Last Friday, the Callejones de Cardoso in Cádiz were filled with nostalgia and music to remember one of the most emblematic voices of the Cádiz Carnival. A tribute event, organized by a local enthusiast, culminated in the installation of a plaque at the house where the celebrated contralto was born, who left an indelible mark on the festival's coplas.
During the event, numerous coplas that the honoree sang in his lifetime were performed, many of them by authors such as Antonio Martín or Joaquín Quiñones. Friends and colleagues from different eras came together to remember his mastery and interpretive power that elevated him to the Olympus of Cádiz comparsistas, keeping his memory alive in every pasodoble.
“"I have had many good comparsistas at the service of my coplas, and he will always be in the memory of Cádiz. I owe him part of my Carnival life."
The comparsista's family, led by his widow, unveiled the plaque featuring words in his memory and a photograph with the costume from the comparsa Ley de vida, with which he bid farewell to the Carnival in 2017. The event was attended by prominent Carnival figures, who shared anecdotes and performances in his honor.
Among the performances, a former colleague recalled a pasodoble dedicated to the comparsista after his passing in 2022, highlighting that “he achieved something no one else has: making the music and lyrics of authors even greater.” The evening concluded with the performance of classics such as the presentation of La caldera and the pasodoble En mis entrañitas from Los vikingos, leaving a feeling of nostalgia for an unrepeatable carnival performer.
Furthermore, it was announced that the next honoree will be another recognized carnival performer, whose plaque will be placed on May 23 on Cruz Street, at his birthplace. This comparsista was part of historical groups alongside Paco Alba, such as Los fígaros and Los hombres del mar.
