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JOSÉ MERCÉ, 2011 SCENIC ARTS AWARD RECIPIENT


For being a flamenco ambassador to the world, an artist and creative force forged by modesty and for his generous collaboration with other artists.  


For being the living and universal voice of flamenco, declared Immaterial Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, thus taking the baton from Camaron de la Isla and Enrique Morente.  
 

With these words, the jury of The Gabarron International Award of Scenic Arts 2011 recognizes José Mercé's career. Chaired by Angel Sanchez Harguindey, Deputy of El Pais' Management, and with Acting Secretary Ana Rodriguez Manso, Delegate for Europa Press Castilla y Leon, the jury includes: Javier Angulo Barturen, Director of International Film Week of Valladolid, Manuel Erice Oronoz, Deputy of ABC Expansion Territorial, Lorenzo Gomez, Director of SER in Castilla y Leon and Natalio Grueso, General Director of the Niemeyer Center.

Biography

José Soto Soto (José Mercé), was born in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz - Spain, in 1955. Singer/sonwriter born in 1955 in the flamenco neighbourhood of Santiago, Jerez de la Frontera. Great Grandson of Paco Luz and nephew of Manuel Soto “Sordera”, patriarch of flamenco; after singing as a child in the students choir of the Mercy Basilica (la Escolanía de la Basílica de La Merced) in his city (from where his artistic name comes), José Mercé took his first steps in The Jerez Flamenco Thursdays (los Jueves Flamencos de Jerez) and in the flamenco bar La Cueva del Pájaro Azul (The Blue Bird´s Cave) according to José Manuel Gamboa in his book Guía Libre del Flamenco (Free Guide to Flamenco).


He arrived at Madrid when he was 13 years old to record his first album produced by Manuel Ríos Ruiz, who would later write “the consolidation of José Mercé as a new figure in singing means, for Jerez de la Frontera, the continuity of the flamenco miracle”. In the city he sang in the flamenco club Torres Bermejas and later in the company of Antonio Gades, participating in the 1981 soundtrack of the film Bodas de sangre (Blood weddings) by Carlos Saura. Later he collaborated with the National Ballet, won Cordoba´s National Flamenco Art Contest in 1986 and worked again with Saura on the film Flamenco in 1995.

Since his debut with Cultura jonda 14 Bandera de Andalucía in 1968 José Mercé has released 17 albums. Years later, important works such as Verde Junco (1983) together with Tomatito and Enrique de Melchor, Caminos reales del cante (1987), Hondas raíces (1991) and Desnudando el alma (1994). In 1998 he began his jump to popularity, his definitive take off with the album Del amanecer produced by Vicente Amigo. After this success it increased with Aire (2000) reaching Double Platinum and Lio (2002) which Mercé himself describes as “an album made from the heart”. Later came Confi de fuá (2004), Lo que no se da (2006), a Greatest Hits (2007) and Ruido (2010) which was Number 1 in downloads on iTunes.


Artist Website: http://www.JoseMerce.es