How to dance flamenco, flamenco travel in Spain, flamenco dance students and their experiences, interviews with flamenco artists, translations of flamenco letras (songs) from Spanish to English
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Letras
Es oficial. Spring has sprung! And so today an estribillo from the song Primavera from José Mercé's Del Amanacer. One of the very first flamenco albums I ever purchased... the very very first one was Manolo Sanlúcar's Tauromagia...
But anyway, in honor of springtime,
I can't stop thinking about doing bulerías in Jerez. And with that on my mind, here's a letra for today.
Bulerias
Como revienta un cañón
a fuerza de tantos golpes
así voy a reventar yo
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I wrote and posted this story about two years ago. I was so inspired by Akiko that I wanted to repost it today, with a few adjustments. Today when I am feeling overwhelmed and stressed out about all kinds of things.
Today when I am feeling shut down and scared to perform this weekend, as I so often get.
Today when I need grounding and inspiration.
Allow me to tell you a bit about Akiko, one of the many inspiring people I've met during my time here in Jerez.
Not too long ago Akiko began taking classes in Japan from Harumi, an incredibly graceful flamenco dancer from Osaka who básicamente seems to have mastered las bulerías de Jerez. She even co-teaches with Ana María López at la Peña los Cernícalos when she is in town.
But back to Akiko.
A letra and a video of Miguel Poveda and Moraíto Chico and family.
¿No te acuerdas cuando entonces
venías en busca mía?
y ahora tú no me conoces
It was Mercedes who introduced me to El Londro, (musically that is). Below find a mariana from El Londro's Luna de Enero album along with a video of Mercedes Ruíz dancing in the streets of Jerez.
Yo vengo de Hungria
con mi Mariana…
Pay no attention to what people say
They are jealous, for I love freely
because my love is like a wild bird …
Ven a borrrame los fracasos de mi mente ven a llenarme de caricias diferentes ven a sacarme de este pozo de amargura donde me encuentro yo...
Today a video of Vicente Amigo and Diego el Cigala along with a letra and a discussion. Enjoy!
La Tarde es Caramelo
Vicente Amigo
Cerca del río hay un sendero
donde la tarde es caramelo
cerca del río yo me pierdo
me encontraré cuando me encuentre con tus besos.
Here's a bulerías for you...
Yo tenía una prima hermana
que por irse con el novio
se tiró por la ventana.
I had a first cousin
who in following her boyfriend
jumped out of the window.
Actually, that's not what I think at all, it's just today's letra...
More Tangos del Titi
There was a request for the words to the song in this post...
They're rather fuerte.
You can hear Camarón singing it here and again here.
Tientos
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Tienes que derramar más sangre
que un torito bravo en su muerte
no sé como tienes valor
pá hablar de mi malamente.
You have to shed more blood
than a fighting bull at his death
I don't know how you have the courage
to speak badly of me.
Today's letra has me dreaming. I wish it had occurred to me a couple of weeks ago while in San Diego when Margot asked to learn a new song. Because this one feels just right for my sobrinas.
I want what it speaks of.
Un puente. Yes, a bridge. And I would make it a magic bridge. A bridge that could take us over a thousand miles in mere minutes. Oh the visits we would have!
Anyway, we can sing it together next time.
For today, I share it with you.
Today a tangos letra and a video of Jesús Méndez and Miguel Poveda.
You may recall last year when three little girls did fandangos.
A couple of weeks ago when I went to visit those girls Margot and Ada almost immediately started asking when we would get to do flamenco. My spring visit there was so short that we didn't do any. None at all. Apparently they weren't going to let that happen again.
Margot said she wanted to learn a new song and dance this time. And she said she wanted it to be short since we were without a lot of time.
We did tangos.
And while I'm not really into vengeance, this letra was on my mind. And it met Margot's requirement of being short.
Here's a video of Jesús Mendez from that show we saw the final night of the Spain Tour. Go to 10:15 to hear today's letra and to see Jesús's mother-in-law sing it. Watch her.
Watch it all. You'll see lots of good stuff. Like Perico playing cajón and palmas.
Bulerías
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Que cosita más sensible
es pelear con la muerte
y alcanzarla es imposible
It's Friday... And the world is still here.
And there are more bulerías.
Ponte donde yo te vea
¿Por qué no le das ese gustito a mi cuerpo
aunque otra cosa no puedas?
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Come where I can see you
Why not give this pleasure to my body
even though you can't do anything else?
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Bulerías are back in January. And if you just can't wait until then, come to the holiday fiesta. After all, what kind of a party would it be without bulerías?
Translating is a challenge for me. You know that. Especially the final line of this letra. Please feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments. And, of course, feel free to let me know what else is on your mind...
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You've heard me talk about Perico Navarro. Below is a letra that he likes followed by a video of Camarón singing it.
Written by Omar Khayyan...
Un poco de pan,
un poco de agua fresca,
la sombra de un árbol y tus ojos.
Ningún sultán mas felíz que yo.
Ningún mendigo más triste.
En continuación... (of the bulerías series, the little goodbye to Jerez) A few words from Mercedes Ruíz on bulerías.
¿Qué es lo que te gusta de la bulería? A mí me gusta porque es un palo muy festero y que puedo improvisar mucho.
She likes that it is a festive party palo, and she can improvise a lot.
¿Por qué crees que a nosotros extranjeros nos cuesta tanto bailar por bulerías? A los extranjeros creo que les cuesta porque la bulería es mucho de escuchar el cante, y hasta que no entienden eso no se puede bailar con naturalidad.
She thinks bulerías is hard for foreigners because listening to the singing is such a big part of it. Until this is understood, one cannot dance in a natural-way.
To watch a video with some insights from Perico Navarro, her cajón player, about why it's hard for us...click here.
And, if you want to read longer and perhaps more fascinating interviews with Mercedes, click here, here, here, here, and then here.
What are your thoughts? I myself used to hate bulerías. But not anymore. Do you like this palo? Why? Do you hate it? Why? Stefani was just telling me the other day about how much she didn't like bulerías, because of the cante. But I think she really likes it. Anyway, tell me what you think by leaving a comment here.
A new series begins in January. Stay tuned for details.
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Ricardo is gone. I'm missing him. Here's another tangos we danced with him...
Adiós patio de la cárcel
rincón de la barberia
el quien no tiene dinero
lo afeita con agua fría
