Another English writer on flamenco

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Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

Another English writer on flamenco

Here's the link to the Guardian review. Called The Ghosts of Spain it has a chapter on flamenco. Though I think its stretching the truth a bit to say , as reported in the review. "Spanish prisons, where many of flamenco's most gifted exponents reside."

Have they put Paco in prison, did Farruquito get locked up without my knowing or perhaps Agujetas is back inside ?

Kate

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2006 23:39:58

Thomas Whiteley

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Another English writer on flamenco (in reply to Kate)

Kate;

Where is the link? The case of the missing link!

That sounds like Franco's days - lots of people in prison or worst.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2006 23:44:55

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Another English writer on flamenco (in reply to Thomas Whiteley)

Oops, that's what happens when you post late at night.

Here's the missing lnik.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/travel/0,,1738993,00.html

The first part of the book discusses the Civil War and its effect today then goes on to other culture aspects of Spain according to the review. Not sure about his take on flamenco, yes there's heroin around ( but lets face it Cameron died a while back and it is no longer the eighties). Yes there is a seedy side, but hey that's rock and roll too. Shock horror journalist hangs out with Gypsies in dangerous barrio. Perhaps I am blase because I have been doing that for years. It has a touch of the Jason Webster about it.

Maybe its different altogether but how would it sound if a journalist wrote like that about hanging out in New York hip hop neighbourhood ?
Kate

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2006 10:09:28

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: Another English writer on flamenco (in reply to Kate)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kate
Maybe its different altogether but how would it sound if a journalist wrote like that about hanging out in New York hip hop neighbourhood ?
Kate

I think that would be a fairly typical story too (except it would be crack rather than smack).

The reviewer makes the hop hop ghetto comparison:
"This is particularly evident in the chapter on flamenco, which turns out to be nothing like the picture-postcard song-and-dance routine of the tourist advertisement. Instead it emerges as Iberia's equivalent of rap or hip-hop, a dark, visceral music of the poor ghetto, where heroin is rife and cuts swaths through the ranks of flamenco's street-life troubadours!"

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2006 10:16:55

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Another English writer on flamenco (in reply to Jon Boyes)

I guess what I object to, or find annoying is the idea of the intrepid reporter making out as if he is going where no man has been before, into dark and dangerous terroritory, the mean streets of Seville. When in fact hundreds of people go to and live and work in these neighbourhoods every day who have nothing to do with drugs or flamenco. Likewise there are hundreds of people involved with flamenco who have never been to prison or taken drugs. Never mind that drugs are found everywhere from the stately homes of England to the Stock Exchange. If you go looking for them you will find.

I just had this image of him walking around the Tres Viviendas in Seville whispering David Attenborough styleee " and here we see the elusive flamenco, no doubt hunting for his next fix, lets not disturb him, they are known to get aggresive"

Kate

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2006 13:05:33

Romanza

Posts: 296
Joined: Oct. 24 2005

RE: Another English writer on flamenco (in reply to Kate)

quote:

I just had this image of him walking around the Tres Viviendas in Seville whispering David Attenborough styleee " and here we see the elusive flamenco, no doubt hunting for his next fix, lets not disturb him, they are known to get aggresive"

He he!

(That sounds embarrassingly like me in Jerez a couple of weeks ago..!)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2006 14:18:17

Romanza

Posts: 296
Joined: Oct. 24 2005

RE: Another English writer on flamenco (in reply to Romanza)

While we are on the subject of books - has anyone read this one - Flamenco by Gwynne Edwards.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0500510180/qid=1143559382/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_3_8/026-7094350-5902864

I bought it on ebay recently for a bargain price and it arrived yesterday - a beautiful looking book with great pictures but I've not read any of it yet.

I hadn't heard of Gwynne Edwards, but I just searched on the web and he seems to be a bit of an expert on Lorca... so maybe it will be a more rewarding and insightful read than say the cheap thrills of 'Duende'...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2006 15:29:22

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Another English writer on flamenco (in reply to Romanza)

Hi Romanza,

Gwynne Edwards is or was a professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at Aber Univeristy in Wales. If its the same one, its a large hard back coffee table book with lovely photos by Ken some-one. I bought this book for my Mum and she loved it.

Kate

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Emilio Maya Temple
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CA6OBC
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emiliomaya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2006 16:04:35