Goodbye to guitarist with the Jerez touch
Flamenco artist Moraíto Chico, accompanist of José Mercé, has died
Flamenco guitarist Manuel Moreno Junquera, better known as Moraíto Chico, died in hospital in Jerez on Wednesday following an illness. Born in 1956 in Jerez's Santiago neighborhood, one of the areas of the city best known for flamenco, Moraíto provided accompaniment for singer José Mercé for many years and was one of the leading exponents of the Jerez style, characterized by its peculiar sense of rhythm.
Nephew of flamenco artist Manuel Morao, Moraíto leaves behind a guitarist heir in the form of his son Diego del Morao, who recently released his first solo album with the help of singer Diego el Cigala, and stood in to accompany Mercé in recent concerts when his father was too ill to play. Moraíto's body was held at Jerez Crematorium overnight and is due to be buried on Thursday.
"He was a likeable man who won the admiration and affection of everyone, as an artist and as a person, since he had a heart of gold," guitarist Paco Cepero told Europa Press.
