Pedro Soler
Sombras. Guitarra Flamenca
Al Sur ALCD 106, 1995
PEDRO SOLER
There are many people who think that he is older than actually is (he was born in 1938). The reason being that very early he was adopted by the Masters of the "golden age" of flamenco. Having arrived in Madrid on the day Manuel Vallejo died, it was at the famous Villa Rosa, plaza de Santa Ana, that he got to know the still many renowned personalities of that period. He had the opportunity of accompanying Pericon de Cadiz, Rafael Romero, Bernardo de los Lobitos, of listening to and seeing perform Perico del Lunar the elder and the legendary Manolo de Huelva, among others.
In the spanish quarter of Toulouse, at that time the capital of Republican spaniards in exile, he had already taken his first steps with Jose Maria of Grenada, Jacinto Almaden, attracted by the sonority of Soler's style, decided to form him to become his guitarist.
He kept him as second guitarist, always by his side on his tours in Spain and throughout Europe. Pepe de Badajoz, one of the rare guitarists to have regularly accompanied Don Antonio Chacon, was first guitarist of the troupe, Performing at first only to accompany the dancers, Soler was learning from Babajoz without ever "taking a class". The master would simply give him advice. It was up to him to hear, to see and especially to understand because the only instructions were approximately : "that's it" or "that's not it". The only remuneration for Pepe's advice being a box of enormous Romeo and Juliette cigars from time to time. A great friendship united master and pupil but yet Pepe gave Soler the "Alternative" in a rather cruel fashion in 1967 during one of Almaden's recitals in Madrid at the "Teatro de la Comedia". Pepe was accompanying the first part, the more traditional songs of the "jondo" and Soler the second part, the freer songs of the Levant that were Almaden's real specialty. When the last song of the first part, the Seguiriya was announced, Pepe put away his guitar and left, in spite of Almaden's protests, obliging Soler to introduce himself to Madrid in front of a public where all the aficionados and artists were present and accompany a song he knew only relatively well. The beginning was difficult and intricate but the public soon adopted his guitar and he left "the arena" carrying off two ears (his own at least). The press (A.B.C.) echoed the public's response " "The masters Pepe de Badjoz and Pedro Soler fulfilled theirs accompanists' roles with great effectiveness". At the end of his life, Badajoz sent for Soler. He left him a sort of musical inheritance, even saying : "Play this and say its yours. I never had it recorded".
Soler accompanied Almaden until the latter's death. He performed for many years with Pepe de la Matrona whose teaching were a determining factor for him. He also accompanied Juan Varea for a long time, later, Enrique Morente and at the moment, Miguel Vargas is the singer that he most often accompanies.
Essentially flamenco music relies upon the use of three modes : Major, Minor and Phryglan.
It is chiefly baseb on a shema of which the cycle is twelve beats in a binary and ternary combination. Paul Claudel wrote : "Twelve is three multiplied by four, the square multiplied by the triangle, it is the root of sphere, it is the perfect number." Twelve, the number of signs in the Zodiac, the number of Apostles, the hours of the day and night, the months of the year...
01. Aire Serrano (Serrena)
02. Aljibe Arabesco (Granaina)
03. Cantina Del Pelele (Cantina)
04. Luna Callada (Por Tientos)
05. Flor Del Caribe (Guajira)
06. Noche Oscura (Seguiriya)
07. En Los Patios (Sevillanas)
08. Canas Del Genil (Garrotin)
09. Oracion Minera (Rondena)
10. Sombras Del Atardecer (Soleares)
11. Cuna De Mimbre (Nana Flamenca)
320 kbps including incomplete b/w booklet scans
Part 1
Part 2
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