Moraíto Chico
Who is Moraíto Chico?
Manuel Moreno Junquera, known as Moraíto Chico, was born in 1955 in the Santiago neighborhood of Jerez de la Frontera, the heart of one of flamenco’s great guitar dynasties: his father was Juan Moreno, known as Juan Morao “el Chico,” and his uncle Manuel Morao, a leading tocaor, both heirs to the lineage of Morao el Viejo. His own son, Moraíto Hijo, would later continue that family tradition as a musician.
Career
He made his debut at eleven at the annual festival his uncle organized at the Jerez bullring, whose attending fans included Juan Villar and José Mercé; the following year he won a guitar donated by Manolo Sanlúcar, a gesture that foreshadowed the weight he would come to carry in the Jerez style of playing. His professional debut came accompanying La Paquera de Jerez, standing in for the guitarist Parrilla, and over time he became established as José Mercé’s regular guitarist, though — as aficionados used to say — it was easier to list the singers he had not accompanied than those he had.
Style and discography
His playing, with a highly recognizable sound rooted in the Jerez tradition, was described as carrying a duende “stubborn, seasoned in a thousand battles.” He recorded several collaborations and a single solo album, recognized by the Nueva Academia del Disco in Paris, and championed Jerez artists such as Fernando de la Morena, El Capullo, El Torta and La Macanita.
Legacy
He died on August 10, 2011 from lung cancer. In 2010, shortly before his death, he had been honored at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música Joaquín Villatoro in Jerez, and his city went on to request the Gold Medal for him posthumously.