For me, as a foreigner singer, the study of solea was always very difficult. Eventhough I understood the scales and the compas, at one point, it was always frustrating to understand how it really works with the compas, phrase by phrase, note by note. I had allot of teachers that each one of them, was explained me his/hers own theory. The result was always to get confused.
I am still studying this labyrinth palo and I still find new things on it, especialy when I am with one of my fellows guitarists. The truth is that I learned allot by studying the old styles, the basis and this is where I go again, back there, back to the roots, to recognise, to set me free and be able to give my own indetity.
Solea is considered as the main nerve in cante jonto.
In its musical structure it keeps a good part of the guiding elements (melodies, rhythms, harmonies) of the musical aesthetics of the flamenco genre, but for this reason the soleá is not the oldest style of flamenco, although no other “air” has had such capacity for add specific values and qualities of jondo art such as soleares.
It arises from the evolution of a musical genre of enormous implantation in the Andalusian XIX, a style that combines rhythm and compás , with sentimental melodic cadences and a literary support according to the popular expression: El Jaleo , a product of the wise alchemy that in Andalusia Baja they knew how to do with the jota, the fandango and the seguiridilla.
The soleá crystallized in the 1950s and did not stop its constant recreation for cante.
Of all the existing jaleos , there is one that suggests it could be one of the oldest soleares. We refer to the Gariana jaleo that a very young Paquirri el Guanté sang in Cádiz in 1847, accompanying himself on guitar.
It shares the compass of Amalgama that means 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10-1,2 and the typical Andalucian scales in singing.
On our classes (on line and in-person) we stand on the first musical genre that is believed to be the foundain of solea: The Garianas.
Garianas come from Cadiz back on 1847 where they name it “Jaleo de la Gariana”
Antonio Mairena , presented this style on 1970, recorded with the backround of bulerias por solea. As singing, it mind sound like the “Romances”, actually it is, because Antonio Mairena gave them this singing caracter, but the difference comes to the lyrics that are escaping the classic litterature of romances and adapts to the daily life of gypsies.
Interested? Check out our on-line classes and coaching sessions and register on our uppcoming beginners free workshop by sending us an email at info@yotabaron.gr (dates to be announced soon!)
based on information from flamencopolis.com among others.