A cantaora possessed by the duende

The first time I listened to her ,I predicted that she would become an outstanding cantaora. I discussed with other flamenco enthusiasts When I wasn’t unable to listened to her I made sure to follow her career carefully because I strongly believe in her possibilities as an artist.

On the last tenth of March she presented her show in the peña El Morato of Almería, so I went specifically to listen to her once more.

She opened the festival performing some tientos- tangos with the instrumental accompaniment of the veteran guitarist Niño de las Cuevas and his guitar, which is called Gerundina. She continued bewithching the night by signing so many palos and cantes that I am not going to write about it. What I cannot omit is the way she performed them: the magic of her voice, injecting a good deal of rajo -coarseness- and depth. The sad seguidilla, performed with the magnificent and balanced voice of María José touches you deeply. I am not ashamed of confessing that sometimes justifying myself by saying I was going to smoke, outside -where I could still listen to her- because I couldn’t avoid my tears running down my face.

When someone knows and feels flamenco his/her emote different feeling in order to appreciate it and so, to acknowledge those who are able to create and to transmit it.

María José Pérez is a very young woman. But despite her youth, her voice, her hearing, the respect of compás -musical meter- and the pleasure she shows while performing seem extraordinary. Singing flamenco, as dancing or other arts, would not be the same if the artists wosen’t be able to contribute or transmit “that”, which in flamenco is called pellizco or duende; those two words combine emotion, an indefinable astonishment and a sensation of pleasure in those who perceive it.

When you listen to María José you feel like dominated by her enchantment. You think you really see and feel those duendes which surround her, whispering and inspiring her for using her throat and her chest in order to achieve that convincing way of performing or say, the cantes. Those oneiric and intangible beings seem to treat her as their child, spoiling and encouraging her; they immerse her in the ancient but always fresh essence of flamenco and make her drinking from the exquisite purity of its ancient sources.

We are probably talking about the greatest exponent of flamenco ever born in Almería. Some people could think that is exaggerated but it is just a matter of time.