Without knowing it, back in my youth, I was surprised by some flamenco lyrics that kept playing on a vinyl record. It was the LP Cante of the Plaza of 1977 that recorded Manuel Carpio 'the Chickpea', accompanied by Felix from Utrera, for the Clave sub-label (Hispavox). Those compositions such as Ah, freedom.The songs from Málaga so thrilled me that I placed their author among my favorites. He was a certain Julio rivera.
Who would have thought that many years later we would coincide in a literary project of our mutual friend Xavier Piera CollA Catalan lawyer, based in El Puerto de Santa María, who included some of Julio's lyrics in his book Heads or tailsas a kind of soundtrack. That's when the fascination became complete. Julio Rivera Cross, some of whose work is shared with his brother PedroHe showed me his verses as I had never seen them before. There was sensitivity and depth in equal measure, but also a profound sense of humor. flamenco and its threads thanks to direct experience.
«Julio Rivera never wanted fame or awards. He used all the money he earned from the SGAE (Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers) to live on Fuentebravía beach, overlooking the waves that lap the shores of El Puerto de Santa María. There, far from the madding crowd, he continued writing beautiful poems, which he published on social media as a gift to his followers.»
That – he told me – was in a time when there was a lot of bohemian life and sunrises were few and far between in the late 70s. That's how it all happened. Luis de la PicaFor example, he embroidered his own letters, and other artists from the Santiago neighborhood like Fernando de la Morena, Diego Carrasco or that Niño Jero's BandBesides the aforementioned Chickpea, The Dog of Paterna o Ana PeñaThen he told me about interesting collaborations, many of them joint ventures, with flamenco singers of the caliber of The Lebrijano The Ring, Chibulí o Lole and Manuel, for those who signed the cut The gypsies ride construction and also in Alba MolinaThen, a fraternal collaboration sang it Miguel Poveda with the title of Colored pinswhich made him more well-known to the general public.
But Julio Rivera never wanted fame or awards. He used all the money he earned from SGAE to live on Fuentebravía beach, facing the waves that kiss El Puerto de Santa María.
There, far from the madding crowd, he continued writing beautiful poems, which he shared on social media as a gift to his followers. Today, the poetic world of Julio Rivera Cros has forever merged into the eternal sea of his dreams. Rest in peace.
