Notes from Spain

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Notes from Spain

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wikichris

Posts: 7
Joined: Aug. 28 2013

Notes from Spain

Hola,

I'm 31 and I have played guitar for many years (mostly in bands playing jazz). A few years ago one of my friends really got into flamenco and gave me a demonstration once.

I was very impressed and decided to give it a shot on my classical guitar that I mostly played fingerpicked pop arrangements on and found the start tough but plodded on a little.

Next thing you know I'm offered a job I can't refuse in Gibraltar and I commute from where I live down the coast in Andalucia. Bizarre hey?

For someone that was getting into Flamenco this is obviously a dream come true.

Now I really put some effort in and spent a grand on a flamenco guitar from Sevilla and have been hammering it for hours a day for months and making decent progress.

I have bought a car here and have travelled quite a bit: Sevilla, Cadiz, Malaga etc. (Not done Granada yet).

In general, I was surprised at how little Flamenco is represented here. In the months I've been here I though I might stumble across flamenco in public. Nope. I once saw a guitarist rock up outside a bar in Tarifa and started playing to Pink Floyd backing tracks.

I found a guitar teacher in Algeciras who seemed extremely competent but I had to have my girlfriend sit in and translate. English is often/mostly not spoken. It dawned on me that I just need to go away for a couple of months and really get my technique into a functional standard for professional lessons.

There is some flamenco in the various town fairs during the summer otherwise I've simply gone to the usual tourist ones in Sevilla.

Apart from getting a local teacher, what should I be doing to make the most of my time here? It's often said that going to Spain is how to really learn flamenco. I don't plan on staying here more than a few years (amazing country/people/culture but things like Guardia Civil seem to make it quite uncomfortable for foreigners and it'll probably get worse in this crisis and sometimes it's just too hot for my northern european blood!).

Complaints aside, the BBC programme the other night was a nice little snapshot but I'm guessing I can't just go find a bunch of gypsies to go and hang out with.

Does anyone know why you don't see people playing flamenco in the street in Sevilla? Do the shows complain to the town council or something to get them removed?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 28 2013 21:49:04

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

Some cities are more flamenco friendly then others. Try Jerez, that's a much more "flamenco centric" city. I have to imagine there is a lot more then one teacher in Algeciras. John Walsh on this forum has a teacher in Algeciras that is a total monster, he's mentioned him a few times on the forum, do some searching in the search bar. The language thing is a bit of a bummer for you though. Maybe there is a Peña Flamenca in your area also?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 28 2013 22:20:19

FredGuitarraOle

Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

Hi Chris, welcome to the Foro!

That's pretty normal, only a minority of the Spanish population is into Flamenco. If it wasn't for Flamenco being in that UNESCO stuff, I bet many spaniards wouldn't even know it existed. Same thing with Fado in Portugal. You also won't find any Fado on the streets, only in certain places. People over here couldn't care less about their own culture.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 28 2013 22:23:38

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

quote:

That's pretty normal, only a minority of the Spanish population is into Flamenco. If it wasn't for Flamenco being in that UNESCO stuff, I bet many spaniards wouldn't even know it existed. Same thing with Fado in Portugal. You also won't find any Fado on the streets, only in certain places. People over here couldn't care less about their own culture.

Guilty,
I can name you hundreds of flamenco artists, more then a handful of fado artists but not more then 3 bluegrass artists lol I do know my blues guys pretty well though.......

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 3:15:01

mark indigo

Posts: 3625
Joined: Dec. 5 2007

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

quote:

I found a guitar teacher in Algeciras who seemed extremely competent but I had to have my girlfriend sit in and translate. English is often/mostly not spoken. It dawned on me that I just need to go away for a couple of months and really get my technique into a functional standard for professional lessons.

quote:

I have to imagine there is a lot more then one teacher in Algeciras. John Walsh on this forum has a teacher in Algeciras that is a total monster, he's mentioned him a few times on the forum, do some searching in the search bar. The language thing is a bit of a bummer for you though.

who is the teacher in Algeciras?

You should go find/see Salvador Andrades. That's who John has studied with. I sat in on some dance classes with him a few years ago and again earlier this year, and took some private lessons with him this time too. He is not only a monster player with a mega-knowledge of just about everything to do with flamenco, solo, accompaniment, cante, baile, history, you name it, but he is also a really good teacher and he speaks pretty good English. And he's a really nice guy, no big ego crap, very friendly and encouraging whatever level you are at.

You can contact him here via email or the phone numbers
http://www.salvadorandrades.es/

You don't need to go away for a couple of months to get your technique ready for lessons, you will probably just permanent-ise your faults. Go see Salvador first, and get him to show you correct technique from the beginning.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 11:54:07

Erik van Goch

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

Welcome to the foro and greetings from holland

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 16:40:32

wikichris

Posts: 7
Joined: Aug. 28 2013

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

Thanks all for the warm welcome, I have contacted Salvador.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 17:24:59

tele

Posts: 1464
Joined: Aug. 17 2012

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

Google or ask local aficionados for location of Penas. Also dont forget to study and study the language, its quite easy actually.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 20:10:39

Turron

Posts: 50
Joined: Apr. 18 2013

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to wikichris)

Go to Jerez. Hang out at a bar called Los Arcos de Santiago. Or Tabanco El Pasaje. Find out about the penas flamencas - there are about 25 of them. http://www.turismojerez.com/index.php?id=772 Go and see live performances. Ask people about what you're looking for. Soon you'll be on your way.

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New flamenco guitar novel! Buy it now on Amazon! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Obsession-Guitarist-In-Spain-ebook/dp/B00EB7U2CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375623508&sr=8-1&keywords=obsession%3A+a+guitarist+in+spain

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 23:12:09

El Burdo

Posts: 632
Joined: Sep. 8 2011

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Aug. 29 2013 23:22:12

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 23:21:58

El Burdo

Posts: 632
Joined: Sep. 8 2011

RE: Notes from Spain (in reply to Turron)

quote:

Hang out at a bar called Los Arcos de Santiago. Or Tabanco El Pasaje.

That's what I'm looking for! I'll be there in a few weeks and have done a bit of research but thanks very much for the 'inside dope'. There's even a Terremoto Street!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2013 23:24:25