Antonio “El Turry” Goméz is a young Spanish flamenco singer. He comes from a family of tradition, but like others in his generation is exploring where flamenco can go. El Turry occasionally leans into an orchestral form of flamenco.
Antonio “El Turry” Gómez in New York City
Antonio “El Turry” Gómez, featuring guitarist Paco Jarana, presents “La búsqueda del duende” (the search for the flamenco spirit), for Robert Browning Associates; at Roulette Intermedium in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn; on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 8pm. From $30 at the door, or $32.50 in advance. robertbrowningassociates.com 🇪🇸
“Duende” is the flamenco term for a transcendental state of relaxed concentration that enables flamenco dancers to perform beyond their normal level. It’s connecting with God, however you define that. Argentine tango dancers call it connection. In the Caribbean, we call it “mounting the horse.” Europeans call it trance. Silicon Valley calls it flow. When you achieve a flow state, you can do things beyond your normal capabilities, sometimes things you don’t even know how to do, and they just come naturally.
The “duende” state of spiritual connection translates literally as “magic” or “elf.” Being possessed by an elf is a funny image, but it is a fair description because if you are not used to it, it’s very surprising when it happens. When you connect with the duende, the elf figuratively rings the bell of your divine super self. When flamenco artists open the duende on stage, it causes the audience to open up and feel it too. It feels good. The magic of flamenco duende is spiritual. “El Turry” says so himself when speaking about his recordings of “Misa Flamenco” (flamenco mass). “Olé.”
New York City Venues
“El Turry” Antonio Gómez
The son of Ricardo de la Juana and Rosa la Canastera developed his craft in Granada, Spain. That’s important because in the Latin world, talent runs in families, and Granada is one of the cradles of flamenco.
In fact, one of El Turry’s recent songs is “Gitana de Sacromonte.” Sacromonte is the famed Granada hillside neighborhood with caves where Romani, the inventors of flamenco, once lived, sang, and danced. Actually they still do. Their cave homes are about as close to Hobbit houses (Lord of the Rings) as you can get in real life.
El Turry has recently recorded a flamenco mass. He makes the point that both flamenco and religion are about connecting with, and activating the divine of which we are all part of.
Albums
- “Borracho de arte” (Drunk on Art, 2021) features Jesús de Rosario.
- “Sentir que sueño” (Feel the Dream, 2019) was El Turry’s debut album.
Information
Instagram @antonioelturryflamenco
Facebook @antonioelturryflamenco
YouTube @antonioelturryoficial