Page 4 - Happy 85th Birthday, Maestro José! by Mónica Esparza |
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The 1768 Francisco Sanguino vihuela in Jose’s private collection. |
A simple vihuela made by Jose, based on the Sanguino. |
With Stefano Grondona. |
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Josep Melo examines “Rosa,” the guitar Jose made for his sister |
Mónica Esparza, José Romanillos, and Marian Winspear Harris outside José and Marian’s home in Guijosa, Spain, in November 2015. |
Label of “La Medio Siglo” (The Half Century), a guitar that José made in 2012 to mark José and Marian’s fiftieth wedding anniversary. |
Jose (far left) and family. |
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Marian and Jose, Falkland Road, London. |
Dedication to Jose from Julian Bream, 1970 |
Julian Bream, José, and Liam at Broad Oak. |
Crafts Council tour, 1979. |
José in 2004. Photo by Paula Montívez. |
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Jose Romanillos at the 1995 GAL Convention, with Eric Meyer. |
With R.E. Brune. |
With Kenny Hill and Marian Winspear Harris. |
With (from left) Gabor Schoffer, Anna Laura Robertson, Carme, and Josep Melo. |
With Jeff Elliott. |
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With Tom Blackshear. |
With Paul Gudelsky, examining a guitar by Jimmy D’Aquisto. |
With Robert Ruck. |
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Lecturing at the 1995 GAL Convention. |
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Top bracing workshop at the 1995 GAL Convention. |
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With Brent Benfield. |
With Noah Peacock. |
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(From AL#120)
This guitar belongs to Mónica Esparza, who explains that José gave Josep Melo this set of cypress and on one of the sides wrote a poem (somewhat difficult to read due to the rough-sawn surface) dedicated to the Melos and their black dog (formerly “Negreros,” currently answers to “Fosc”), a very special beast which José and Marian Romanillos also gave to Josep and Carme. When Josep used the cypress, he copied José’s poem onto the smooth interior of the finished side. Mónica’s translation is:
I am a luthier
Small and determined
like a warrior
I say hello
and hurrying along
I remember you
with a smile
of an improvising dreamer.
For the Melos
and “Negreros”
J.L. Romanillos
Guijosa 2009 |