Years will pass and I will be able to say I was there. Trio of aces It will be one of those shows that will remain tattooed on my memory like a scar. Or like an open wound. Pepe de Pura, John Joseph Amador y Enrique the Extremaduran they put it to boil The Angel's Lair at their XV Jerez Off Festival Touched by the spirit and inspiration, they took to the stage of the venue with the overwhelmingly flamenco guitar of Antonio Santiago 'Nerd'...responsible for uniting these three distinct, unique, and highly personal voices on the timbers of this storied house. Match them up, go on. There are no three alike. The palmas fair and measured were the responsibility of Richard Gutierrez y Alberto Parraguilla.
They opened with a round of tonás, turning my flesh red and bruised, straining their throats, giving it their all. El Extremeño finished it off, showing real courage with the brown bread de Felix the PotajónAlthough it is taken from The LebrijanoPepe tenderly and sensitively rocked the caramelized thirds of a precious little song, which he wove together with the granaína of ChaconIt softened, becoming silky smooth and heartfelt, melting the audience. Amador wept a unique and personal seguiriya, imbuing it with his melodic creativity and a flavor unmatched by today's voices. He bravely pressed high and seduced with emotion. Enrique displayed his prodigious mastery of the taranto and, as always, embroidered the cantes de madrugá de The Hen.
"Years will pass and I'll be able to say I was there. Trio of Aces will be one of those shows that will remain tattooed on my memory like a scar. Or like an open wound. Pepe de Pura, Juan José Amador and Enrique El Extremeño set La Guarida del Ángel ablaze at its XV Jerez Off Festival, touched by duende and inspiration."
The tentative steps with which Pepe de Pura continued tasted of piñonate, and the tangos were pure bliss, outlined with the essence and musicality of someone who possesses an unparalleled treasure from the throat to the heartÑoño's guitar shone brightly in accompanying Juan José Amador's bulería por soleá. Dizzying falsettos, perfectly rounded flourishes and conclusions, elegance and precision, along with a sweet, resonant sound, were the guitarist's hallmarks in this paloWithout being outdone in any other, because he played to steal her hands and frame them in brown cotton. How he curled a stanza of the soleá 'El múo' Romance of the Bitter OneAnd he renamed the powers, pointing them all to his own property.
But the best part of the night came when El Extremeño ventured into the canteFrom Cádiz, where he played with time at will. With cantiñas, alegrías, and romeras, he stopped clocks and even heartbeats, only to accelerate them again in the amalgamation, demonstrating his mastery of rhythm, unveiling all its mysteries in each of the verses he wove together with absolute flamenco genius. He brought the audience at La Guarida to its feet, showering him with heartfelt cheers. Enrique was better than ever, arriving with poise at the most sublime moment of the apotheosis of cante. Beastly.
With a few bulerías lyrics to close, putting the icing on the cake, they capped off a historic recital that will await countless visits from fans in the perpetual memory of the annals of flamenco.
Credits
Trio of aceswith Pepe de Pura, Juan José Amador and Enrique El Extremeño
XV Jerez Off Festival of La Guarida del Ángel
Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz)
February 23th 2026
CantePepe de Pura, Juan José Amador and Enrique El Extremeño
Guitar: Antonio Santiago 'Ñoño'
PalmasRichard Gutiérrez and Alberto Parraguilla
