Guajira
One of the styles denominated 'ida y vuelta' that made the round trip to the Caribbean and back, blending Cuban folk music with flamenco. It takes its name and musical texture from the farm laborers' songs on the Caribbean isle. These songs were fruit of the migratory flows to the then Spanish colony in the 19th Century, and indeed many of the rural workers had Andalusian roots. In fact, it shares its rhythmical and melodic qualities with the Cuban punto. The rhythmical structure is that of a soleá, but with the accentuated notes distributed differently, an amalgam of 6/8 and 3/4 time signatures similar to the petenera.
They became a popular part of flamenco in the twenties and thirties, with Manuel Escacena's formula, although there are indications that Silverio Franconetti, Juan Breva and El Mochuelo sang them earlier.
And they reached their moment of glory, like other light-hearted 'acancionado' styles, in the golden age of flamenco operetta. Pepe Marchena was one of the cantaores who gave greatest melodic breadth to this palo that spanned an ocean.
As Merche Esmeralda demonstrates with skill in the Carlos Saura film "Flamenco", guajiras are also highly danceable. In a more experimental vein was Israel Galván's choreography and dance to guajiras in his show "Galvánicas" (2002), with a composition by guitarist Gerardo Núñez.
As for vocalists, this is one of the staple forms used by Chano Lobato, who conserves its classical form.
Published in www.flamenco-world.com
