samuel serrano He is a flamenco singer with a recognizable style, admired by a large group of fans. canteFrom all perspectives, senses, levels of knowledge and ignorance, each in their own way, for better or for worse, he calls it Gypsy. The argument today is not to assess what constitutes a Gypsy echo or not, basically because we are indifferent to the distinction, since we find it utterly incongruous to associate a vocal timbre with an ethnicity, as if it were a mandatory standard. What is certain is that his voice has a molten tin quality that resembles that of other flamenco singers like Manuel de los Santos AgujetasHence, the association is defined by default with no other consistency than the aesthetic sonic convergences between both metals.
Despite his youth, Samuel is gradually forging a difficult path as an emerging figure, one that seems to be bearing fruit steadily but surely. He's a flamenco singer who, despite having been heard on numerous occasions, doesn't perform very often in this part of Andalusia, either because there's no interest, which I doubt, or because he's not yet known. And the latter doesn't bode well for the fans.
In Granada, already into the month and within the framework of the programming of the peña the most traditional in the world, located in the Carmen de Toqueros in the heart of the Albaicín, The SilversmithSamuel Serrano was invited along with the man from Jerez. Antonio Higuero to offer a classical recital, unpretentious and full of the kind of brilliance that delights and fills the audience. It is in these spaces where there is no trickery or artifice, nor Pro Toolsnor are they usually sold cante flamenco-influenced to the detriment of cante Less commercial. That's what this type of audience expects, and that's what Samuel delivered.
He took his time getting on stage after the introduction and started strong, with a couple of verses in the tonás style. He seemed a bit cold during the alegrías, in a kind of starting mode, a fact that slowly changed as he got into the rhythm because, despite speaking the cante Rather than launching it, he tamed it slowly.
"Where time had to be stopped was in the seguiriya. Here its l'eco is optimal for the cantespoken, the explosive thirds, especially those from Jerez, so he took advantage of it, even though he repeated styles as in the taranto, in this case that of the Jerez native Tío José de Paula, the suit was a perfect fit for his voice and his blacksmith's bellows."
Soleá, with a classical repertoire supporting various styles, was where he felt most at home, alongside seguiriya. He transitioned from Alcalá to Cádiz and then to Triana, following a measured, settled, and expansive musical path, particularly in the final verses. He renewed the lyrics, alternating them with classical ones, a welcome change in these times of imitation and literary stagnation. It was covered in dust, I found it in an old house, a Manuel Torres record, older than the hills..
The touch of color and rhythm was provided by tangos, from Juana del Revuelo, from Gurugú and Extremadurans of Porrinas from BadajozThose they call from the Plaza Alta. He continued with tarantos, repeating styles but not versions, because although he remembered in the first one of Pedro el MoratoThe second one turned towards Jerez and went to the version of Manuel TorresBut ultimately, they're so similar they're almost identical. It could have been different, but it wasn't.
Where time had to be stopped was during the seguiriya. Here's its l'eco It is optimal for the cantespoken verses, the explosive thirds, especially those from Jerez, which he took advantage of despite repeating styles as in the taranto, in this case that of the Jerez native Uncle Jose de PaulaThe suit fit him perfectly, a perfect match for his voice and his blacksmith's bellows. However, it culminated in an unacceptable sort of change of Manuel Molina entreverao. Antonio Higuero's guitar, like a faithful squire in the shadows, stood out for its simplicity, its empathy towards the cante and his mastery of the technique. In the seguiriya, moreover, the necessary remembrance of the master. Xavier Molina It was in every chord. Because the seguiriya style as we know it draws heavily from the sonorous wines of Jerez and its past.
For dessert, we would have a round of fandangos of Chocolate and a parody of Camarón with that You have to die / enjoy everything you can. He closed the recital with bulerías, where Higuero once again left his mark with the falsetas and the rhythmic sound of his homeland. Samuel systematically tackled the short bulerías of Jerez, alternating them with those of Gaspar de Utrera and another batch with the flavor of the Plazuela.
Rarely in this distinguished peña It's common to ask an artist for an encore, and on this occasion there was unanimity, so Serrano opted for some Sevillanas with a distinctive style. Paco Cepero those were the ones that made him known.
Credits
recital of cante by Samuel Serrano
Peña The Silversmith, Granada
January 17, 2026
CanteSamuel Serrano
Guitar: Antonio Higuero
