Untitled

O p e n i n g s p r e a d ; 3am, after a performance at the Pena
Antonio Chacon flamenco club in Jerez de la frontera: the
guitar playing, singing
and hand-clapping
is
nowhere
near
ending.
A b o v e : The Andalusian town of Jerez de la Frontera seen
from the Alcazar, its Moorish fortress. Jerez lies 80 km
south of Seville in
Guadalquivir
the agricultural plains south
of the Rio
River.
Andalusia, which takes its name form
the Arabic Al Andalus'
has a complex mix of Moorish, Christian, Jewish and gypsy
history
and culture.
Flamenco embodies
and cultural tradition
by
many
as
the
the complex musical
of Andalusia. Jerez,
which
'birth place'of flamenco,
musicians, dancers and enthusiasts from
Puro'.
108 ll,es,y, stravel.
regarded
all over the world,
who come to study and enjoy flamenco in
'Flamenco
is
attracts scholars,
its purest form:
Above: Male dancer Farruquito during a
performance
in Jerez, clutching his fists with
passion, pride flowing
through
his
veins.
Farruquito
or 'little Farruco' is the grandson of the legendary
gypsy dancer Farruco. A favourite with young
ladies,
Farruquito sets
hearts pounding
during
his performances. Cries of "Ole, Guapo!" ("Hey,
handsome!") can
be heard throughout the show.
In flamenco, there is no such thing as a passive
audience. Hand-clapping and cries of "Ole, que
sabe!" ("Wow, he really knows!") are all part of the
performance. An audience could be reacting
to a
singer's interpretation of a song, the power of a
voice, the intensity of the dance...
Clockwise from top left: Cured horns, orjomon, hang on the wall of a Jerez
tapas bar. Jamon is consumed in large quantities all over Spain and even
more so in Andalusia, served as tapas or used in small grilled sandwiches
(montaditos and bocadillios), in the morning or as a snack at any time of
day.
A young woman walks through a quiet Jerez street during afternoon siesta
time when the streets are virtually empty, particularly during the hot
summer months.
One of the many outdoor restaurants in central Jerez serving local dishes
and tapas, red wine by the gloss or bottle, as well as the local sherry for
which Jerez is famous.
Proud old men wearing hats spend long mornings chatting on benches all
over Jerez, taking things slow, in their 'Sunday best'every day of the week.
Andalusians love to hove their picture taken; one of these men pushed his
friends away and asked for a solo portrait!
no
mes,y,
stravel
Individualistic,
forceful,
downbeat or
introverted,
flamenco
dance
expresses
the mood of the song, be it love, grief, anguish, or anger; all to the rhythms of
the guitar, hand-clapping and the dancer's own feet.
A b o v e : Dancer Mercedes Ruiz rehearses in a Jerez studio. Ruiz, a highly
respected,
award-winning performer
was
born
in
Jerez's
flamenco
heartland;
the gypsy quarter know as the Bario de San Miguel. Young women from the
area look up to her and many hope to follow in her footsteps. Flamenco sprang
from the lower levels of Andalusian society, and thus for a long time lacked
the prestige of other 'high'art forms
Many
of the songs
among
hope and pride of the people during
many
'flamencos', as
the middle and upper classes.
in flamenco still reflect the spirit of desperation, struggle,
this
time of persecution.
Nowadays, whilst
these artists are called, still live in relative poverty, the
rising popularity of flamenco worldwide has made it possible to earn a good
living
from
Opposite
dance, guitar playing
and singing.
page: Detail of hand positions during a rehearsal with dancer
The atmosphere worms up to the sounds of late-night hand-clapping and singing after a performance
at the Pena Terremoto.
Above, and Opposite b o t t o m : Penas (flamenco clubs), as opposed to the tablao (tourist venues) are
venues where locals and real enthusiasts go to enjoy the most authentic flamenco. They are often in
the suburbs, hard to find, and information about performances is usually obtained by word of mouth.
After a performance, when the atmosphere 'hots up' in the clubs'bar, hand-clapping and singing can
trigger hours of dancing - an unforgettable spectacle, showing the true passion of flamenco.
Opposite, top r i g h t : -4 Jerez native, guitarist Alfredo Lagos, practices on a Jerez patio. Several
flamenco guitarists from Jerez have 'made it big] with Moraito Chico leading the way. Hundreds of
aspiring guitarists from all over the world come to learn with them and find the illusive 'compos'.
Finding your 'compos'is similar to what jazz musicians describe as being 'in the groove'...
Opposite, top left: The patio of the Centro Andaluz de Flamenco in central Jerez. The only resource
centre of its kind, this facility houses a wealth of documents on flamenco, and is where young gypsy
boys, aspiring singers, guitarists and dancers come to watch videos of their idols.
This page, clockwise f r o m t o p l e f t : A shrine outside the chapel known as La
Plazuela, in the heart of Jerez's gypsy quarter of San Miguel.
A favourite u/ith the 'older' ladies and everyone else too, singer Chano Lobato
during a performance in Jerez. Eighty-year-old Lobato is not just known for his
talent as a singer, but also as an entertainer, sharing funny little stories between
each song.
Jerezians clap hands and shout, "Ole, Que sabe!" during a performance by singer
Chano
Lobato.
O p p o s i t e page: Dancer Adcla Campallo during a performance at the Fiesta de
Automno (a yearly outdoor festival held in Jerez, at the Plaza de Asuncion).
