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RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
Here is my take on it.
For a while I was learning flamenco because I was really inspired by Paco. It took a while to realise that I wasn't so much in love with flamenco guitar but only Paco. I don't really listen to any other guitarist. I like to be surprised by music, and Paco is the only guitarist who does it due to his emotional compositions (possibly gerardo nunez is the other and tomatito for his accompaniment). Even then I don't really listen to Paco before 1980 aside his manuel fall interpretations and Fuente y Caudal. I just find his music so much more melodic and harmonius after 1980. In general flamenco doesn't excite me in terms of musicality BUT the singing is more emotional than any other form of singing I have encountered.
Ultimately, I prefer flamenco singing to any guitarist (aside paco). Dancing is more performance and you have to be present and in the moment which isn't something we can experience often outside of andalusia.
I can be listening to Bach or Nat king Cole and get very involved bust I am still working, then the playlist shuffles to Camaron and I have to stop whatever I am doing. I listen to alot of other music so I just leave my flamenco singers at Camaron.
I still consider Paco possibly the greatest guitarist/composer since barrios. So basically I don't give a sh8t about flamenco guitar.
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
I'm there with you. I have a ton of solo guitar albums I bought when I first got into flamenco and now they never make it on to the play list. Flamenco without cante feels a bit like dinner with no protein to me, "looks great but where's the meat??". And yeah, baile needs to be in person for me, I don't tend to just watch baile videos, sometimes but it's kinda rare.
Posts: 15724
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Staghound
Just curious ! How many members just love the guitar and don't give a s**t about flamenco singing or dancing???
I am for sure a guitar enthusiast, and also gravitate to Paco's stuff. However, to "not give a ****" is to decouple flamenco from the singing and dancing and from my point of view NOW, it just doesn't make any sense to even say that unless you don't understand the other two along WITH the guitar. I admit I might have held such a view when I was ignorant about the art form after early exposure as a teen.
You might as well have said "how many members here are guitar lovers that don't understand flamenco guitar but just think it's cool for some reason relative to other guitar styles?"
Posts: 223
Joined: Mar. 17 2015
From: Virginia USA
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
I always listen to guitar solos whenever I work out in the gym. My current favorite is David Moreno Golden Era 1956. However I really enjoyed flamenco dancing when watching life. Singing- not much.
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
I say listen to what you like. My taste have changed over the years, and now what I appreciate is exceptional mastery/talent in a musician. Be it any type.
I did not like cante for years and thought I never would. Now I kind of agree with Len about missing the protein. And my wife is a vegan so I know how that feels ;) What I like the most is listening to my favorite solo guitarist with some good singers thrown in.
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
Because flamenco is not anymore just "traditional" flamenco. It's like a box plenty of different stuff. Since Paco introduced many jazzy stuff on it and a new technical approach in playing the flamenco guitar, flamenco guitar became very interesting for people who like fusion music. It's my case at least: I was curious about this world and its language. To be honest, I understand very well the point of Lenador and Morante, because after awhile I found the Jazzy flamenco guitar playing a limited language. Better to say, self referential, as many people in the jazz world wouldn't know what is a palo etc. When I get a little bored it's very refreshing to me to get back to a good cantaor or more traditional stuff like Sabicas. Somehow I like a lot flamenco, the flamenco guitars and flamenco guitar making but I don't have fascination for the flamenco world, I'm not a Spaniard etc.
Posts: 503
Joined: Jun. 14 2014
From: Encinitas, CA USA
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
I am mostly interested in solo guitar, because that is what I play and what I listen to. I don't sing or dance and I don't know anyone where I live that does. Having said that, after watching the the Carlos Saura film Flamenco Flamenco film I was blown away by some of the dancing and even my family was too when they watched. Singing OTOH is an acquired taste, I am warming up to it and see how its an important and integral element of Flamenco. For me there are different styles of singing that appeal to me more than others.
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Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena
Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
I got attracted to flamenco, like many others, through Paco de Lucia. Initially, I was only interested in guitar but now I like everything. I get bored when it's just guitar or when it's just singing.
When I go to shows, I prefer dance shows, because there's always a good balance of everything.
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
The total count is now 30. One foro member turned to the dark side today, after listening to a recording of el Indio gitano.
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RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
quote:
Just curious ! How many members just love the guitar and don't give a s**t about flamenco singing or dancing???
I'm a guitar player that likes some Flamenco palos more than others. I also enjoy very much watching dancers on a live concert. For example, I went to see Tomatito in Miami, FL back on 2014. Tomatito was out of practice but the lady that danced that night did very good. The dancer was the show that night. HOWEVER, I have to admit that I dislike the singing when they start yelling.
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Thomas)
quote:
Isn't that statement a bit ignorant, regarding the fact that you admittedly "don't really listen to any other guitarist" ?
I do listen but not in my "listening time" if that makes sense, only when I am sort of checking out different artists. Very rarely am I interested. I listen to plenty of cante.
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to El Kiko)
Don't forget guitarists who don't always care for (and for short stints maybe even loathe) the guitar. That's me at times. Love/hate. But hey, it just wouldn't be art without the melodrama.
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: Guitarists not interested in fla... (in reply to Guest)
When I gave my opinion about the singers I was giving my opinion from the point of view of an spectator.
I never had the opportunity to play guitar with a flamenco singer. I'm still learning the flamenco style. I wonder how many people on this post including my self, will feel different about the singers after having the opportunity to play with one of them.
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