Any tribute paid to an artist flamenco The deceased deserves the utmost consideration, focusing on their intentions and remembering their achievements during their lifetime. Therefore, any written comment should avoid criticism that, even if delivered with respect and professionalism, could be interpreted as a disservice to the person being honored. Not surprisingly, it is also appropriate to add any aspects that could be improved so that their honor remains clean, unblemished, and in the best possible condition.
In the living room of the cante of the Peña A heartfelt tribute to the singer who died in 2008 was held at La Platería. Victor Blaya Quero Charico, a young flamenco promise, a true aficionado, passionate about cante from Jerez, from Earthquake and The Cake, whose insides were stirred by those echoes and who was able to transform himself into them because his capacity for mimicry and personality made him the great promise and the enormous singer that he could have been if he had continued with us. The direction of the tribute was in charge of Emilio Maya. He knew him well, worked with him a lot, traveled together, and shared hardships and joys during his professional years. And he wanted to express this not only with his guitar, but also with the memorandum, to someone who was one of Granada's finest young voices. Enrique Morente he went crazy with him. Curro Albaicin, who was part of the cast that took the stage tonight, also knew and admired him. So much so that he was responsible for paying tribute to him by recounting his biography and doing so in the form of a poem he wrote when he died back in 2008. Heartfelt tears ran down Curro's cheeks, real ones, the kind that come not from the eyes but from the heart and taste somewhere between salty and sweet.
The night began with a room packed with fans and members. After the opening remarks of Jorge Fernández Bustos and Curro's, Charico's voice sounded off. How many cantes, all of them from different live performances, echoes of tarantas, seguiriyas, soleá por bulerías and martinetes.
"In the Peña La Platería held a heartfelt tribute to Víctor Blaya Quero Charico, a young flamenco promise, a true flamenco aficionado, passionate about cante of Jerez, of Terremoto and of El Torta, whose insides were stirred by those echoes and he was able to transform himself into them because his capacity for mimicry and personality made him the great promise and the enormous singer that he could have been if he had continued with us.
Before the other artists who starred in the event sang, Emilio Maya briefly praised Charico's greatness with a few words.
Sergio the Red, Rudy Fernandez, Juan Angel Tirado y Jaime the Parron were the singers who participated. The guitar, only Emilio's, and the percussions of Benjamin the Dark y Michael the Cheyenne. Taking turns and giving each other their voices, each of them left their mark, each one more personal and more flamenco. Here there was dance intervention in the soleá por bulerías of Karin Matsuo.
There was no intermission, as it became a collection of anecdotes from experiences with Charico on different tours. El Parrón and Miguel el Cheyenne recalled some memorable, funny, and even somewhat villainous moments, but it's those experiences that make them who they are and how they sing. There wasn't much time for more, as they closed with bulerías, dividing the work among themselves.
I said at the beginning that at these kinds of events, where the only protagonist is the one honored and remembered, the details must be taken care of, at least the worthy ones. That's why I didn't quite understand why everything seemed improvised, with no rehearsal other than the knowledge and professional background of each of the artists who were there and their contribution to the whole, without pampering other details that would have made the event even greater. The truth is, it's entirely forgivable, especially because Charico deserves every honor from those who accompanied him for the time he gave with his deep voice. His memory will always remain in the minds of true fans. The event also served to launch the album. Passages of Glory to cantes del Charico in different live performances.
Credits
Tribute to Victor Blaya Quero Charico
Peña The Silversmith, Granada
18th October 2025
CanteJaime the Parrón, Juan Ángel Tirado, Rudy Fernández, Sergio Gómez the Red
Guitar: Emilio Maya
Percussion: Miguel el Cheyenne, Benjamín el Moreno
Dance: Karin Matsuo
