JUAN GÓMEZ "CHICUELO": The quintessence of sevillanas on Solera Flamenca

17 Jul JUAN GÓMEZ “CHICUELO”: The quintessence of sevillanas on Solera Flamenca

This week we are bringing you the Chicuelo´s flamenco guitar. This guitarist needs no introduction, with a spotless artistic career behind him as a proof of his talent and devotion for the guitar. His creativity, virtuosity and personality expressed when performing have all led him to his recognition as one of the best flamenco guitarists of flamenco nowadays.

For this recording, Chicuelo is accompanied by the palmas and jaleos (clapping and cheering) of Diego Amaya and Juan Mateo, a true genius of rhythm.

Chicuelo is one of the most relevant guitarists of flamenco today. He is also one of the most interesting and prolific composers of the latest generations. He has worked with singers like Enrique Morente, Miguel Poveda, Duquende, Mayte Martín, Rancapino, La Susi, La Marelu, Chano Lobato, José Mercé, El Cigala, Potito or Carmen Linares. He has also worked with jazz musicians like Marco Mezquida, Chano Domínguez, Carles Benavent, Jorge Pardo, Jordi Bonell or Raynald Colom, as well as the pianist Maria Joâo Pires and the cellist Yo-Yo-Ma.

In year 2000 he released “Cómplices” (Harmonia Mundi), his first album as a soloist from his own repertoire, with which he performed live all around Spain. This album has been awarded with the Best Soloist Album, according to the magazine Flamenco Hoy.

In 2007 he released his second album, “Diapasión” (Flamenco Records), also awarded with the Best Soloist Guitar Album, according to the magazine Flamenco Hoy. He went on tour several times, both national and internationally.

In this recording, he delights all of us with “CUATRO COSTAOS”, some beautiful sevillanas coming from his latest album, “UÑA Y CARNE”, a compilation of bulerías, tangos, guajiras, rumbas, sevillanas, tanguillos and rondeñas, confirming him as one of the most prestigious flamenco guitarists, and as a more than remarkable composer.

In this project, Chicuelo has composed most of the tunes, although he has counted on the collaboration of several musicians of flamenco and jazz world: Carlos Sarduy, the bass player Carles Benavent and the violoncello player Martín Meléndez. The album “Uña y carne“ is coming after a long time working along with other artists, being the latest ones the pianist Marco Mezquida (Conexión, 2017) and the singer Marinah (Sintonías, 2016).

He has more than 10 years of experience as a musician and guitarist, which allows him to provide the new album with new shapes of rhythm and harmony, as well as new voices and instruments.

For this recording, Chicuelo played a guitar made by the luthier Jerónimo Pérez, 2019, a guitar with an extremely personal and flamenco sound, just like our protagonist.