Cantaor José Mercé and guitarist Tomatito are taking over Cabildo’s Auditorio de Tenerife on Saturday, the 15th at 9:00 pm. Their show De verdad is on at Sala Sinfónica where they are presenting a new joint record in which they champion flamenco as music and culture.

José Mercé and Tomatito two old friends whose paths have often crossed and have again had the same idea: making a record together and going on tour to take their music to major stages in the world.

Tomatito, guitarist and producer of the record explains that “in De verdad we play all the palos flamenco is fortunate to have: tangos, alegrías, seguiriyas, soleás, bulerías, granaínas…”. The musician says that “I’ve never strayed away from flamenco, although I do other things, it always sounds like flamenco and we always defend it”. “I’ll be a flamenco man till the day I die”, he stated.

José Mercé shares the same idea as he reflects on other features of his career: “We were both born flamenco, to very flamenco families and if I sometimes sing pop it’s because I’m making a different story at that time”. “Singing a song like Al alba as a cantaor, or my duet record is something else altogether but it’s not flamenco because flamenco is what we’ve recorded in “De verdad”, he points out.

Tickets are available at Auditorio de Tenerife box office from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm, Monday to Saturday except holidays; on the website www.auditoriodetenerife.com  or calling 902 317 327.

The roots of purest flamenco are revealed in this record. The collection of songs composed by Kiki Cortiñas permits both maestros to show off their talent. “That’s something we’ve got to do, we’re not newcomers and we know how to give our best in the studio”, Tomatito says.

Mercé and Tomatito, have individually done pop, jazz or modern classics. They have both reached the top in every style, but they felt the artistic need to return to their musical origins.

Tomatito admits that “I’m privileged to have been born in this period, having lived with the classics and with those who have made me evolve”. “I’m proud and happy at having experimented with jazz, with modern, with the heirs of Django Reinhardt and Gershwin, with Michel Camilo… But being nominated for a Grammy with Camilo, was for best jazz, fusion or instrumental record, not for flamenco”.