Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva, Tom Blackshear and Sean O'Brien who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
I plan to go anyway Though I still haven't decided wheter to choose Gerardo's or the singing accompaniment course. Is there somebody that has experience with the Carrion course? Does he speaks english? Does it cover the most significant palos or just one? Does it builds up from the basics, or should I have experience to take out the most of it?
I'm planning to go and taking my family I think so will be a different experience.
Is this your 1st visit? I'd defo do Gerardos course! to experience it. (him)
Antonios course is cool and casual because its in the hotel los helechos. So if you've over done it the night before and feeling delicate you can still manage to drag yourself to it! (plus its later in the day!)ahah (if you stay at helechos that is)
Antonio gets through a LOT of material which is great. you can record it all. So you have an archive of stuff to draw on when you need it in the future. and its all useable and playable. So if you play for cante or dancers in hungary youll have useable stuff (gerardos stuff may not be as useable depending on your level)
However. I was a little disappointed with it because we didn't really "accompany" any cante. He did. And we listened and played along sometimes, but I personally would've loved one on one times with him or the singers (from the cante course) that would drop in. Its totally possible as the class was only about 8-10 people. and wouldve been much more valuable. The only time anyone played solo for a singer was myself on day 1 as we were all intrducing oursleves. I accompanied him por solea. I assumed he was gonna go round the class and everyone do....but we didnt. haha he clapped me and I got a 'muyyy bien'. i thought...oh i can actually do this. All that study and devotion does work! hahah
Anyway He doesn't speak English. But people in the class can often translate or help if there's stuff you miss.
It looks like G. Nunez doesnt teach cante accompaniment. I've never seen G. Nunez accompanying cante. I guess it's not his thing. Anyhow, this is a rare recording of 17 year old G.Nunez acccompanying Diego Vargas.
It looks like G. Nunez doesnt teach cante accompaniment. I've never seen G. Nunez accompanying cante. I guess it's not his thing. Anyhow, this is a rare recording of 17 year old G.Nunez acccompanying Diego Vargas.
great find. You are plain wrong about the cante though, Gerardo exposed this to us every summer by doing it himself and then making those brave enough do it as well. There is live video of bulerias with Jose Mendez, but his album with Indio Gitano is encyclopedic perfection. His other album with Carmen Linares is not my favorite but another example of his love of cante accompaniment, and further, he toured with her for that album and billed his name in small letters, even though he did some guitar solos to fill up the full concert time. He has a famous photo with Borrico when he was young, and actually introduced Pitingo to the concert stage in USA, long before he made a name for himself. He promoted the career of Jesus Mendez and many others lesser known. He accompanied nano de Jerez on a whim one summer, and also Rafael de Utrera after he got famous thanks to paco, and that concert prompted Rafael to return to the curso as a cante instructor, which he did for several years before getting busy with Vicente. I could go on and on here but the point is you don't have a clue what you are saying.
It is true however that he did not record as a guest (even after being asked) by famous cantores when he could have....but as he admitted in interview during the Carmen Linares tour, he said she had asked him to do like one number years before (along with other guitarists in the mix) and he said he did not like that, as he wanted to develop an entire album of cantes not just pop in for a tangos or whatever. The result of that is he only has those two recordings for singers.
Yes It's going to be my first time! I've been to Carmen de las Cuevas in Granada several years ago, and tough I liked it very much, I'd try something different this time. I've seen 2 Gerardo concerts so far, the first one had my head blew off. I love his compositions, got his Encuentro stuff, that I've been learning on and off I accompany singers/dancers very rarely in Hungary (in flamenco), yet I'd love to be able to do it properly and confidently-at least the main palos...
How hard is Gerardo's stuff? Is it 'doable' without the repetition class?
I will try to save up to be able to visit both course.
It looks like G. Nunez doesnt teach cante accompaniment.
who suggested he did?
Beno was asking about the cante accompanient course within Gerardos summer course.
No one suggested that class is taught by Gerardo himself. But maybe your post isn't related to anything that's been said and just some personal musings?
