
Café Cantante
The Flamenco Poets Society has celebrated their Café Cantante Series for the last 15 years. This annual event is in memory of our beloved poet, dramatist & muse, Federico Garcia Lorca.
About the Series
The Café Cantante is reminiscent of Lorca’s café cantantes in the 1930’s,
creating diverse events blending poetry, music and dance.
Past Events
Alfonsina y el Mar
The Flamenco Poets Society presented music and poetry in celebration of Alfonsina Storni, icon of Argentinian Feminist Poetry.
Songs were written by Ariel Ramirez & Felix Luna, Violeta Parra, Chilean poet, Astor Piazzolla interpreted by Danielle Reich, Jazz singer, Thomas Helton, Bass & Stephan Badreau, Jazz guitar. Lorena Fernandez did a bilingual reading of the poems. “Retrato de Garcia Lorca” (poem written by Alfonsina in honor of Federico Garcia Lorca while he was visiting Buenos Aires). Thomas Helton did an original music composition interpreting a response to Retrato de Garcia Lorca – Portrait.
We want to thank all the artists for their collaboration and creativity in making this program possible.
Rodrigo and Lorca
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Joaquin Rodrigo’s death, the society produced a special program with music and poetry at the Match – Midtown Arts Center.
Ms.Hsin-Jung Tsai, artist in residence, performed Joaquin’s famous composition “Aranjuez, Ma Pensé” – Tema del Adagio for solo piano. Mr. Shawn Renzoh Head, Shakuhachi (Japanese flute) performed his own arrangement of Aranjuez, Mon Amour with piano accompaniment by Ms. Tsai and Three Short Songs for Solo Shakuhachi (2019) by Hsin-Jung Tsai. Alex Kalamarides read the poetry of Federico Garcia Lorca.
The Flamenco Poets Society is indebted and grateful to the Joaquin Rodrigo Foundation and Ms. Cecilia Rodrigo for their support.
The Tree of Life: Storytelling, Flamenco guitar and Cante
Reyes Ramirez presented an original story based on his own experiences “Another Life, Another Time” co-sponsored by Poets & Writers. Randy Cordero, Flamenco guitar & Paco Garrigues, cante, interpreting traditional flamenco rhythms: Tangos, Siguiriyas, Tarantas, Solea & Bulerias.
José Luis de la Paz Flamenco Ensemble
Houston premier at the MATCH – Midtown Arts Center featuring José Luis de la Paz, guitar; Adolfo Herrera, percussion; Kenneth Jimenez, bassist; Niurca Márquez, baile. Co-sponsored with Lucia & Valdemar Flamenco and Guitar Houston.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz – Love Poems
Manuel de Falla & Federico Garcia Lorca – Music & Poetry
Featuring Brinton Averil Smith, cello & Evelyn Chen, piano with Siete Canciones Españolas, Danza Española from La Vida Breve & Danza Ritual del Fuego de “El Amor Brujo” Ben Lind, Poetry Reading. The program commemorated Lorca & Falla’s historic collaboration during the Festival of Cante Jondo in Granada 1922.
Pablo Neruda: Love Poems for Matilde Urrutia
Lorca – Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias
The Society celebrated our muse, Federico Garcia Lorca with Ritmos Flamencos (Flamenco Rhythms) with Randy Cordero, flamenco guitar, and Ben Lind, poetry reading at the Brazilian Arts Foundation.
Lorca – Poema del Cante Jondo - Poetry, Music, & Dance
This special collaboration was based on “Poem of the Deep Song” included artists: Randy Cordero and Luisma Ramos, flamenco guitarists; Paco Garrigues, cante; Alexandra Simmons & Laura Garrigues (dancers); Ben Lind poetry reading.