Chan-tatachán

In silent anticipation, tension builds, the drumroll sounds, Chan-tatachán!

I would like to thank Juan Tamariz and Luis Piedrahita for making  Chan-tatachán available.

Seated here with my Spanish friend Carmen and pictured with our waitress making a flambé dessert in one of the fabulous Spanish restaurants

When I arrived at the Spanish TV Studio just outside Madrid, I asked the meaning of the title of the show Chan-tatachán; I was intrigued. I was told it is an informal Spanish word used to emulate the sound of an exciting moment on stage, like a drumroll. It's used to build anticipation or to accentuate a moment of surprise. It captures the essence of thrill and suspense an audience feels before a big reveal in a performance. We've all heard the colloquial, “The moment we've all been waiting for," shouts the ringmaster before a trapeze artist flies into the sky. You hold your breath, wishing them not to fall, and are relieved when they successfully join the hands of their partner. I was watching the circus show at Circus Circus in Las Vegas when a trapeze artist fell. My anticipation for a good outcome vanished into shock as my eyes followed the trajectory of the performer to the safety net about 25 feet below. It wasn't so much of a fall as a controlled landing. Using expert gymnastic skills, the kinetic performer bounced to his feet and backed up the ladder. He joined his troupe on the platform for another round of gravity-defying graceful somersaults through the air. This is the essence of chantatachán. Drum roll, please!

Chan-tatachán was a Spanish television program produced for Telemadrid in 1992-93 and aired in Spain. It was hosted by world-renowned Spanish magician and friend Juan Tamariz and co-hosts Pedro Reyes and Alaska (María Olvido Gara). The show, which starred Tamariz performing his whimsical magic tricks and illusions, incorporated humor and engaged the audience. Spotlighted on the program were the extraordinary manipulation skills of Juan and his charming, charismatic personality as an overall entertainer, and he ended each of his routines with a chantatachán moment when he'd play his fanciful violin. Featured were guests from magic, comedy, and variety with musical performances. This cornucopia of excellent performers made it a beloved show among viewers in Spain. Juan Tamariz's influence on the world of magic is significant, and "Chan-tatachán" was an essential part of his career and the essence of his spirit. Around Juan, life is always a drum-roll. I was honored to be included along with the many other special guests for six segments of this prominent TV show. The excellent news is Juan and Luis Piedrahita made the entire two-season series available to the public in high quality on the Magicana website, thanks to the Slaight Family Foundation. To watch all the performers click here

Juan Tamariz and his violin

Spain has always been one of my favorite countries. The first time I visited, I drove. After staying a week or so in the South of France during one summer tour of Europe in the early 80s, we left for Madrid, traveling the Mediterranean coastline through lavender fields and charming villages with historical significance where remnants of ancient civilizations, such as Roman ruins and Moorish fortresses, are part of the everyday landscape, and where the juxtaposition of the past and present exist together in a harmonic concert. In Zaragoza, we stopped to eat next to the famous Roman Walls, and sitting in this present-day café next to ancient ruins was a profound experience that blurred the boundaries of time. All you could think about was the continuity of history and the passage of eras. Remember, I'm a kid from California, where the most ancient buildings are the Spanish missions sprinkling the coast and established between 1769 and 1833. In Spain, I felt like I was going back in time, and I could hear the euphony of the ancient generations past mixed with the sounds of the current winds, and it was a beautiful concert.

No doubt I love Spain, and I could write a book on my experiences during my travels to this enchanted land. But today, though, my focus is on my time spent a few weeks outside Madrid, spending all our days on a TV sound stage. We stayed in a cute little motel near the studio because Madrid was at least an hour’s drive away, so for convenience's sake, we stayed close to our work. Our manager at the time accompanied us and arranged the 5-star Villa Magna Hotel in Madrid, an exquisite palace-like hotel we’d stayed at on previous visits. I think our manager mainly was looking after his interests. That happens a lot in show business. Many entertainment managers have a love-hate relationship with their clients because they want to be entertainers. So when they travel with you, some like to act like they are stars.

The Villa Magna would have worked out for him because he didn’t have to get up at 5 a.m. and start filming all day until late evening. He could stay in Madrid while we worked, enjoying his stay abroad, but not for us. We had to work, and this wasn't a vacation, and the extra driving would’ve added two hours to our day. So we were in this quaint little Spanish motel with white-washed walls and blue doors covered with beautiful Spanish tiles. Pots of lavender swayed in the lovely breeze. You felt like you might run into Ernest Hemingway. It was the perfect place to rest after long days of work. Like most of Europe, it wasn't air-conditioned, but it didn't matter because it was spring, and with the balcony open, the April breeze cooler my skin. And I had the most delightful visitor, an adorable golden tabby, who visited every evening, calling me with his cute little meows. He sat on the terrace, waiting for me each evening, demanding attention and food. It was a welcome comfort after long days of filming, and I was sorry to say goodbye when I returned to the States. He was good company.