Instead of talking bunk from your armchair, why not book a flight and come to Sanlucar? maybe youll learn something!? hehe
How hard is Gerardo's stuff? Is it 'doable' without the repetition class?
I last did his course in 2013 i think. last time in 23 I just did Antonios class.
If you can record gerardo playing then yes you probs wont need the repeticion class. I rememebr in 2011/12/13 recording Gerardo was a bit new ground and not really cool people used to record audio only.. but I think that was in a perioid where video phones were becoming more common and I think now its impossible to stop the tide.
I could be wrong though.
Again, though I think it depends on your level and ability to retain info. I didguitar repetition some years and didnt the others. some guys share vids recordings etc.
I often found I'd connect with 4 or 5 falsetas from the week and learn/recall those. but I also found that I learned more about flamenco and guitar from everything else thats going on in the week. fiestas, juergas,concerts. practicing with other students (dancers, singers etc)
some of my favourite falsetas were learned from recording of guitarists accompanying singers at the various evening concerts they put on.
The whole week is a deep, rich learning experience which extends beyond the walls of the classroom
but I think that was in a perioid where video phones were becoming more common and I think now its impossible to stop the tide.
Everybody uses iPhone but he doesn't want sharing on YouTube etc, but everyone can do it and does for study on their own. He still teaches excellent traditional material in the intermediate class. If you play more advanced level he unfortunately doesn't let you take it you have to go for his advanced class which is very hard. I always audit the intermediate class with no guitar and learn stuff anyway, and there is always some overlap material between both classes. I was last there in 2022 and the funny (frustrating??) thing occurred where in the advanced class he wanted everyone to do "Normal" arpegio that he no longer can do, and everybody started doing his F'd-up two finger version and he was like "no no no!!!". I mean he was laughing and good natured about it but you get the point. He expects the advanced players to do the normal thing and not copy his unique adaptation of the right hand, only the proper left hand musical stuff. Sadly many of my advanced friends and colleagues that love Gerardo refuse to take his guitar class for that reason, they do like you did: Antonio class or Jorge pardo etc. We go mostly for the inspiration and flamenco spirit that he still delivers.
Sadly many of my advanced friends and colleagues that love Gerardo refuse to take his guitar class for that reason
sorry what reason? that he expects them to play normally?
quote:
Does he teach what he showed in Encuentro dvd?
He certainly did. And at the time I last went to his class 2013 ish, he was teaching lot of material from his album Travesia. I'm not sure what hes teaching these days? only popped my head in in 2023 and ended up chatting to people instead of listening!
So what's the final verdict, if any, on what happened to his hand? I remember someone said a car door slammed on his index finger? Or was that just hearsay and it's actually focal dystonia?
sorry what reason? that he expects them to play normally?
After a decade of being blown away by the guy in class, and learning top level techniques, it was frankly too depressing to see the hero that could no longer play what he taught us or even do a basic arpegio. Since then as I said, I still go and get inspiration from his new music but for the advanced guys that really looked up to him it was quite horrifying. They still would go to support and gain knowledge in the environment but would take those alternate classes.
As to “final verdict” nothing changed from my last explanations. Something happens in 2008 that he cancelled a series of concerts for 3 months. Then in 2009 he is playing fine but makes mistakes here or there. And by 2010 his playing deteriorated to index avoidance. Perhaps he had a physical thing then developed psychological doubt and ultimately dystonia trying to work through it? At last hearing from a friend ….some friend of his closed the car door and does not want to be known and Gerardo does not expose who that was publicly. Could even be the guy that told me that (his friend). But the point is moot.
After a decade of being blown away by the guy in class, and learning top level techniques, it was frankly too depressing to see the hero that could no longer play what he taught us or even do a basic arpegio. Since then as I said, I still go and get inspiration from his new music but for the advanced guys that really looked up to him it was quite horrifying. They still would go to support and gain knowledge in the environment but would take those alternate classes.
Printable Version
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread