“A
surprise concealed, and until now, displayed in bits
and pieces at the back of the stage, behind the batas
de cola. Jesús Torres’s flamenco guitar
introduces itself in a bright dawn overflowing with
harmonies and lively melodies on underground strings.
Way to go, Jesús!”
José Manuel Gamboa
‘Viento del Norte’ by
guitarist Jesús Torres is the fruit of a solid
career in accompaniment and composing for bailaores
such as Antonio Gades, Mario Maya, Isabel Bayón
and Rafaela Carrasco. The music which he has created
along the way, inspired by the images and dynamics of
flamenco dancing, has evolved and transformed to shape
up this album with which he débuts ‘up
front’. The Ecijan tocaor reveals himself as a
musician who contributes sensitivity, subtlety, virtuosity
and universality to flamenco guitar.
On this record he has collaborations
by cantaores Miguel Poveda, Encarna Anillo and Manuel
Gago, percussionist Antonio Coronel, pianist Pablo Suárez
and bandoneon player Jorge Lema, among other musicians.
As flamencologist José Manuel Gamboa affirms,
‘Viento del Norte’ is “a surprise
concealed and, until now, displayed in bits at the back
of the stage, behind the batas de cola. Jesús
Torres’s flamenco guitar is presented at a bright
dawn full of harmonies and lively melodies on underground
strings”.
Calle Espada (Bulería... A mi padre)
Mármol de espuma (Malagueña con Jabera)
Tarantango (Taranta)
Rincón de los perdíos (Soleá por Bulería)
Viento del Norte (Fantasía)
Sonsonío (Bulería)
Pasaje de Valvanera (Zapateao)
Alhama (Nana... a mi Madre)
Jesús
Torres (Barakaldo, 1965) is a recognized flamenco
guitarist specializing in accompaniment and composing
for baile. The Ecijan musician started off in genres
such as classical music and rock, until he moves to
Madrid to learn accompaniment for flamenco dancing by
the hand of maestros such as Manolete and Merche Esmeralda.
In 1992 he begins his professional career in flamenco,
taking part in the tours of María Rosa and José
Greco, at the same time as he was gaining experience
at tablaos. After participating in festivals such as
Seville’s Bienal, he joins the Compañía
Andaluza de Danza (Andalusian Dance Company) as lead
guitarist in 1994. Two years later, he becomes a member
of the Antonio Gades Company, playing in ‘Carmen’
and ‘Fuenteovejuna’. In the following seasons,
he shares his music with Miguel Poveda, Isabel Bayón,
Israel Galván, Mario Maya, Belén Maya,
José Mercé, Chano Lobato... at different
festivals and stages on the world stage circuit, including
the Teatro Real in Madrid and Carnegie Hall in New York.
Beginning with Festival de Jerez 2002, he collaborates
with the Rafaela Carrasco Company as a performer and
composer. The 2006/2007 season is key, since besides
working in shows like ‘El eterno retorno’
by Rocío Molina, composing ‘La puerta abierta’
by Isabel Bayón and playing at the City Center
in New York with Rafaela Carrasco, he records his first
solo album. ‘Viento del Norte’ was released
on March 2008, after being successfully premiered at
2008 Jerez Festival.
EL PAÍS June 27th 2008 Review of Jesús Torres' 'Viento del Norte'
de Jesús Torres published in
the supplement EP3 by Ángel Álvarez Caballero. See
full page
EL PAÍS May 31st 2008 Review of Jesús Torres’s 'Viento
del Norte', by Fermín Lobatón
"Supone una fresca y estimulante aportación
al rico panorama de la guitarra solista de nuestros
días (...). Sus renovadas armonías compiten
con el alto contenido melódico que reina en todo
el disco" See
full page
RNE. RADIO CLÁSICA May 17th, 2008
Interview with Jesús Torres about 'Viento del
Norte'. José María Velázquez-Gaztelu's
program 'Nuestro Flamenco' (Radio Clásica, RNE)
ALMA 100 nº 76 April-May 2008 Review of Jesús Torres’s 'Viento
del Norte', by Javier Primo
"...They’re scores sweet to the ear, originally
intended to be danced, which conceal details of great
interest..." See
full page
DIARIO
DE SEVILLA April 16th, 2008 Review of Jesús Torres’s ‘Viento
del Norte’
“A work in which contention and intimacy have
priority, despite the epic poetry por bulerías
which opens the album, dedicated in memory of his father.
This is an exquisite record with contained guitar playing
which hardly dares to sound above the percussion or
vocals. (...) Torres furiously shows that, like everyone,
his is a heart that suffers and enjoys”. See
full page
FLAMENCO-WORLD.COM March 2008
“I think ignorance causes a lot of boldness in
flamenco nowadays”
Interview with Jesús Torres, by Silvia Calado See
full page
DIARIO DE
JEREZ February 27th, 2008 The most complete youths in the world
Review of the concert ‘Flamenco World Music’,
by David Fernández See
full page
