My Songs & A Poem

Estrella Morente | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Emd Int'l
• ASIN: B00005V99G
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,960 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #78 in Music > World Music > Caribbean & Cuba > Cuba > Salsa

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Perhaps flamenco legend Enrique Morente was prescient when he named his daughter Estrella (star in Spanish), because that's precisely what this singer is destined to become judging by the strength of this phenomenal debut album. Originally released in Spain, My Songs and a Poem speaks directly to the heart of classic flamenco with a selection of tangos, bulerías, and other styles, with music written mostly by her father. Yet she is not merely aping Enrique; rather, she makes this material entirely her own. From the aching sweetness of "Moguer" to the fire of the opening song "Cockles," the younger Morente shows off her virtuosic dexterity, her voice's color shifting from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. Her sound is rich and round, yet she maintains an exacting precision in her delivery. Her worthy collaborators include a notable roundup of uncles and cousins, including the Carmonas (who perform as Ketama, a flamenco-rock-jazz-world hybrid). Another guest is guitarist Alfredo Lagos, whose razor-sharp articulation is a delight. The sound of these recordings, made in a variety of studios across Spain and in live performances, is uniformly rich and clear. The most striking fact about this album, though, is that it's the work of a 20-year-old. Estrella Morente is a fully formed artist, technically and emotionally, who embodies the soulful spirit of cante jondo, or "deep song." In picking up this album for international sale, Real World proves that it's still on the cutting edge of bringing local talent to wider audiences. --Anastasia Tsioulcas

Product Description

1 COCKLES 2 AT THE TOP OF THE CERRO DE PALOMARES 3 MOGUER 4 THE NIGHT 5 BULERIAS OF THE BOLA 6 ALCAZABA 7 FOR PASTORA 8 PILGRIMS 9 WHY DO YOU DENY THE FRENZY ? 10 PEPICO'S TANGOS 11 SOLEA GRANA 12 GALLERY 13 LET SUNDAY COME 14 THE FLAMES REACH THE SKY

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A stellar performance, August 19, 2002

By 

Mr. Stuart Robert Harris "Vivir Con Arte" (Bradford-on-Avon, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Songs & A Poem (Audio CD)

It's a rare album that has no weak songs, no filler material, no below-par padding, no moments where you hit the skip button. "My song and a poem" is such a rarity. All of its 14 songs are beautifully crafted and each offers treasures of singing and playing that royally repay repeated, careful listening.

One of the great joys of the album is the warmth and intimacy of the recording, which catches every nuance of the intricate, driving guitar work and of Estrella's exquisite voice. For example on one of the tracks with guitar maestro Manolo Sanlucar, her husky murmur of appreciation "ole" comes in intimate response to his delicate introduction to the moving "Alcazaba". It's like sitting in on the session

Real flamenco is a tough sell to the masses - hence the prominence of "lite" variants such as Ottmar Liebert. And to be frank, Estrella Morente is too roots and too real to be really accessible to most AOR-spoiled ears. But anyone who owns (and plays) more than a couple of CDs on the Real World label will enjoy this one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost Perfect, May 24, 2003

By 

"dusty_pu" (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Songs & A Poem (Audio CD)

It really doesn't get much better than this. However, there are some small problems. For example, the lyrics are unfortunately all translated to English and though I have a poor understanding of Spanish, even I can tell that they are not fantastically accurate. Therefore, anyone wishing to learn more about the cante will have to do a lot of backwork to get the most they can from this record. (Also note that the cante on this record is partially non-traditional in form.) Since most of the recording was "live" there are some mixing problems. On many of the tracks Estrella's incredible voice distorts when she hits a forte dynamic. While this is unfortunate from an audiophile stance it somewhat lends to the raw, "authentic" feel of the record. Most of the time the sound production at a flamenco performance is lackluster so this seems to kinda fit within the genre's idiom. There was also a mild overabundance of tarantas that pleased the musician in me, but not the dancer. I simply wanted more groove. That and the track, Let Sunday Come, featured Estrella's voice douobled all throughout which, besides being a decidedly non-live effect, annoyed the hell out of me. That aside Estrellas salida on "Pilgrims" alone is worth the price of the album, and "Bulerias of the Bola" is an absolute must have for any flamenco afficionado. Buy this record now.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic Journey, June 29, 2007

By 

Blanca I. Gomez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Songs & A Poem (Audio CD)

Estrella provides us with the traditional flamenco music that has been upgraded to our tastes of today. I have used her music in many of my flamenco classes, I teach adult beginner flamenco, and all my students love it. She is an asset to the Flamenco community. As a dancer and teacher I appreciate her DUENDE FLAMENCA!