“Autumn opens flamenco in Alcalá de Guadaíra”. With these words the starting gun is fired for the XLV Joaquín de la Paula FestivalThis year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Joaquín Fernández Franco 'Joaquín from Paula', a mythical and distinguished figure in the history of Flamenco whose contributions have been endorsed by the fine sieve of the cante, which lets nothing but the good and the excellent pass by. Born in the legendary neighborhood of San Miguel, Alcalá de los Panaeros, on February 12, 1875, back in the days when gypsies lived in the caves at the foot of the castle, like José el Pelao, Currita la Regalá, la Azalea or la Guaracha.
El flamenco It lives on in the streets of Alcalá, and you can tell when one attends its performances. The courtyard is packed, and a good number of attendees stand and watch the performances.
Open the cante the strong and resounding voice of Blond Son accompanied by the magnificent guitarist Antonio Carrion, who this year celebrates his 50th anniversary as the laureate artist of the sonanta. In the toná, as is to be expected in this truly Morisco style, the verses are laden with laments, and it seems as if the towers of San Miguel Castle, at whose feet the stage has been erected, were raised even higher. The location would be perfect if it weren't for the countless mosquitoes that have gathered. A real discomfort for the performers and the audience, who constantly swat each other. The wailing gives way to verse. I walked to my right and found everything closed.
Rubito Hijo is a singer committed and dedicated to the defense of the cantes by right, great connoisseur of the palos and of its origins. That's why he would tell us it was "a day to surrender oneself to death." Por soleá. It sounds more reserved to me, reveling in the bass and midrange and caressing the words, Get me up early because I want to go to the castle, before his strong torrent of voice transports us to other heights. To sing soleá you have to go to Mairena and pass through Alcalá and unite Alcalá by the hand of the sister neighborhood with lThe four little pillars, those that support Triana, a good repertoire of soleá lyrics in homage to Paula. He continues with another memory, this time to Manolito from Maria with the tanguillos of Cádiz in the style of the memorable Alcalareño, but with a different, current lyrics, and made in his own way, my heart that is caught in the love of a gypsy.
"Pedro el Granaíno's raspy, gypsy voice glides comfortably over Patrocinio's chords, his guitar filling the air with beauty. A precise, fresh, contemporary touch, grounded in traditional schools and, of course, that of Paco de Lucía."
After a dedication to the most outstanding fans of Alcalá, such as Antonio Hermosín, Niño Canuto, the Flores, among others, his words would be dedicated to Francisco Moreno Galvan, the countryman whose birth centenary is being celebrated. For the great painter and lyricist, his seguiriyas are adorned with the verses he composed for this palo. To spend the night / I have no roof / where I can take shelter / if I find shelter / I wrap myself up and sleep. And to finish, with bulerías, Look flamenco is, he sleeps with the guitar instead of with his wife. And with his gratitude to the Peña The Soleá de Alcalá closes with a fandango that finally brings the audience to their feet, a common gesture at their recitals: What they earn / there are people on this road / who save everything they earn. / They don't know how to have fun / they don't think about tomorrow / without knowing if they'll live.
The organization commissioned the sculptor from Gerena Antonio Polo a trophy in recognition of his illustrious son. He collects it Iniesta Fernández Granado, granddaughter of Joaquín el de la Paula and niece of Manolito de María. The presentation was made by the Culture Delegate, Christopher Rivas, who highlighted the cante sincere and austere of this illustrious Alcalareño.
They occupy the stage Pedro the Granaíno, along with the guitar of Antonio Patrocinio Jr., and the accompaniment to the palmas de Miguel Heredia y louis gold. It is insured pellizco and the combination of rhythm and truth. The raspy, gypsy voice of Pedro el Granaíno comfortably glides over the chords of Patrocinio, who fills the air with beauty with his guitar. A precise, fresh, modern touch, grounded in traditional schools and, of course, that of Paco de LucíaPedro begins with a soleá, requested by the night, the castle that covers us, and the Festival's headliner: The three Marías went up / to the castle of Alcalá / to dress in black mourning / the cante by soleá. Palo which in the throat of Pedro el Granaíno is a fine morsel. And from Alcalá to Graná, he sings the granaína and its half, Who lives next to God the Father / in the garden of glory… / And Antonia Reyes is my mother.
