|
Calixto Sánchez was born in 1947, in Mairena del Alcor (Spain), a village renowned for its singers. As a child, Sánchez sang in his father's bar, his passion growing as he listened to the singers in his village. At the age of 18, he began to sing in public, and won the “Cantes de levante„ prize at the Mairena del Alcor annual contest. From then on, he took part in various contests and was rewarded with a number of prizes.
In 1972, he won the first prize - awarded by Andrés Segovia - at the contest organised on the occasion of the 50th Granada Festival. The same year, he was voted “Sevillian of the Year„ by the radio station Ser.
In 1974, he recorded his first album, “Estilos Flamencos„. In the early Eighties, accompanied by guitarist Pedro Bacán and Juan Habichuela, he won the prestigious prize of the Sevilla Flamenco Biennial. His participation in this contest also lead to the recording of a new album.
Besides his activity as a “cantaor„, Sánchez teaches singing, amongst others at the Sevilla Magísterio school, and since 1985, he is the co-director of the Flamencas Studies Seminary.
His most notable albums are “De los Alcores a Granada„, an adaptation of texts by Rafael Albereti, with Pedro Bacán (1984); “Calle Ancha„, with the Machado brothers (1987); “De la lírica al cante„ (1997), with Manolo Franco; “Camino de la vida„ and “Retrato Flamenco„, an album dedicated to Antonio Machado (2001).
He is the co-author of “Aproximación a una didáctica del flamenco„, published by the Junta de Andalucía. “De la tradición oral y el flamenco,„ his latest show, strives to explain how flamenco originates from such distinctive expression forms such as the “pregones„, the “cantes camperos„ or the “pliegos de cordel„ sung by blind people.
Calixto Sánchez is a major figure in most flamenco festivals. A traditionalist and a creator, he possesses an ample and powerful voice that enables him to master a wide range of styles, and has already made him a part of flamenco's history.
|
