Lorca Namorado

The work Lorca Namorado was premiered in the Praza da Quintana (Santiago de Compostela) on May 30, 2019. The composer and pianist Abe Rábade brought to the stage a personal version of the 6 Galician Poems by Federico Garcia Lorca, the only work of the brilliant Granadan author written in a language other than Spanish.

The fact that Lorca chose the Galician language for a collection of poems is, in addition to a historic gift, a statement of intent that delves into the experimental and risky conception of the arts.

Lorca Namorado includes different grooves such as “xota” and “muiñeira vella” (traditional from Galiza) or “soleá” and “bulería” (traditional from Andalucía). A lullaby and a jazz ballad complete the show atmosphere. One foot in the Galician tradition, another in the flamenco world and both hands in jazz, which knows how to hybridize because Jazz was born grandiosely impure.

The project presents songs based on the 6 Galician Poems, respecting the delicious rhythm that connects each line with a touch of “foliada” (traditional Galician concert format) or “tablao” (typical venue for flamenco performance).

There are 5 solo songs for the five male voices of the talented Salvador Sobral, Arcángel, Davide Salvado, Kiki Morente and Marcelo do Bode (two flamenco voices, two traditional Galician voices and one jazz voice). The last of the pieces, dedicated to Rosalía de Castro, has the three vocal traditions mixed. The refrains feature 3 female voices: the superb Lilaina.

The instrumentalists were chosen because of their stylistic open-mindedness and the genuineness of their sound. Enrique Rodríguez is the flamenco trumpet player par excellence at the moment; Pablo Castaño, after part of his biography in New York, is currently researching the sonority of the Alalá on alto saxophone; Yago Santos plays flamenco guitar like an angel and his ears are always open to other musical genres; Pablo Martín Caminero attacks the baroque, flamenco, jazz or experimental double bass with the same exquisite sensitivity; Naíma Acuña is a factory of groove and balanced timing; and Moisés Fernández has a powerful “soniquete” on the “cajón flamenco” (flamenco box drum).

The “bailador” (traditional Galician dancer) Miguel Rodríguez and the “bailaor” (flamenco dancer) Isaías Salazar are featured in one piece each. They also tackle together the middle part of the show: a Romance adored by Lorca (the one of Santa Irene), rebranded here into the “Romance de Santo Amaro”. This number serves as an interlude and it is sung by Lilaina with ‘pandeireta’ accompaniment (Galician tambourines), ‘cajón flamenco’ and drum set.

Lorca Namorado closes with the great Susana Seivane on bagpipes. She performs a piece whose rhythm is based on a groove from the traditional Carnival of Viana do Bolo (in the province of Ourense), one of the most genuine cultural expressions of Galicia.

The video-creator Laura Iturralde makes interventions in real time during various parts of the show. And the fabulous Quico Cadaval is in charge of stage direction.