Jesus “El Chozas”

Singer Jesús Matías Solano, who goes by the stage name Jesús Chozas, was born in Madrid on 13 March 1944. He takes his nickname from his uncle, Alfonso El Chozas. His career began at the Teatro Madrid when he was just fourteen. In 1962, he was signed by Juanita Reina, with whom he toured the length and breadth of Spain. He then worked with Juanito Valderrama until 1971, when he retired for professional and family reasons. In 1996, having achieved his family goals and encouraged by the guitarist Rafael Andújar, he returned to the stage as a solo singer with an impressive vocal talent.

In 1999, Chozas won three first prizes at the La Unión International Festival del Cante de las Minas, in the special categories of Cartageneras, Tarantas and Levantica. In 2000, he won first prize in freestyle singing at the Linares Festival and at the Harvest Festival in Jumilla in the Songs of Levante category. In 2001, he was a finalist at the National Singing Festival in Cordoba and, in 2004, he won the Antonio Mairena and the Cayetano Muriel prizes at the Cordoba Festival of Flamenco Art. During the course of this career, he has recorded several singles and CDs, both in his first period and after his return to the music business, frequently collaborating with Rafael Andújar and appearing on compilations of prize-winning artists at the Cordoba and La Unión festivals.