Pepe Marchena

José Tejada Marín (November 7, 1903 – December 4, 1976), known as Pepe Marchena and also as Niño de Marchena in the first years of his career, was a Spanish flamenco singer who achieved great success in the ópera flamenca period (1922–1956). Influenced by singers like Antonio Chacón, he carried to the extreme the tendency to a more mellow and ornamented style of flamenco singing. Owing to his particular vocal conditions and singing style, he excelled mainly in palos (styles) like fandangos, cantes de ida y vuelta and cantes libres, contributing to making them the most popular flamenco styles in the era of the ópera flamenca, and created a new cante de ida y vuelta, the colombiana, later recorded by many other artists like El Lebrijano or Enrique Morente. He was also the first flamenco singer to use an orchestra to accompany flamenco singing, though later he returned to the guitar.

Marchena also revolutionized the public image of the flamenco singer: he was the first to sing standing on the stage (instead of sitting on a chair as had always been usual in flamenco), and often wore unusual outfits, such as riding clothes. Both his singing style and public attitudes were widely imitated at the time, to the extent that the period has often been identified as the era of marchenismo. He was the first real popular star of flamenco singing. Until he appeared in the flamenco scene, flamenco was restricted to small venues and theatres, whereas he could attract the masses to fill large theatres and even bullrings.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 7, 1903 (Marchena), Died December 4, 1976 (Seville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1932

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone 0J781 10-in. 1932 Sol y sombra Niño de Marchena ; Fernando. Vilches Male vocal solo, with saxophone, guitar, and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Gramophone 0J805 10-in. 10/31/1932 La rosa Niño de Marchena ; Ramón Montoya Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist  
Gramophone BJ2114 10-in. Apr-29 Fandangos del desafio Niño de Marchena ; Antonio Quintero Male vocal duet, with guitar vocalist  
Gramophone BJ2115 10-in. Apr-29 Fandangos del desafio Niño de Marchena ; Antonio Quintero Male vocal duet, with guitar vocalist  
Gramophone BJ2117 10-in. Apr-29 Malagueña de Marchena Niño de Marchena Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist  
Gramophone BJ3193 10-in. 3/10/1930 Treinta monedas te damos Niño de Marchena Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Gramophone BJ3194 10-in. 3/10/1930 Madre del cielo y señora Niño de Marchena Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Marchena, Pepe," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/311403.

Marchena, Pepe. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/311403.

"Marchena, Pepe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/311403

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