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Yeah, This is what I think of as Flamenco " Foreign Garage Music". You can find a lot of it floating around the Internet actually. Usually a "fusion" of some kind, (in this case a Lamb Biryani with two Poppadoms). Generally after some kind of a dramatic entrance, eventually degenerates into some sort of a rumba or other. The photograph quite put me in mind of the late, great Roy Orbison. How about "Only the Lonely" as a Soleares/Rumba? Hmmm...now that's a thought. Ain't the Internet great though?
I don't think it's fair to slam the guy for not playing Flamenco though. Everybody has a right to play their own music the way they see it. I just find this kind of stuff boring, myself. But he's got a perfect right to play it and if he's got an audience for it then good luck to the fella.
But he's got a perfect right to play it and if he's got an audience for it then good luck to the fella.
It's not his music or his rights to play it (though, I reserve my right to not like it), it's his self-inflicted sobriquet "flamenco guitarist". It will be many moons before I call myself a flamenco guitarist - for two years it's been "I am learning flamenco guitar" and it will be for many more years.
It does the real thing a disservice. I am not out of sorts over it, just pissed off
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Michael Olsen Flamenco Guitarist From his early days as the lead guitarist of The Epics in the '60's, Michael became inspired by Manitas de Plata and became one of the USA's top flamenco guitarists. With six (6) CDs recorded, Michael continues to play over 100 concert dates per year. His instruments include flamenco guitar, cello, sitar and violins. Michael simply says "When in doubt, play more guitar."
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Michael Olsen is an EXTRAORIDINARY [sic] FLAMENCO GUITARIST!
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Led by Michael Olsen, a flamenco guitarist whose song titles are inspired by the life and works of Dali, the concert will provide an introduction to world music against the backdrop of the Dali art exhibition at the museum. "Our ensemble is comprised of some of the most talented performers from around the world," Olsen said. "We have Miguelita, a flamenco dancer; Regina Star and Nona, gypsy snake dancers, who dance onstage with a live boa constrictor."
It is not a relative thing, this is snake oil (literally) or what we call cod flamenco. JasonWebster wrote the bible on it
"We have Miguelita, a flamenco dancer; Regina Star and Nona, gypsy snake dancers, who dance onstage with a live boa constrictor."
Je je je that well known Gypsy tradition of snake dancing, what a crock of 'Sheka' as my Gypsy friends would say in their chib ( dialect). This is marketing ****, Gypsies do not have any tradition of snake dancing or snake charming for that matter. It sounds more like a an exotic soft porn show. How distasteful.
I do think that marketing is one thing, but there is bad taste, too. I hate how Esteban's advertising copy always mentions that he is the protege and heir to Andres Segovia, a patent falsehood (although there is a picture of a young, goofy Esteban with the old man). He also refers to himself as a virtuoso guitarist. Now, there is no objective definition of virtuoso but general consensus is that he is quite average. I believe I have seen Ottmar Liebert called the heir to Paco de Lucia's skills and prestige, another out-of-bounds marketing leap. And I agree--the word flamenco must be used with respect. My thoughts are that people like Ottmar, Esteban, and Dedos de Fuego can call themselves "Nouveau Flamenco"--that silly phrase Ottmar made up but is now pretty ingrained in the marketing scene, but not Flamenco guitarists. I actually cringe when I am introduced as a flamenco guitarist, because I although I probably know more about it than these fellas, I am not one. I'm just a guitarist.
I played a recital with some classical guitar buddies the other night. As I walked into the music school where the recital was to be held, I saw a disturbing thing: The flyer. The flyer read: MIGUEL DE MARIO and ALEX ZAVILAK, playing FLAMENCO GUITAR! I cringed because we were going to be playing a few rumbas, a few jazz tunes, and a couple South American tunes. We had extra time at the end, so I got up and played a solo granaianas, solea, and bulerias for the audience. I also explained that the name was MIGUEL DE MARIA!
The owner of the school kept referring to me as "Mario."
It just irritates me when people who think they are playing classical guitar when they actually aren't. Some of these idiots play a few short tunes on a nylon guitar and sometimes even steel. While idiots like Malmsteen start soloing on an electric guitar but call themselves 'neo-classical' just because they copy vaguely classical melodies for their intros. And the best award goes to a dummy who called Stairway to Heaven a classical song because you fingerpick it. The same goes for flamenco..
Now, if you judge by the titles 'classical' and 'flamenco', it isn't all that wrong since their playing something that vaguely sounds like it. However, NO ONE should have the right to use such titles in vain.
As for Esteban, what a fraud.. Isn't John Williams one of Segovia's favourite? I don't see how someone like Esteban who sells guitars on TV can be one of his favourites. Pure insult..
Talking about this with various Sinti, Lovari and Romanichel I am told that most Gypsies, consider the snake mokadi, ie unclean, untouchable, outcast, along with other long tailed animals, mice and rats for instance. The use of a snake in a show is 100% show biz, trading on some fake Gypsy culture. Get me a trading standards officer
Yeah Kate, But they're probably behind the times, with their views and playing all this old fashioned Traditional stuff. You've just got to accept the "evolution" of Flamenco. Tell Taller de Compas they need a dancing snake, like it or not. That's just the price of fame and success.
But they're probably behind the times, with their views and playing all this old fashioned Traditional stuff. You've just got to accept the "evolution" of Flamenco
Sigh. Ah Ron you could be right, isolated here in Andalucia we have little knowledge of what is happening in the real world.
That's an interesting point... you know Mairena was big on the "ancient" cantes (some of which he apparently made up), and the idea that real flamenco was of and by gypsies, and that only the flamenco that was from gypsies was really legitimate or of interest. Is the flamenco of Granada all gypsy-based, and is the traditional or "ancient" though of as best? Or is there an evolution? I am speaking of cante...as apparently Emilio is a fairly progressive guitarist.
Florian, those are both sweet names. But a little long and hard to say...even Miguel de Maria is kind of a tongue-twister for gringos. Gaetano over here thinks I should change it to Miguel de Cho (my real last name), but I don't like that at all. Plus, women think that Miguel de Maria is a beautiful name, and I think that they are my biggest consituency. I get most of my gigs from women. I look a tiny bit like Johnny Depp so I have that going for me, old ladies love me! :)
Maybe just El Florian? Florian del Sur? Florian de la Islon? That has a ring to it. Florian de la Islon. I don't know if that's a real word though.
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