With the emotion still in his throat he enters fully into the tangos, with the sounds of Patrocinio remembering Paco de Lucía, I come from distant lands… Pedro el Granaíno adjusts himself in the chair and searches inside for the necessary trappings to sing seguiriyas, respect for the ancestors, his seriousness travels through time and tradition, por seguiriyas The handkerchief that I wear tied around my neck / was my mother's, my weapon... Oh, I swore not to speak to you again / and not to see you again / and I bless the hour, mother / In which I went to look for you…until we finish with Santiago and Santana. A good round of bulerías transports us from deep sorrow to the joy of the celebration. The strains of the guitar sound, and Pedro el Granaíno's repertoire is immediate: They say that to sing you need to be in tune… Water! And surprises with the end of his repertoire with the Requiem that Vicente Friend composed for Paco de Lucía, recorded on the album Memory of the sensesWith all solemnity the singer dedicates it to Joaquín el de la Paula:
It will be the Earth
they will be the suns
seas and moon who miss you.
Will flamenco
who with more force
I missed you and cried for you.
"In malagueñas, melismas resonate in María Terremoto's vibrant voice. The artist's singing abilities allow her to move freely with a freedom that leaves the audience indifferent. And it was because I didn't feel like it, Rosa, if I didn't catch you… using the granaína lyrics made popular by Cobito."
Second part, which begins with the dance of the Alcalareño David Pérez, a young dancer from the classical school and choreographies that recall those of Antonio the Dancer, Antonio Gades or Mario Maya. His quest is in the elegance of movement and correct position. He is accompanied by a group of good artists, cante Antonio the Flea y Manuel Pajares, on the guitar Juan Manuel Flores or palmas Adolfo Vega. He begins the dance with toná and martinete, with a stick in his hand, seguiriyas, What a great pain / even in walking / that the little steps I took forward / turned back. And closing with soleá: I saw and went up to the castle / I have been told that at dawn / the echo of Joaquín can be heard. For sThe second dance, the caña, a choreography not often seen on stage lately, for which he has chosen a costume reminiscent of those great figures we remember from the last century. His people stood and applauded him proudly. Alcalá has always been a good supporter of its artists, as it should be.
The closing of the night falls to the young woman from Jerez Maria Terremoto, accompanied on guitar by Nono Jero, Paco Vega to the percussion, and to the palmas Manuel Cantarote y Juan Diego ValenciaMaría, at her young age, already presents herself as a great and established singer. I still remember little María, four years old, who at that time lived with her parents—Fernando and María—in Castilleja de Guzmán, singing on warm summer nights in the midst of a gathering of friends and neighbors while we shared a drink in the fresh air. She comes with all the confidence, surrounded by the sounds and rhythms of Jerez, in her element, if it weren't for the mosquitoes that continue to bother us tonight.
In malagueñas, melismas resonate in María's vibrant voice; the artist's singing abilities allow her to move freely with a freedom that leaves the audience impressed. And it was because I didn't feel like it, Rosa, if I didn't catch you... using the granaína lyrics that he popularized Cobito. And in the second body, SGod took him / And my father Fernando from my weapon / because God took him / He took him because he wanted to / and I respect that / withand has taken away what I wanted most, in the style of Henry the Twin.
María continues with bulería por soleá: To the one at the door, pray / that he relieves me of these duchesses / cLittle buddy, I can't stand them. Then, for tangos in which he covers the Crybaby that made her world famous Chavela Vargas: I don't know what it is about flowers, weeping woman / the flowers of the cemetery / that when the wind moves them, weeping woman / they seem to be crying. Again for joysYour eyes are the ministers that captured me / and your chest is the prison in which they put me… And finally, the Jerez flavor of bulerías whose rhythm stays in our eardrums: Step by step I go walking / the flowers of the field guide me. What a nice little tune!
And with this ended a festival of those that are carried out today, short and correct, so that things do not drag on too much in the early morningNot everyone agrees on this, but it's acceptable. What's not entirely clear is that some genuine fans stay in the bar to comment on what they've heard and then come back to invite us to leave because "we have to close." I don't know, but it seemed like a very unflamenco farewell to me. What do you think?
Credits
XLV Festival Flamenco Joaquin from Paula.
On the 150th anniversary of his birth
Gardens of the Riberas del Guadaíra Auditorium, Alcalá de Guadaíra (Seville)
20th September 2025
Cante: Rubito son, María Terremoto, Pedro the Granaíno
Touch: Antonio Carrión, Nono Jero, Patrocinio Hijo
Dance: David Pérez (cante Antonio el Pulga and Manuel Pajares, guitar Juan Manuel Flores and palmas Adolfo Vega)
Percussion: Paco Vega
Palmas and fuss: Manuel Cantarote, Juan Diego Valencia, Manuel Vinaza
