Simón Díaz
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Simón Díaz

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The best kept secret in music

Press


"Full of Light"

"Simón Díaz has direct contact with what is pure. His songs are full of light." - Caetano Veloso


"The London Times"

"Díaz can do no wrong." - John L. Waters


"The Guardian"

" He more than lived up to expectations, delivering a concise but elegant display... and effortlessly negotiating a playlist that contained not a single dull number." - Clive Davis


"Great Geniuses of Latin"

"Simón Díaz is one of the great geniuses of Latin American music." - Ivan Lins


"Simón Díaz in London"

Barbican, London

John L Walters
Tuesday February 11, 2003
The Guardian


Though this concert marks the British debut of Simon Diaz, the 75-year-old Venezuelan singer-songwriter, it feels more like a homecoming. The Barbican is a temporary province of Venezuela, with flags and a crowd that laps up every note and Spanish word with unmitigated pleasure. The face and voice of Diaz (who, in the 1960s, fronted a children's TV show as Tio Simon, or Uncle Simon), seem to occupy a slot deep in the troubled nation's heart.

The music is superficially simple and sunny: gentle rhythms, such as the tonada and the merengue, over which he sings with a storyteller's unhurried delivery. For two numbers, including Tonada de Luna Llena, he accompanies himself solely on the four-string cuatro. But for most of the set he is accompanied by Gurrufio, augmented by Luis Alberto Fajardo on harp.

Diaz can do no wrong, singing songs such as Luna de Margarita and Alcaravan, for which his compatriots anticipate every phrase. He frequently allows the audience to complete his verses, and on one occasion hands down the microphone so that a girl on the front row can sing a line. The melodic Mercedes features a funny walk and an extended anecdote; for El Becerrito he treats us to a surprisingly nimble little dance. And he closes, to everyone's delight, with his hit Caballo Viejo, the tale of a man who spurns the attentions of a younger woman - perhaps more poignant and funny now that his voice is genuinely that of an old gentleman.

- The Guardian


"Simón Díaz en España"

REPORTAJE

El Llanero de Caracas

Si el alma de Venezuela hiciera canciones, serían como las de Simón Díaz. El autor de temas como Caballo viejo, Sabana, Mi querencia y Tonada de luna llena actúa por vez primera en España, acompañado por algunos de los intérpretes que han internacionalizado su música.


DIEGO A. MANRIQUE

BABELIA - 03-07-2004



El compositor venezolano Simón Díaz.

Aseguran que es el venezolano más querido por sus compatriotas, que le consideran una figura paternal por encima de ideologías. Que conste que Simón Díaz (Barbacoas, 8 de octubre de 1928) también es admirado fuera de su tierra.

Urge recordar que los Gipsy Kings universalizaron su Caballo viejo bajo el título de Bamboleo, Caetano Veloso grabó su exquisita Tonada de luna llena, que precisamente canta en La flor de mi secreto, la película de Pedro Almodóvar. La coreógrafa Pina Bausch incluyó su cuatro y su falsete en Nur du. El reciente disco de homenaje, Gracias, Simón, movilizó a salseros -Cheo Feliciano, Gilberto Santa Rosa- junto a figuras brasileñas -Ivan Lins, Joyce- y Joan Manuel Serrat.

"Claro, Joan Manuel es un amigo. Cuando viene a Caracas, siempre me invita a cantar y luego se viene a mi casa y le preparo unas costillas de res, dice que son las mejores del mundo". Simón, el Tío Simón, puede vivir en Caracas pero ejerce de llanero, campesino noble y sabio, dentro y fuera del escenario. No es una forma de hablar: en algún teatro, ha sacado una vaca para ordeñarla ante los asombrados espectadores mientras cantaba: "muchas de mis tonadas se corresponden con labores de los llaneros.

Es la fuente eterna de mi inspiración. Por ejemplo, La pena del becerrero se refiere a mi primer amor. A los 12 años trabajaba de becerrero
[asistente del capataz] en una finca, me enamoré de la hija del amo. Decía el amo que yo era el mejor becerrero del país pero, cuando lo supo, me botó".

También Caballo viejo está basado en experiencias del corazón: "Tenía unos 50 años y hacía programas de televisión donde cantaba joropos, tonadas, guasas, valses. Nos fuimos a Carutal y pedí que nos trajeran a un grupo folclórico de la zona. Allí estaba Emilia, una muchacha hermosísima, de 19 años, y hubo, por mi parte, un enamoramiento inmediato, bonito. Al día siguiente se presentó con un jovencito y comenzamos a improvisar versos, a contrapuntear. Yo piropeaba a la muchacha y él me respondió llamándome 'caballo viejo', apto sólo para ser abandonado en la sabana. Esa misma noche, bajo una mata de mango, terminé de componerla. Quería que Caballo viejo rompiera el tópico del viejo verde, que reivindicara el afirmar los sentimientos a cualquier edad".

Cuentan que Simón no fue muy cauto con sus derechos de autor y que apenas ha visto una fracción de los millones devengados por Caballo viejo, ya con más de trescientas versiones. De todos modos, lleva una existencia confortable gracias a la publicidad: "He sido la imagen de Banco Unión durante treinta años, he anunciado queso, café, aceite, leche, maizena, camiones. Ya sé que eso suena raro en España pero resulta muy común en Venezuela. Aunque yo limito mis apariciones: no publicito ni licor ni tabaco ni loterías. Soy un poco como mi padre, un todero. Mi padre era maestro pero también músico, barbero, secretario del juzgado, vendedor de alpargatas, todo lo que fuera necesario para mantener a diez hijos".

