively sound articulation and excellent rapport with what she sings, such as the aforementioned malagueña-granaína or the zambra with the fandangos of Huelva and the brave one from Alosno, without plagiarism and with singularity"
And with it, the dance of El Yiyo, which brings us step by step, and in such a vital way, to the music of Barrios, seeking the difficulty and showiness of the feet in the verdial and emphasizing not the melodic speed, but the devilish rhythm of the lines of the touch proposed in the zapateado, with the complexity that involves attracting the public from the apotheosis of the rhythm, the bodily virtuosity and the sonic chromatism.
The second section draws us in through the guitar music of David de Arahal, and not only in its advanced, additional point of authenticity, seeking the reference of the great master. Manolo Sanlucarbut the stimulating initiative with a very successful outcome, represented by an agile execution and so sprinkled with numerous descriptive chords that, due to its enviable youth, we trust it will continue in the future.
And for a guitar in geometric and slow progression, but without noise, the expansive projection of an optimal singer, Sandra Carrasco, with lively sonic articulation and excellent rapport with what she sings, such as the aforementioned malagueña-granaína, or the zambra with the fandangos of Huelva and the brave one of Alosno, without plagiarism and with singularity, which is why it is received as a delight of creativity, of virtuosity without artifice and with singing atmospheres of extraordinary emotional and overwhelming power.
But what the singer from Huelva created with the song Nostalgia, Carlos GardelIt is a display of interpretive virtuosity never before heard in the Jerez Festival 2026With monumentality of spirit he raised the melodies to the peak of inspiration, and if to the fall of the thirds he brought intelligent music, to the resolution he paid tribute emotion and intimate squareness.
We also analyze Sandra Carrasco's good interpretive taste from the perspective of her skill and the unusual sonic material demanded by each style, each melodic rise or fall, which leads us to conclude that we are dealing with a singer of enormous versatility and pronounced didacticism –read teaching–, in addition to skillfully and intentionally handling the most dissimilar variants, which could explain why no one is surprised by how she projects a message that goes beyond established reason.
The Magnificent OnesIn this light, it is not the admirable, the splendid, or the excellent—adjectives of excessive broadness—that truly matter. On the contrary, the tapestry woven by the Huelva-born singer, glory and honor of Christopher the Almonte native y Teresa TaviraWith music of enormous technical complexity and even with changing textures and concentrations, it has the great merit of weaving a clear vocal current of exuberant tuning, and, therefore, of broad developed quality.
It's a way to adjust the tones to the preferred sound deity, something not so common in the cante flamenco...when that's called tuning. Hats off to Sandra Carrasco!
Credits
The Magnificent Onesby Sandra Carrasco, Andrés Barrios, El Yiyo and David de Arahal
XXX Jerez Festival
Company Hall, Jerez
March 1th 2026
Artistic direction: Ángel Rojas
Cante: Sandra Carrasco
Piano: Andrés Barrios
Dance: The Yiyo
Guitar: David de Arahal
Chorus and rhythm: Dani Bonilla and Pablo Moreno
