Passion, rhythm and flamenco with Bartholo Claveria

When Bartholo Claveria performed for the first time in Romania (on 11th of  March), he shared with us the experience of passion, music and the impact Romania had on him:

What defines Bartholo Claveria the most: music, passion, interaction?

 Music! Or the passion for music. That’s where their interaction comes from.

I was born in a family of gypsies from Lerida (nearby Zaragoza) who were forced to flee to France because of Franco’s regime. Ever since I opened my eyes and my ears, I noticed that everyone around me was singing or dancing flamenco. Flamenco is more than a culture in my native region, it’s a way of life. If by the age of three, maximum five, you can’t clap your hands in the traditional flamenco rhythm (which is a very difficult one, having 12 beats), you are already considered ‘useless’ (laughing).

You’ve been traveling to many countries. Where did you leave your heart?

Actually, I made room in my heart for every single place I went to. Of course, firstly I let myself be absorbed by the fragrances, the colors, the rhythms… Then I took in everything that rhymed with my stirs (for the moment or older). And finally, I tried to function with that graft. And (it’s not that I am boasting, but) by now it went smoothly.

Every artist has a deep message in his work. What is your message?

The quest. Everyone keeps telling me that and I ended up believing that they are probably right: I am an introverted, preoccupied person (probably not very likable, but…) Deep in my heart (and, here, you made me openly admit it) I want to believe that we can all have an universal language.

Maybe sense perception (but I want to believe it is more than just that), through music, so we can communicate no matter the race, religion, gender, political view. Isn’t that a superpower? Once I dreamed that, in the Tower of Babel, this is actually the way people were understanding each other.

How do you find Romania?

Fascinating! Of course, I still need to assimilate the things I discover at every turn. This is the first time I have been in Romania and I have a lot to work every day I spend here, but I find myself being surprised by Romanian people’s talent.

I discovered really fabulous artists.

What would you change about Romania?

I don’t know… I might be mistaken, but Romanians should work more on their self respect.

 Is music a business or a way of life for Bartholo Claveria?

Obviously, a way of life. The only one.

How important is the image for a musician?

I am not the right person to say that (laughs). It as an aspect I have never cared about. That’s why I have never thought about whether it does any harm to me or not.

When I listen to flamenco music, I think about a very passionate woman. What do you think about that?

That the man has to be more than that in order to notice or desire a passionate woman. My grandfather used to tell me: ‘The woman dances on the man’s tune’. This is somehow a machismo to which I do not agree. But I want to believe a man can still stimulate the best in a woman nowadays and that a woman can do a lot more than she ever thought for a man she loves.

How does the woman nowadays compare to the yesterday’s one?

Well, the women are very emancipated lately. Is that good? Is it bad? Who knows? I believe that only sincerity (to oneself and to the others) is the proof that a battle is worth fighting.

In the present, people make music through machines and computers. Is it difficult to keep playing instruments in such a modern world?

Sometimes, it is (laughs). For example, when we are serenely asked why we do not have amplifiers for our guitars (a real sacrilege in the flamenco world) or when we can’t lip-sync. It is difficult because we can’t find the words to explain it to the ones who ask. This way, we ensure a public interested in our work. Even a very well informed one, as was the case at the concert at the Peasant’s club in Bucharest (with Miliano Hernandez and Rona Hartner), for which we have to thank Prom’Art Creative.