Welcome to the Vida Flamenca Blog featuring the latest flamenco documentaries and videos from our local, national and international communities.
Bienvenidos al Blog 'Vida Flamenca' para la comunidad flamenca, con lo último en documentales y videos flamencos a nivel local, nacional e internacional.
TOMATITO in Concert in San Francisco, CA March 12, 2014
José Fernández Torres, known as Tomatito (born Almería, 1958), is a Spanish flamenco guitarist. He was born among great flamenco guitarists, including his father Tomate and uncle Niño Miguel. Tomatito became a flamenco sensation at an early age when he was discovered by famed guitarist Paco de Lucía and began working in part with legendary flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla. In 1979, the trio produced a hit called "La Leyenda del Tiempo."
A later collaboration included pianist Michel Camilo, producing the albums Spain (2000) and Spain Again (2006).
Tomatito's music is a unique mix of traditional flamenco and jazz. On some albums, such as Barrio Negro, he experimented with Afro-Cuban and Brazilian Music. He has also worked with flamenco singers Duquende and Potito and pianist Chano Domínguez among many others. Tomatito has produced six solo albums.
His music for the film Vengo, directed by Tony Gatlif, won the César Award for Best Music Written for a Film in 2001. Four years later, he won a Latin Grammy for Best Flamenco Record, for his album Aguadulce. In November 2010 he won his second Latin Grammy for his record on Deutsche Grammophon "Sonanta Suite".
Sabicas (Agustín Castellón Campos) was a Flamenco guitarist, of Romani origin, who was born on 16 March 1912 in Pamplona, Spain and died in 14 April 1990 in New York.
Sabicas began playing guitar at the age of 4 and made his performing debut 2 years later. His early style was influenced by Ramón Montoya, with whom he was related on his mother's side of the family. Extensive collaboration with important cantaores (male Flamenco singers) of the period helped him develop his unique personal style.
Sabicas was instrumental in the introduction of Flamenco to audiences outside of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. He was probably best known for his technical skills: blazingly fast picados (scales), fast arpeggios, quality composition for the many forms of flamenco, and infallible rhythm, which was critical if playing with a dancer. Also, he was considered to have perfect pitch. "The finest technique around has got to be Sabicas, the Flamenco player," famed guitarist Chet Atkins told Guitar Player Magazine in March 1972.
Sabicas was a standout of his day, not only with technique, but with major contributions, playing Flamenco previously unimaginable and giving new tools and possibilities for the solo instrument. He brought this art to concert halls and major theaters where all classes can enjoy.
Notable contemporary players such as Paco de Lucía, Tomatito, Serranito, Juan Manuel Cañizares, El Viejín, Vicente Amigo, Gerardo Nuñez and many more claim large influence from Sabicas' music.
Thursday, June 6, 2013, 6 p.m. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium
A screening of the documentary "The Fabulous Sabicas" (2012). Directed by Pablo Calatayud. 82 minutes. In Spanish with English subtitles.
The Fabulous Sabicas documents the vital professional development of the guitarist Agustín Castellón, Sabicas. Sabicas symbolizes the figure of the flamenco concert guitarist. He came to represent an era, performing and renovating the music to which he dedicated his life. This film brings together the testimony of important flamenco artists and scholars, friends and his children, along with a selection of performances by the maestro.
Estela Zatania who translated the English subtitles for the film will be present to discuss the work. SABICAS a la BIENAL de SEVILLE en septembre 1986SABICAS interprète une TARANTA, une SEGUIRIYA, LA CUMPARSITA une GRANADINA en 1986 et une soléa sur TVE en 72 .
Manuel is one of the most respected and well known flamenco artists in Spain. He is a poet, a singer and a master guitarist.
In 1972, he and his wife, Dolores Montoya Rodriguez (“Lole,” born in Sevilla, 1954) started a flamenco duo that achieved enormous success in Spain and the rest of the world. The couple was the first flamenco couple ever to target an audience not familiar with flamenco, and are precursors of “nuevo flamenco” (New Flamenco).
Their first album was produced in 1975, with a title representative of Spain’s social realities at the time: “Nuevo dia” (New Day). The duo, characterized by certain hippie influences, was interested in musical experimentation, mixing Arabian music with lyrics taht talked about peace, love and flowers. After 1980, the couple started solo careers, and continued with concerts and new recordings.
Lole and Manuel’s music has appeared in several films, as in “Flamenco,” from Carlos Saura, or “Kill Bill Vol. 2,” by Quentin Taratino.
“When my family heard me sing, my father tore his shirt open” -- Jesús Méndez
The Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera is one of the main breeding grounds of flamenco. Cameraman and director Martijn Beenen and Ernestina of Noort, director of the Flamenco Biennial, went towards it, looking for the roots of this special, Spanish folk.
They meet three generations of guitarists - Manuel Morao, Moraíto Chico and Diego del Morao - that the filmmakers already initiated into the secret of playing the flamenco tradition and buleria, the specific style of Jerez.
The gypsy dynasty Morao's prints a significant mark on the flamenco in Jerez de la Frontera. He was born on the land around Jerez, the large farms where the gypsies were working as day laborers. The makers also meet María Bala (76), sister of the great singer Manuel Soto Sordera, and one of the last treasurers of the old cante jondo. She shows us how the primitive flamenco singing was sounded.
With Manuel Morao, Moraíto Chico, Diego del Morao, Jesús Méndez (pictured), María Bala, Diego Carrasco, El Bo, Chícharo, Jose Merce and many others.
