Reviews
Review of Paco Pena “A Compas” at UCLA
“Paco Pena”, I heard in just about everyone’s conversation as they spoke with a certain joy one experiences when anticipating something truly special. It is not often Flamenco icons make the journey to Los Angeles, California. Sophistication and Culture was in no short supply to receive Paco Pena at the prestigious Royce Hall of the University of California Los Angeles.
Through the generosity of UCLA Live, I was invited to attend and experience a tremendous night for Flamenco. October is always a special time of year, a time of transition. A clear night with a hint of frigid air as the seasons change from Summer to Fall. Walking up to Royce Hall was, as always, an awe inspiring moment that requires some time to fully appreciate the history and architecture it offers. Truly a magnificent venue, from my seat I had a clear view of the stage and began to get excited. When seated in Royce Hall make it a point to look up, you will see some of the most beautiful blue and gold architectural details that makes this venue so special.
As the lights dimmed the stage glowed, shadows walked on stage and the familiar outline of the master himself was welcomed with applause. Paco Pena raised his hand in appreciation, sat down and began playing the first musical piece of the night.
Tonight performing along with Paco Pena where:
Dancer: Charo Espino
Dancer: Angel Munoz
Dancer: Ramon Martinez
Singer: Immaculada Rivero
Singer: Francisco Javier Marquez
Guitarist: Paco Arriaga
Guitarist: Rafael Montilla
Percussionist: Nacho Lopez
Throughout the night Paco Pena played incredible pieces of music that demonstrated the complex arrangements and varied rhythms of Flamenco. Paco Pena is still as fast as ever with incredible picado technique and as precise as one would expect from a master. Paco guided all who attended through a journey unique as the experiences that inspired the music itself.
My first impression was of the singers Immaculada Rivero and Rafael Montilla. Both where refined singers with voices that carried the natural coarseness of great Flamenco singers. Unforced and real, Immaculada Rivero enabled us all to experience the essence and pain of each verse she sang. Rarely do I have the privileged to be guided through a story with such an incredible voice as the one I heard from Immaculada Rivero.
I was captured next by Charo Espino, by the attention to detail in her performance that could only come from one so accomplished. Charo’s selection of beautiful dresses reflected the tradition and vibrant life of Flamenco. Giving us all wonderful visuals of color and movement. What is rare and wonderful to see is the visual representation of dedication to the art of Flamenco. Always in Compas and capturing every opportunity to provide us with genuine Flamenco expressions and movements. Charo Espino gave the most complete representation of what a Flamenco dancer should strive to accomplish.
By far the one performer who in my opinion stole the show was Angel Munoz. Precise and in complete control throughout every performance it was very clear why he received a standing ovation for his solo. I was simply stunned after experiencing a perfectly executed performance. From beginning to end Angel Munoz demonstrated flawlessly what true talent and endless hours of dedication to the art reveals.
Paco Pena and Angel Munoz produced what I believe to be the most synchronized and perfectly choreographed performance of the night. Simply incredible, Paco Pena played a Solea with Angel turning in the best performance of the night. Each note Paco played and each step that Angel took was unmistakeably blissful. It was perfection!
My appreciation and many thanks to UCLA Live for making such an incredible night possible. All who attended where treated to an undeniable Flamenco experience that mesmerized us all. I can only hope like many here in Southern California, that Spain with its incredible Flamenco talent will not forget us. We have tremendous love and support for Flamenco and welcome more of its talented performers with open hearts.
Related posts:
- Paco Pena Performing in New York!
- Paco Pena at UCLA Royce Hall
- Paco Pena Requiem for the Earth
- Somos Flamencos at The Barclay
- Q&A with Paco Pena
- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
7 Responses to “Review of Paco Pena “A Compas” at UCLA”
Flamenco in your inbox FREE!
Save Money Save over 50% on Guitars, Dresses and Shoes!
Flamenco Community Stay in touch with other Flamenco's and get News updates!
Last night (Mnday, Oct. 19), Paco Pena (A Compas) was here in Ottawa (Canada) – it was the same! Everyone was wonderful but the crowd went wild for Angel’s performance! It was fantastic to have been there!
Great post explaining the excitement of the evening to someone who couldn’t be there.
Brilliant.
Paco Peña always does justice to the art of flamenco. We are looking forward to his show here in London! Ever since seeing him in the 70s in his early ‘Flamenco Puro Live’, he has brought flamenco alive to thousands. What I always find so refreshing is that, when he plays, solo or for a dancer and/or singer, you can always hear the real, basic flamenco forming the core of his incredible flourishes. You can hear the stuff you yourself can actually play, even if you are not experienced/dexterous enough to be able to do the extra embellishment notes and ‘incredible [fast] picado technique’ that he adds. It is encouraging and refreshing to hear an artist like Paco Peña so grounded. Teaming up with such incredible singers and dancers means you get the real thing. Can’t wait!
Wish I could have been there!! Sounds amazing. Hope they come back soon…
I had the great fortune to see the same tablao at the McCarter Theater in Princeton, NJ (Sept. 30). I wholeheartedly agree with your evaluation. Angel Munoz definitely stole the show.
However, Paco Pena was in excellent form – I have been a fan of his since before “Misa Flamenca”, and this was the first time I saw him “in the flesh”. He was well worth waiting for.
I had the pleasure of seeing this show in the east coast and my only disagreement with this review is that I found that the other two guitarists, Paco Arriaga and Rafael Montilla, did most of the work in the group pieces, where Paco seemed to have a background role. I perceived that most in the audience didn’t have the ability or interest to tell which guitarist was doing what; but I had that ability, and could see that Pena was not leading in those group pieces. No offense; Paco Pena is good, but Arriaga and Montilla should get the credit they desserve.
The show was, I’m sure, grand fun for the mostly elderly, most assuredly non-flamenco audience. I agree that the dancers displayed excellent technique, Charo Espino showing lovely line indeed. The three guitarists were amplified, to my horror, and the presence of a cajon and castanets indicated that authentic flamenco was not the goal of the evening’s entertainment (I refer to the Princeton performance). The two singers were those who most closely approached a flamenco atmosphere, and, had they been accompanied in a supportive, traditional manner, probably would have provided the most powerful and successful example of what flamenco is (or used to be).