En "infinidad de ocasiones", ha recibido ofertas de partidos políticos pero "yo no puedo apoyar una opción frente a otra, aspiro a representar a todos los venezolanos. Sólo me he manifestado, en estos tiempos convulsos, por el sistema democrático y de libertades". Según él, "Venezuela todavía tiene mucho de pueblo. El petróleo hizo que mucha gente fuera a las ciudades pero todavía queda la nostalgia por una vida más sencilla, por una Venezuela sin enfrentamientos fraticidas".





- El País


"London Review 2003"

by Phil Johnson

Warning. Urban sophisticats who think they've heard everything should cok an ear to this septuagenarian superstar's songs of life on the plains. (they've already entranced hipster Pedro Almodóvar, who's used them on soundtracks). Basically, Díaz sounds like nothing on earth except maybe Peruvian singer Susana Baca gone country and Western...
- The Independent on Sunday


"The Country's Best loved Traditional Singer"

You might not know the name Simón Díaz, but you certainly know his tune. "Bamboleo" was bursting ou tof tapas Bars non-stop in the late eighties and it made the Gipsy Kings into a household name. But back home in Venezuela, it is Simón Díaz that is the household name. He is the country's best loved traditional singer and also a songwriter, film actor and comedian.
DAVID SMYTH
- The Evening Standard-London


"Simón Díaz's UK Debut"

Now in his seventies, Díaz is the most revered upholder of the campesina traditions of the Venezuelan countryside. After more than 54 years in the business, and having just made his UK debut, he has decided its time us gringos learnt a little about him. He plays a mean cuatro, sings in a pure style and reminds us that life isn’t all congestion charges and overtime…

David Hutcheon
- MOJO - Oct 2003


Discography

Simón has released about 75 albums. His most influential works include, “Tonadas, vol. 1-5” and “Caballo Viejo”, which has been translated into twelve languages.

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Simón Díaz (1928- ). Celebrated singer and composer of Venezuelan music, whose work is regarded as one of the most important legacies for both Venezuelan and Latin American popular music. Simón Díaz is known foremost for his recovery of the songs of the Venezuelan plains. He was convinced that these were a unique music and he devoted himself to studying, composing and disseminating them. He succeeded in turning the songs of the Venezuelan plains into an authentic musical genre performed by such great artists as Argentina’s Mercedes Sosa, Brazil’s Caetano Veloso, Spain’s Joan Manuel Serrat, Puerto Rico’s Danny Rivera, and Venezuelans Franco De Vita, Soledad Bravo and José Luis Rodríguez, among others. Also, renowned conductors and composers of academic music have incorporated Simón Díaz’ songs in their orchestral and choral arrangements, thus signaling the universal nature of this musical genre.

Musicians are not the only ones who have felt attracted to Simón Díaz’ songs. Artists from various disciplines have been inspired by his work. For example, German choreographer Pina Bausch included some of Díaz’ songs in her work “Nur Du.” In addition, recognized film director Pedro Almodóvar included in his film soundtrack “La Flor de mi Secreto” Díaz’ song “Tonada de Luna Llena,” performed by Caetano Veloso.

Simón Díaz’ passion for songs and drama led him to theater, motion pictures and TV. In the 1960’s he became one of the biggest comedians in Venezuela and a symbol of the most genuine expressions of folklore and popular culture. He has had the leading role in 3 plays and 5 films; has produced and hosted 12 different high-ranking TV shows, all of them devised to promote Venezuelan music. One of these shows was devoted to teaching popular culture to children. This show was on the air for 10 years, and from this experience, Díaz became known as “Uncle Simón.” For 25 years, he had a daily radio show focussed on folklore and Venezuelan music. He has recorded over 70 records and CD’s and has made innumerable performances throughout his career. In 1998, he celebrated “50 Years of Artistic Life.”Simón Díaz has been granted the most important music awards. He was given the highest recognition conferred by the Venezuelan state –“Liberator’s Order; Great Cord,” becoming the only Venezuelan artist with such a distinction. He was given the honorary doctorate degree by two major Venezuelan universities –Simón Rodríguez University and Zulia’s Rafael Belloso Chacín University.

He has represented his country in France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Iraq, the United States, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Colombia.
Simón Díaz is known worldwide as the author of “Caballo Viejo” (also named “Bamboleo” –swinging.) His compositions have been performed by Plácido Domingo, Ray Conniff, Julio Iglesias, Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Gilberto Santarrosa, Gipsy Kings, Ivan Lins, Joyce, Cheo Feliciano, Juan Gabriel, Maria Dolores Pradera, Martirio, Tania Libertad, Ry Cooder.

Besides being an icon in Venezuela, Díaz is also one of the most popular and universal artists in Latin America. In thinking about the history of popular music in Venezuela and in Latin America, Díaz is both unique and an essential reference The prestigous latinamerican TV Channel A&E MUNDO has produced a documentary dedicated to Simón Díaz under its acclaimed “Biography” program which began to air on september 2004