Jairo
Barrull at the Civic Theatre
29.06.12
Making
his UK début here, Jairo Barrull, steeped in flamenco tradition, and
his four musicians.
Nothing
touristy or quaint about these guys: you feel you are getting
echt-flamenco, just as if you were in Frontera country. Few
concessions to the uninitiated, either. No introductions, no clues as
to what the songs might be about.
We
began with a guitar meditation from the excellent Eugenio Iglesias
[his solo at the end of the first part was amazing, too, hypnotic
enchantment from a master I could happily have heard in recital],
joined by a voice, with hand gestures, clapping, and finally, with a
flash of patent leather and a clack of cuban heels, footwork from
bailaor Barrull himself. Percussive, expressive, often flamboyant but
sometimes just a flutter, this was some of the most virtuosic dancing
I've seen in any genre.
There
was some fine singing, too, especially from the rich, passionate
voice of Manuel Moreno Carrasco.
Much
too soon for the noisily appreciative audience, we were into the Fin
de Fiesta [The Party's Over], as the five men in black
step
out from behind their microphones and their monitors, and give us the
pure unplugged soul of Spain, before ambling off into the wings.
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