If we need to remind who he is Mercedes LujanLet's remember, let's start there. Mercedes Luján is a flamenco singer, guitarist, composer, from Murcia, and more non-Roma than a gypsy. A complete package. Art was born in her hands. She is the granddaughter of... Master Palmita, a guitarist from Jerez who was a disciple of Xavier MolinaAnd from then on, his entire family tree contributes to his essence, sensitivity, and personality.
That's where his first recording project began, in its origins. With Carlos latre As master of ceremonies, with her grandfather's guitar, Mercedes sensibly and humbly sits before the Margarita Lozano Auditorium Almost full and she plays a soleá. Shy but brave. So brave that she's going to perform the album in the same order the tracks appear. This tells us that it's a concept album and that everything has a reason.
"If we need to remind everyone who Mercedes Luján is, let's start there. She's a flamenco singer, guitarist, composer, from Murcia, and more non-Roma than a gypsy. She's a complete package. Art was born in her blood. She's the granddaughter of Maestro Palmita, a guitarist from Jerez."
The first four touches are rooted in tradition, memory, and origins. It continues with malagueñas and abandolaos, accompanied by... Alonso Núñez 'Rancapino chico'which lends it depth and profound meaning. The artist loosens up with bulerías, with pulse and with the support of David Batista y Farru from the Carrilloswhich keeps the piece from falling apart. He traces in the rhythm the ideas his grandfather left him. He develops the sound and thus translates the essence of his Jerez roots. He bids farewell to this first part with an idea and a return, a guajira, with the bass of Dani Noel, in which the contemporary sound, thanks to the wind instruments, is already beginning to emerge: Miri Moreno on the alto saxophone and the flute, and Jessica Estévez on the muted trumpet. Mercedes always takes the opportunity to give visibility to female instrumentalists and offers us an immersive sound that has softened its origins.
Carlos Latre returns to comedy and presents what's coming: a sonic revolution. He bids farewell by reciting poetry to the granddaughter of 'El Palmita' while she accompanies him with a soleá. Latre shines through in his sincerity, gratitude, generosity, and poetry.
Let's get down to brass tacks, part two: taranta. Sigh. How much damage has it done? Paco de LucíaGood heavens. Oh my God. The six strings are finally showing their character. This is the Mercedes we've been waiting for: expressive and focused. The turning point in the sound begins here. flamenco From the guitar. The music begins to speak, to shout freedom. It is on this uncertain path that Mercedes has the most to say, the most to contribute. We were missing a trombone, the one from Santi Novoawhich enters with joy, and the entire instrumental ensemble takes Mercedes Luján to the Puerta de Tierra. If you're not familiar with it, don't continue, because it's coming Pepe de Pura and sets us on a course to Huelva, the one in the mountains. Montse Cortes She arrives to raise the bar and add even more prestige to this encounter. I can't get Paco de Lucía out of my head while the Catalan singer shines with a cante magnetic and dares to 'deny' Thomas Pavon through tangos. It ends with bulerías, Doña. Lole montoya, cante A Triana native of freshness and color. Lole is another world, where the flamenco It unfolds in timeless moments, its essence undiminished. The audience's ovation is a symbolic embrace of gratitude and admiration. The entire second half has been a fluid dialogue of music, especially of cante And the touch. As a fan, I've overlooked the touch at times, because if Luján erred in any way today, it was in not knowing how to gauge the artistic talent of those accompanying her. Immeasurable, from the first to the last.
"Taranta. Sigh. How much damage Paco de Lucía has done, God help me. How much, God. Now her character is coming out on the six strings. Now she is the Mercedes we were waiting for: expressive and focused."
Mercedes Luján bids farewell with the bulería The heart of GodA song dedicated to child slavery, with all proceeds going to this cause. Of course, the finale featured all the flamenco singers. We enjoyed the unique personality of each singer: Pepe de Pura's anarchy, the phrasing of a splendid Rancapino Chico, Montse Cortés's wail, and Lole Montoya's mastery.
Mercedes Luján has presented us with an intense yet generous style, nuanced but not cloying, and with intentions that are gradually solidifying her place on the map of contemporary flamenco guitar playing and composition. She has demonstrated through her performance that He has no hairs on the stringsNor have four awards and a couple of trips around the world been enough for her to pack her guitar away and never take it out again. There is hope. There is Mercedes Luján, and she'll have plenty of guitar left.
Credits
Origin and Revolutionby Mercedes Luján
Margarita Lozano Auditorium, Lorca (Murcia)
November 7th 2025
Solo guitar: Mercedes Luján
Percussion: José Córdoba 'Moskito'
PalmasDavid Batista and Farru de los Carrillos
Trumpet: Jessica Estevez
Flute and alto saxophone: Miri Moreno
Bass: Daniel Noel
Trombone: Santi Novoa
Presenter: Carlos Latre
Collaborators: Alonso 'Rancapino Chico', Pepe de Pura, Montse Cortés and Lole Montoya
