A night of contemporary flamenco where tradition is both honoured and enlivened.
El Perrete walks onto the stage with purpose, sequined jacket catching the light. The stage is empty save for the other musicians – percussionist Cristóbal Sánchez García, keyboardist Francisco José Suárez Montaño and guitarist Manolín García. His hat keeps his face in shadow, as under the wide brim he takes a breath.
The sound that comes out is extraordinary – as would be expected from one of the most renowned young flamenco singers of today, Francisco Escudero (stage name El Perrete). His music pays homage to the traditions of flamenco whilst still being explorative and contemporary in sound. His technical control is astonishing, with seamless control of breath; but, like all masters of their craft, that soon blurs as the compelling storytelling takes over.
The night was primarily a live of set of his recent album Luz de Guía (meaning guiding light). ‘Atemporal, Malagueña y Cante de Arar’, the third song of the night, was sung with liquid melancholia by Escudero, time truly elasticating with the twists and turns of the melismas. The dialogue between guitar and voice was instinctive, with each performer responding sensitively to the other.
Escuredo’s voice has a strength and bravado that suits the moments of flourish within flamenco. However, the real power of his musicianship is the honesty in his voice that allows him to sit within a moment of longing or sadness without shifting away from it. This was beautifully demonstrated in ‘Tiempos Pasados, Pregones y Peteneras.’ Born of the traditional flamenco palo of the Peteneras, Escuredo didn’t shy away from sitting within the aching cries of the piece, before the release of streams of scales. Flamenco provides immense solace through its celebration of both pain and joy, and this moment felt like sadness was turned to the light, and found to be beautiful too.
The staging remained set throughout, apart from when Manolín García moved to centre stage. Escudero hovered over Garcia, hand on his shoulder as the two wove strings of sound. The physical intimacy heightened the sense of a performance born of a need to share: to share this old, glorious tradition as well as the relevance of the stories – stories of love and labour, joy and loss, the same narratives that echo through the ages.
Another highlight was ‘Badajoz 2.0, Jaleos’ the closing song of the night. The song is a contemporary take on the Jaleos native to Badajoz, alive with tight syncopations, the claps and taps of Escuredo adding to the percussive flourishes. The song propelled the evening to a rousing finish, and a standing ovation from an audience taken on a tour of contemporary flamenco that felt fresh and alive within its traditions.
The Flamenco Festival is on at Sadler’s Wells until the 29th June. Tickets linked here.