Music to stir up the soul

Press, 7 April 1978, Page 4

Music to stir up the soul

flamenco, and wanted the eyes of the world to see it in its purest form, free of commercial exploitation and the interpretations of the glossy spectacular touring companies. In his native Andalusia, “flamenco” meant a “big courtyard.” Ten to 20 families lived there. They shared the basic essentials of life; they had one well and one toilet. It was a very open society, and the people were very friendlv. The rain came through ■’ -> roof, but so did the s • shine: people lived life us it came. The flamenco people were fatalistic. Their songs reflected their

struggle for life. They sang of happiness, love, sadness, and death. The music combined the rhythms and chants of the Moors, Jewish liturgical music, and gypsy rhythms and music. Paco Pena first remembers picking up a guitar at the age of five or six. By the age of 16 he was fully professional, but on his brother’s guitar. After trying “commercial flamenco” in coffee bars and clubs in Spain, he became disheartened with its compromise, and decided to attempt solo performances. He chose London, Where he had heard that people