José Mercé
Encyclopedia
José Mercé is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) is a flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
cantaor (singer).
He is the great-grandson of nineteenth-century seguiriya maestro Francisco Valencia, who received the nickname Paco la Luz.
He is also nephew of Manuel Soto, Sordera, the patriarch of Jerez flamenco. Mercé's nickname comes from his participation in the choir of the Basilica de la Merced when he was a boy.
The youthful Mercé became one of the most sought-after singers for accompanying dance, and he has worked with the Trío Madrid, formed by Mario Maya, El Güito and Carmen Mora. From 1973 to 1983 he joined the company of Antonio Gades, with which he travelled half-way around half the world and took part in the film Bodas de Sangre, by Carlos Saura.
In 1986 he won the Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
National Competition.
He has also worked with guitarists Enrique De Melchor, Tomatito
Tomatito
José Fernández Torres, known as Tomatito , is a Spanish Romani flamenco guitarist. He grew up in a musical family, including two uncles: Niño Miguel, a flamenco guitarist, and Antonio, a professional guitarist....
, Vicente Amigo
Vicente Amigo
Vicente Amigo Girol is a Spanish flamenco composer and virtuoso guitarist, born in Guadalcanal, near Seville. He has played as backing guitarist on recordings by flamenco singers El Pele, Camarón de la Isla, Vicente Soto, Luis de Córdoba and the rociero band Salmarina, and he has acted as a...
and Moraito.