Juan Antonio Hidalgo Murube, for him flamenco Juan Murube (Seville, 1978), is a young flamenco singer, a flamenco Eclectic, capable of combining traditional forms and other musical genres in his artistic career, which he has been developing both in Spain and abroad. Moreover, in the forms of flamenco It often seeks a modern, or modernist, twist, without abandoning its taste for the most deeply rooted, for classicism. flamenco restless, vital, open, in short.
At home and the peñaShe has had very formative experiences. Her father, Antonio José Hidalgo, has been an executive of the Peña Flamenca from BellavistaHe is one of the best fans I know and has impeccable personal style. The last time the three of us met was at the tribute to Marquez the Shoemaker in Seville, whom his son venerates and follows in the canteHe was from Triana, and we all admired him for his art and his humility, and for that reason, we regret his passing a few months ago.
Juan sings in prestigious companies and flamenco venues flamencoFrom Seville and Madrid. He has shared the stage with artists flamencoof the stature of Márquez El Zapatero, Manuel de Paula o Enrique the ExtremaduranAmong others. He has sung for flamenco dancers. Antonio Canales, Pepe Torres placeholder image, Andres Marin, Patricia guerreroetc. You can see their biography and career at your web
He wrote about him in 2016 Marcos Escánez, my dear friend and director of the defunct Jondowebsite, where I have published so many flattering words: «Juan Murube is like no one else… So with him a new type of flamenco singer is born flamenco»It is undoubtedly peculiar and personal, although one can recognize various influences such as those mentioned by Márquez El Zapatero, Dyingetc. But there is something in its final expression that makes it singular, an intense commitment, the rhythmic openness, the musical palate, the taste, etc. It always walks between two paths, the flamenco and not flamenco, something that should be considered a merit, a skill that not everyone has flamencoThey have, although this may divert it from a broader delivery to flamenco.
His first CD, Nice viewA tribute to his Seville neighborhood, it was quite a statement of intent. It's an album flamencoCertainly, but it has contributions beyond instrumental austerity and the well-known canons. One of the pieces that can illustrate what I mean is that of the tientos, entitled Fantasy by tentative stepsPrecisely, they are tentative steps, but with musical arrangements that don't just feature the guitar, with those oriental touches. The lyrics are by someone called Jose AshThis fills me with pride and satisfaction, and makes me feel like a king—a good and happy king, like a child, not a corrupt and wicked one. Here are two lyrics from this song: one a playful love song, and the other a denunciation of hypocrisy.
What happened in the pool?
that got lukewarm
Was the water cool?
The more cowardly you are
You appear braver,
Your time will come.
that you look like a drag.
It can be consulted in this link.
"Cambiático is an eclectic work, a mixture of flamenco and versions of great songs popularized over time and which are already part of everyone's musical imagination, always renewable, as Murube does with passion and knowledge."
And in 2024 he published ChangeableAnother exercise in musical diversity and distinct paths of aesthetic hybridization, as well as a concern for the problems of our world today. It can be heard online at various platforms.
In this job he is alongside Salvador Titi (piano and keyboards), accompanied by other musicians who bring dynamism and variety to the album: Gori Mazo (electric guitar and mandola), Karol Marin (electric bass and percussion), Miguel Ángel Candela (saxo), Daniel Abad (double bass), Selu Sarmiento (percussion) and Froiber Maya (percussion). It consists of six tracks which I will discuss below.
The Park FountainWith music and lyrics by Juan Murube, it features beautiful love lyrics. It uses symbols of water and fountains as allegories. Within the framework of bulerías, this cante I like it:
To the park fountain
I went to drink
to tell the source
all my thirst.
Two gardeniasOf course, it's a version of the song popularized by Antonio MachinWith Salvador Titi on piano. It has an intimate tone with warm bass. We liked it, although it's not within the scope flamenconor the version of Tropical Afternoon, a salsa song with abundant instrumentation, with lyrics by the poet Rubén Darío.
Yes, it is properly flamenco, with its peculiarities, Liviana FiveFeaturing Salvador Titi (piano, keyboards, and bass), Miguel Ángel Candela (saxophone and EWI), Selu Sarmiento (tabla and cajón), and Gori Mazo (electric guitar). It's more jazz than flamenco. It opens with a seguiriya cry and then tackles the meter and melody of the liviana:
The more paths
I'll take you with me
I have more little paths left
overnight stay.
Caminito It's another version with various instruments and percussion. A beautiful version in the style of bulerías. A fresh track, with good instrumentation.
Finally, giving the album its title, ChangeableThe song, again with lyrics and music by the singer, is thematically a denunciation of the evident degradation of nature. It appears in the style of a salsa rumba.
«Recycle your actions, against hypocrisy… the trash from the river to the sea is flowing downstream…» He reminds me a bit of Kiko Veneno.
In short, as we were saying, an eclectic work, a mixture of flamenco and versions of great songs popularized over time and that are already part of everyone's musical imagination, always renewable, as Murube does, who we don't know what new musical adventure, in terms of recording, he will undertake, but we are sure that he will do it with passion and knowledge.
→ Juan Murube, Changeable, 2024
