A Star… shining brighter than ever |
| By Anna Reisman - November 10, 2002 |
It had been a few years since the Camino Real had set up an outdoor stage to feature its brightest star. Last Thursday evening, Paco Renteria and his group "Viento & Arena" (Wind & Sand) performed outdoors again, outdoors for the second time in five or six years, before a standing room only crowd. In fact, with only fifteen minutes to go before the time scheduled for the show to begin, Camino staff were frantically trying to find more chairs for the throngs of people who kept arriving. By the time the music began, people were sitting on the walls of the lobby overlooking the pool patio and leaning against the palm trees that dot the property… They were not disappointed.Although today León-born Paco Renteria is considered one of the foremost guitarists in the world, he has always been partial to Puerto Vallarta. He has come here to perform at least twice a year for the last five years or so and Vallartans always welcome him with love and enthusiasm. They know they will always see a performance that no one wants to see end.
Last Thursday, the members of the group came onstage, with one more member than usual. This tall, slim individual eclectically dressed in a long black sarape, was carrying two instruments that many had never or heard before. The musicians began playing and Rafael Bejarano introduced novitiates to the mystical sounds of the famous Australian Aborigine instrument, the didgeridoo. The man's talent on this instrument -very difficult to play- is indisputable. An unexpected gift for Vallarta.
Combined with the incredible virtuoso violin of Emanuel Macias, the chimes, bells and bongo drums of Monico Avila, and the guitars, the audience was treated to an introduction like Puerto Vallarta has never heard before. Paco came on stage halfway through the number and when it ended, the audience went wild. The unique ethereal sounds of the didgeridoo, that instrument thought to be tens of thousands of years old, kept everyone mesmerized.
On this occasion young prodigy Emanuel Macias, who never fails to amaze the audience with his masterful control of the violin, showed marked growth on the synthesizer as well.
The show lasted over an hour and a half. The familiar, delightful back and forth banter between Paco and his faithful followers was only marred by the fact that many in the audience did not understand Spanish, but everyone understood the music, fabulous as always.
To quote Paco himself, "Your sound is your soul. I am not a Flamenco guitarist, classical or jazz, nor am I interested in being one. I enjoy creating music that blends the influence of rhythms from around the world. Music without nationality, without ties, without rules, music without prejudices, the music of freedom. The true artist is the one who manages to create a new language, a language the entire world can speak. I think of art, I think of music like a process, like an endless road whose sole purpose is to attain your own passion."
Paco Renteria awakens and ignites that passion within all who hear him. Regardless of how many times one attends his concerts, the reaction is the same: unbridled passion. And last Thursday evening was no exception. The young man who just celebrated his 30th birthday is, as I stated on numerous previous occasions, a diamond in the rough that is getting more and more brilliant with each year that passes.
On the occasion of this month's "Cultural Thursday" at the Camino Real - a free event that Gran Turismo hotel has been organizing for over 26 years without interruption - Paco presented his latest CD entitled "Gitanerias", a precursor to his upcoming tour called "Passion, Grace and Fire". Unlike his previous recordings, this CD contains less, but longer, numbers, of which half are new and the other half are old favorites that have been reworked, modified, improved and lengthened. It sold like hotcakes when the show was over.
The following night, I just had to go hear the group again, especially Rafael Bejarano - if I am to be really honest. The multi-talented musicians gave a repeat performance in front of City Hall. Due to inadequate promotion, the huge square was not as full as the night at the Camino Real, and furthermore, the authorities did not see fit to set up more than a few rows of chairs… But, there they were, with that incredible music and the sound system was so good that you could hear the music from two blocks away! (Definitely better than the sound of buses…) So it didn't take long for the place to fill up. And many of the folks I had seen at the Camino Real were there too. I guess I wasn't the only one enthralled with "Viento & Arena".
Those of you who enjoy great guitar and who missed both performances are urged to pick up a copy of the group's CD's. Let them speak to your soul and ignite your passion.