ALL THINGS FLAMENCO
Clubs:
Pena Antonio Chacon
Pefia de Flamenco Antonio Chacon,
Salas 2, Barrio de Santiago, Jerez de la Frontera
Pena Flamenca Los Cernfcalos
c/Sancho Vizcaino, 23, Jerez de La Frontera
Cafe Teatro
Right by the theatre, nice terrace
Plaza Romero Martinez
Tel:+34 956 331 372
(A full list of Penas is available on deflomenco.
com. Many venues are out of town, and
performances are word-of-mouth.)
Juanito
Pescaderfa vieja, 8 y 10
Tel:+34 956 334 838 (pictured)
Tablao del Bereber
A tablao (tourist flamenco venue). Have a G&T
in the courtyard amid the extraordinary ruins of
this converted Moorish palace.
C/ Cabezas, 10, Jerez H406 Cadiz
Tel: +34 956 340 016, info@tablaodelbereber.com
La Moderna
Youth hang out, tapas bar with cheap beer
Larga,s/n
Tel:+34 956 339 956
Flamenco Resources:
deflamenco.com By far the best online
flamenco resource, both in Spanish and English.
H o t e l Villa Jerez
Review by Cedrtc A r n o l d
Attractive five-star Hotel Villa Jerez
is a converted, two-floor i 8 , h century
mansion, located just a few blocks
away from the old centre of Jerez de
la Frontera. During siesta time (when
Spain literally shuts down), spend some
time here relaxing by the pool, which is
surrounded by tranquil gardens, and have
a glass of Jerez (sherry wine), the famous
drink of the region.
Villa Jerez has 18 comfortable rooms,
each uniquely decorated, and all equipped
with modern amenities, and giving views
of the exterior gardens or the pool. The
r e s t a u r a n t Las Yucas offers regional,
national and international cuisine.
The concierge knows the city and the
local area well, and can organise day trips
or visits of all sorts, including jaunts
to the local bodegcu (Sherry wineries)
or nearby Real Escuela (The Royal
Horse Riding School). The hotel also
offers themed packages including golf,
flamenco, equestrian and cultural.
Avda. de la Cruz Roja, 7, Jerez de la
Frontera. Tel: +34 956 153 100,
re^ervaA 0villajerez.com,
villajerez.com
TwirLd/Doublej, Mart at Euro* 200
BreakfaAt: Euro* 18
ii 8 ,,,estylstravel.
(racion). This is more economical when a tapas is
being ordered by more than one person.
Adeli (pictured)
Consistorio, 9
Tel: +34 956 337 448
caf.cica.es/flamenco Spanish-language only
resource
Centro Andaluz de Flamenco
Flamenco resource centre, with film screenings
and photo exhibits. Free access to many
documents with online access as well.
Plaza de San Juan, 1 11403 Jerez de la Frontera
Tel.: +34 856 81 41 32
La Reja
Great toasted sandwiches, good atmosphere, no
tourists.
Mesones,6
A great breakfast spot is the kiosk in the
market square (Mercado de Abastos) where you
rub shoulders with the locals who stand in line
ordering their churros con chocolate.
Sherry
Jerez de la Frontera became famous throughout
the world for its sweet wines named after the
town, which the British pronounced "sherry".
The distinctive wine in Jerez has been
exported for centuries; it was even praised
by Shakespeare. It is distinctive because the
Must Read:
strong sun gives the grapes a high sugar
Song of the Outcasts. An Introduction To Flamenco (with CD) by Robin Totton (Amadeus Press) content. British merchants have been involved
in the wine trade here for centuries, producing
Well-written, very in-depth. The author lives in
and shipping a fortified wine known as sherry.
Jerez.
Bodegas (sherry wineries) are all over the
town and its outskirts. Visits can be organised
Must Hear Guitar:
through the tourist office or through your hotel.
Moraito Chico. Jerez's most respected, Moraito
is a living legend amongst flamenco performers.
His son, Diego Del Morao is keeping the Jerez
WORTH SEEING
tradition alive. Start with this CD: Morao YOra
Real Escuela (Royal Horse Riding School)
Fundacion Real Escuela Andaluza Del Arte
Festivals in Jerez Featuring flamenco
Ecuestre
La Fiesta de la Buleria celebrates the buleria,
Avda. Duque de Abrantes, Jerez (Cadiz)
a festive form of flamenco invented in Jerez,
info@realescuela.org, realescuela.org/ing/home.
with performances typically held at the
htm
bullring. Fiesta de Automono celebrates the
The Alcazar
wine harvest and features a weeklong series of
outdoor concerts in Jerez's Plaza de Asuncion.
Great views from the top of Jerez's Moorish
Performances are usually from 9 to n at night,
fortress
with other performances held in the penas later
Calle Alameda Vieja
on in the evening; keep your ear on the ground
Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz)
and chat with locals to find out exactly where
Tel:+34 956319798
things are happening. Both festivals are held in
info.visitos.alcazar@aytojerez.es
early to mid September.
TIMING MATTERS
For one weekend in May (check dates) Jerez is
EATS
besieged by nearly iso.ooo fans from all over
It is very common for a bar or a small local
Europe for the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
restaurant to have six to eight different kinds
at the Circuit de Jerez. It's a wild few days but
of tapas in warming trays with glass partitions
not recommended if you're here to discover the
covering the food. In Andalusia, tapos can be
cultural heritage of Jerez.
"upgraded" to bigger portions, equivalent
to half a dish (media radon) or a whole one