They said...
“Just do one thing or the other, don’t try to be two people at once…”
– Arthur Morgan
“Guillén is simply amazing, and that’s why he’s a legend in the making”.
– Jain Lemos
“Rocío Márquez’ high class voice deserves a sublime and modern guitar accompaniment. Guillermo Guillén offers it. His “toque” is in perfect pitch with the “cantes”. The purity of his sound, his technique, the innovative “falsetas”, and the communication and complementarity with the voice gives us a feeling of perfection, as if we were in a virtual reality, or best said: in a dream.”
– Rafael Suárez López, jondoweb.com
“We can only admire the musicality and the correctness of tone of Guillermo Guillén’s playing. In the cantes libres (Granaína y Media; Tarantas accompanied “por Minera”), as in the Peteneras (original version of the cantaora, with a beautiful coda in duet: voice and tremolo) and the Soleá, it obtains by the perfect calibration of its falsetas and the precision of its accompaniment (not only for the harmony, but especially for the duration and the phrasing of its responses) of the effects of “fade – chain” which give to the suites of cantes a remarkable unity. The performance is particularly appreciable in free cantes, for which the absence of regular pulsation makes exercise particularly difficult. How many patient repetitions to achieve such a fluid and seemingly natural result? “
– Claude Worms, flamencoweb.com
“As a professional, Guillermo Guillén is very aware that the guitar is the common thread through which the entire show must flow. His interesting guitar preserves the traditional touches as a sign of what it is interpreting and adds its own with frequent flashes of inspiration, which enrich but do not interfere or distort the stick in question at all. ”
– Eulalia Pablo, El Eco De La Memoria
“The singular, attentive, respectful and free presence of Guillermo Guillén:
he began the two recitals with a solo “por Granaína”. Some are really born “star”. His playing reveals a discreet and yet assertive personality, as well as an inventive and eclectic musicality.
The varied and fluid falsetas of Guillermo Guillén ventured on unusual paths, which sometimes confused us. Finally he returned to accompaniment in pure tradition when resumed singing. It is perhaps in these Cantiñas that the musical personality of the guitarist was most completely revealed, curious, open and respectful at the same time: a particularly interesting presence, and very different from what we are used to hearing. ”
– Manuela Papino, Festival Flamenco Toulouse
“Guillermo Guillén reveals himself in Cinco as a brillant melodist, composer of powerful and catchy riffs. Mixing elements in a way that makes us remember the best of today’s soloist flamenco guitar, Jorge Pardo or El Bicho, Plan F’s proposition is newfangled and stimulating. “
– Juan Vergillos, El Diario De Sevilla
“We discovered Guillermo Guillén about ten years ago (…). We immediately recognized in him a fine and sensitive musician, attentive to his partner, which is confirmed by signing or co-signing all the compositions on the album “Cinco” by Plan F. “
– Claude Worms, flamencoweb.com
“Guillermo Guillén is the only guitarist who can boast of having accompanied four first prizes and a “Lámpara Minera” with Rocío Marquez in the same edition of the Festival del Cante de Las Minas de La Unión. His relationship with Rocío is such that he will adapt his register only to support her. He transmits great tranquility and is very attentive to the cante and he likes to innovate with his own creations. Determined, intelligent and never doubts, a sure bet.”
Manuel Sualis, revistalaflamenca.com
“Guillermo Guillén was constantly in tune, and showed us with talent that the art of accompaniment should not be mixed up with that of the solo. His sober falsetas, often conceived in a traditional musical language, have the density and conciseness necessary for the dynamic development of series of cantes. His sound is very delicate (Soleá, Malagueña, Minera …), but can be powerful if the cante requires it (Siguiriya, Tangos …). Above all, he knows (and respects) the cantaora perfectly, anticipates with intuition her smallest intentions, and always leaves her the exact musical space, essential for melodic conduct. The guitarist exquisitely reminded us that silence is also a significant musical gesture.”
– Claude Worms, flamencoweb.com