During the day, we worked hard and took short lunch breaks. But when the clock struck noon, and the sun reached its zenith, the streets across Spain quieted down, shops closed, and the pace of life slowed to a gentle rhythm of the siesta. Spaniards retreat to the cool confines of their homes or seek shade under the canopy of trees. The pace of life comes almost to a halt as the hustle and bustle of the morning fade away, replaced with tranquility. But as the sun begins its descent and the day's heat transforms to cool evening breezes, the deserted streets come alive with laughter and music as evening approaches. Cafés and bars open their doors, enticing passersby with the tantalizing spices and seafood paella aroma. Friends gather at tables, sharing tapas plates and drinking glasses of wine as they fill the air with their voices and celebrate their camaraderie.

Dinner starts late, about 10:00 PM, and lasts until well after midnight. This is every night of the week. So after we’d take a short evening break, the show's producers picked us up each night to go to a different restaurant. There would be course after course of delicious food and lots of red wine. Each night, I slept like a baby. How I didn't gain weight, I don't know. Maybe I expended the calories during the day. The best meals I've had were in Spain. It wasn't the food alone, but the people and their passion for life. It was rhizomatic, a term Demi Pietchell uses to describe our beautiful tribe here on Substack. You caught Spaniards' zest for life and wanted to embrace it forever. Author James Michener describes them in his novel Iberia, "The Spanish people are among the friendliest and most hospitable I have ever encountered. Despite their many challenges, they retain a zest for life and a deep sense of community."

Their passion extends to their love for the arts, and it's deep in their soul they want to create. So we had the best direction from some of the finest creative minds in Spain working on our show. From the artistic set designs to the fantastic lighting and camera work, these zealous, dedicated, and spirited creatives produced some of our finest work. So, I was excited when our body of work from Chan-tatachán was made available online.

Jonathan and I bowing after one of our segments on Chan-tatachán

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Two weeks went by fast, and finally, it was a wrap. I sadly packed to go home, but not before an earthquake-type Chan-tatachán moment happened before we departed. One a lot bigger than the sounds of Juan Tamariz’s violin moments. This Chan-tatachán was like a 10.0 earthquake. Let me explain. I heard the news when I met with our manager and the show’s accountant for settlement on our last day. When we performed abroad, we only accepted cash payments or wire transfers for our services. We didn’t trust our manager because of previous irregularities, so the accountant counted my money. It was a substantial amount of money, and our manager flew to his homeland in the United Kingdom in a few days. So he offered to take our cash with him and deposit it in an account with a name other than his own. His reason was so we didn’t have to claim it at customs. But we were used to filling out the paperwork, so it didn't matter. There was something peculiar about how he acted, and I don't know exactly what was on his mind to this day. The following year, though, the IRS audited us because someone from Europe had sent a wire transfer from Spain for the fee we made from the show to a party in Kentucky a few days after we left Europe. Coincidence? I'm not sure. Our accountant convinced the IRS that the wire transfer wasn't ours because they just believed us and left us alone. But they went after our manager with the enthusiasm of a wild cat, and a year later, the IRS was still auditing him for the wire transfer transaction. Karma!

That's wasn't the Chan-tatachán moment. After I had received our money from the accountant, an assistant ran up to me, asking if I'd seen the news. No, I hadn't. “Well,” she stated, “Los Angeles is under siege!” We were scheduled to fly home the next day, departing from Madrid on a nonstop flight to Los Angeles. I had no idea what was going on, and I felt my whole body quiver with fear as I continued to gather more details. I wasn't even sure what a siege was, but it didn't sound good, and it wasn't. I found out the Rodney King riots had spread throughout the Los Angeles area into Hollywood and as far as Long Beach. I had been so wrapped up in my work in Spain that I had not heard about the riots. Sothis terrible news was a shocking surprise to all of us. The unrest and turmoil had been going on for a few days, and the National Guard was called to institute martial law in all of Los Angeles County. There was much confusion, but our plane departed Madrid for the war zone the following day.

To be continued next week!

EXTRA:

On one of our weekend days off we were invited to Juan‘s house for a luncheon. A lovely gazpacho soup wss served, and i immediately started a love relationship with this refreshing Spanish soup served cold on hot days. It’s the soup of Spain and can be found everywhere including tapa bars where it is served in shot glasses.

2 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes, which is about 16 medium Romas, or 6 medium globe tomatoes halved and cored

1 small (1/2 lb) cucumber, peeled and seeded. Persian if you can find them

1 medium green bell pepper, seeds and core removed

1 small jalapeno with seeds for extra heat (optional)

1/2 small red onion, peeled

2 small garlic cloves or 1 large one; peeled

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar

10 oz of tomatoes juice

1 teaspoon plus a big pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin (ground)

1 to 2 thick slices of white rustic bread, soaked and cut off crust

optional garnishes croutons, chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of cream hot sauce or chopped gazpacho veggies

Instructions:

In a blender or in a blend or food processor  combine all the ingredients together and puree for about 1 minute, or until its smooth. Taste it and adjust the seasoning. Put in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. all that’s left to do now is serve it with garnishes and eat!