The last Saturday, I could find an interview to a Spanish pianist and composer, on the radio. I could watched the interview, because there were two cameras of tv inside the studio of the programme.
This pianist was in the programme in order to present his last cd (“Paseo a dos” = “Walk two”). Then, he was talking about his youth –when he started to play guitar, at home--; but, he also played the piano several times. I did not know him, but I loved his way of playing; I think that it is a wonder.
His name is David Peña Dorantes; but I think that he is known as Dorantes. And he is a Flamenco pianist. Dorantes reminds me of another Spanish pianist –concretely from Cadiz--, named Manolo Campuzano.
At the beginning of the interview, David said that his last cd was born when he met his friend (the bass player, Renaud García-Fons). They were playing together about ten years; but sometimes and when they met, they thought several ideas to compose a piece of music. They met at David´s home, in the village of Sevilla, Mairena del Aljarafe.
A very important David´s trait is his improvisation. He use a lot his creativity. For example, David explained the tittle of his last cd, remembering that, when he was locked, with Arnaud, at David´s home, to record this album, during one week, as they were too tired, they nneded to go out home for a walk, to clear their minds.
In the album, we can find several “palos” (bats, types of music) of Flamenco: Soleás, Guajiras, Malagueñas .... because for David, they are the starting point to get to know other concepts. David knows that Renaud has a different training --even David has a classic formation--; but they leave from Flamenco Bats.
But, in 2012, David published his third album: “Sin muros” (“Without walls”).Through this album, David wanted to reflect that grace, that he lived when he was a child, by his father (the guitarist Pedro Peña), his uncle (Juan "El Lebrijano") and other ones --singing and dancing, in several gypsy parties (“always elegant parties”,as David said), at David´s grandmother´s home--.
I can show you a video of the tittle: “Without walls either padlocks”, from the album “Without walls”, with Arnaud García-Fons. If you want to watch this video, please click below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mfP_0-ndFY
David, before playing the piano, began playing guitar and accompanied singers of Flamenco as Esperanza Fernandez, Enrique Morente and Carmen Linares.
David studied piano in the Conservatory of Seville; but he says that for him the real Conservatory was his grandmother´s home, because, in that, house, there was a piano, which it played, with two fingers, when he was 4 years old. A little bit later, his grandfather bought a pianola and David went mad with happiness….Since that moment, he decided to dedicate playing piano himself.
I knew the piece “Orobroy” (which means ”Pensamiento”=”Thought”, in gypsy language.He published this piece in 1999.), because I heard it through the radio; but I did not know its composer. Now I love that music and I should like to share it with you. If you want to watch a video with that piece, played by David Dorantes, and accompanied by a chorus of girls, with Pilar Bogado (the girl with a bandana), for example, please click below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jepdKmVekWc
And there is another version, that I like very much, because I find a lot of art in it. If you want to watch the video of this other version, please click below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VDu6uPdIxY
Dancer: Laura Pirri.
Well, I hope that you have enjoyed this music, such as I did.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
Sponsored by Costaluz Lawyers.
Please click below:
