Better than dreams coming true....

Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sometimes dreams come true and that is a wonderful experience, but what is beyond that is when things you never dared to dream about come true as well. I've been going through that of late.

Yesterday was a prime example. We were scorched after being at the Feria de Jerez until 5AM, but we had to get up for a communion celebration that was being held at the peña. We got there and discovered that we were in the midst of a gathering of the Agujetas clan (this is a dynasty of gypsy singers that is one of the most important remaining). There were Diego, Luis, and Negro Agujetas as well as Miguel, el gitano de bronce. As soon as I got there, a guitar was shoved into my hand and from that point on it was full-on flamenco. This was the first time I had ever seen Diego other than videos. In no time I was accompanying his bulerias and then the singers just rotated. From time to time I threw in a verse or two. What was amazing was that I got away with it. It was totally accepted - who knows, it might have been enjoyed. This is where the dreams come true part comes in. All afternoon I got to play for some of the best flamenco singers alive and they were totally happy with my playing. I hadn't played for Luis in many years and previously he didn't much like to sing with me. Well, I guess I learned a bit and things are now different. In fact, I had to turn down an offer to do a paying TV show with all of them in August because we will be in California. Now does that go beyond a dream come true?

Here we all were. Hopefully the labels show.

Sometimes fiesta pix come out blurry, but the content is more important than the technology. Here is Luís, with Miguel looking on.

Then, to keep the day from being dull, we jumped in the car with Manolo, Ana, Negro, Andi and I and drove to Vejer where Negro and I sang in a concurso (singing contest).
Here we all were when we got out of the car. Right to left, Manolo, Ana, Andrea, me, and Negro (whose real name is Angél).

The streets were so narrow that had to park outside and walk in. Vejer is a walled city on top of a mountain, although there has been a lot of building outside the walls now. This part of it is the old section laid out by the Moors - narrow, eh?


Negro was terrific and I wasn't the worst by any means. I was the first to sing and the peña was packed because it was still early. My soleá and siguiriya came off very well, judging from the video and the audience response. Then I invited Andi up to the stage to dance with my alegria. She rocked them! She's been in dance deprivation because there are few opportunities for dancers here and much competition for whatever there is. (Spain is all about the singing - dance is reserved for a few little steps at parties or full-on theater productions). But we have been rehearsing and she has a lot of new things worked out. Manolo did palmas, Andi tore up the floor, and the audience went nuts.

Some days, life is very, very good......

Videos are now on YouTube - there is a link on the right side of the page for all of our 17 videos - pick the ones from Vejer..

Zamora and the Feria of Rota

May 2, 2009
Miguel and I took off on a long road trip to perform in Zamora at a festival there. 8 hours on the road is what we got paid for; the singing and playing was fun. We were thoroughly saddlesore by the time we arrived. But we chilled in the hotel and soon felt much better.
The show went well. I opened with some of my usual schtick and then welcomed Miguel to the stage. Can you believe that I actually served as the announcer? He sang beautifully and the both of us got really cranked up. (Sorry no pix or video, but the camera operator wasn't there) After the show, the peña hosted a dinner party for us and since we were so pumped up, we kept the flamenco coming and the peña really got their money's worth.
After all that, we went back to the hotel, but neither of us could sleep and so we started telling stories and laughing (it reminded me of a slumber party complete with giggles) until finally the neighbors banged on the wall. We were just talking - what was the problem? Thin walls I guess.
The next day was another 8 hours on the road, but we ended up happy enough. We took a nap and then escorted the ladies to the feria. They had already gone without us the previous day and so had their own adventures to relate. The daughters of Manolo and Ana really liked to dance the sevillana, so Andi got lots of exercise. They they ran into Jose Merce, who M and A know well.

Here is the entrance to the Rota Feria at night.

Although nothing to compare to the horsey scene in Sevilla, Rota still has plenty of horses and carriages. To my eye, the horses here are the most beautiful in the world (although they can't equal the women!).

Here is Andi with Manolo and Ana and their daughters in the caseta of the Socialist Party PSOE (the one in power at the moment).

Here are Andi and Ana with flamenco superstar Jose Merce.

The parents, if they can afford it, love to dress the muppets up for feria. They start learning to dance at this age.

Some of the casetas are just bars and tables for socializing. Others, like this one, have a full on stage for entertainers.

After Miguel and I got back from Zamora we jumped into feria with both feet.

Feria de Sevilla

Here we are at the traditional April Fair that happens two weeks after Semana Santa. It is probably the biggest fair in Spain. All of these ferias date back to the middle ages when travelling merchants would camp outside the city walls for a week and allow the residents to trade for exotic items not available in the local shops - silks, spices, and craft goods. There was also a lively trade in livestock at these times. Almost all Andalucian towns have a feria and each one has it's unique flavor. The one in Jerez (that we'll go to next week) has lots of flamenco, but most just have recorded sevillanas and rumba. We went once to one that was like a disco festival - you had to look hard to find sevillanas, normally the traditional music for feria.

Here are our consuegros, Enrique and Maru in front of the entrance - (the parents of our son-in-law - we don't have an English word for that). They invited us to join them here. It is always better to go to Feria as an insider. Otherwise, you just walk around and look, but you don't get into things.

Here we are with one of Enrique's childhood friends, Alberto. He's a doctor and father of several doctors. Visiting his family was our first stop.

One of the most amazing things about all Spanish Ferias is the horse and mule scene. They have these impeccable carriages with matching horses and everyone dresses in elegant riding outfits. There were more than 500 carriages in the Feria so there has to be a thriving carriage trade and buggy whips are still being made.

And there are thousands of individual riders. This woman was so elegant that Andi had to grab a photo.

This group was particularly well-dressed, wouldn't you say?

Some really nice horses and the rider in full Spanish cowboy mode. I have an outfit like this which is appropriate to wear on the pilgrimage to Rocio, but at Feria you only dress this way if you are truly on a horse.

Almost all the women dress in flamenco dresses - that's what they call them - while the men wear sport coats and ties.

Here were a group of sweet young things dancing the sevillana to a brass band.