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Any recommendations on learning more Rumba styles and techniques? I got a little taste from the basic Flamenco book I'm using right now but I want to keep going with it.
I want more Rumba also! It seems like there is a conspiracy against Rumba on this forum? Is it not puro enough?
Yes, there is a conspiracy against Rumba on this forum--at least as far as I can tell. Henry posted a YouTube link to a rumba by Tomatito yesterday. I was surprised that he did this. It is a very nice rumba, too. I think Ricardo posted a rumba he composed and performed. That's on YT as well.
Graf-Martinez suggests learning the rumba stroke because he claims it helps a person learn Flamenco.
Hi Silvershark, Estela (zata) is a member here and has served her time as a Flamenco singer in Spain for decades. She said that Rumba used to be a really popular way of ending a concert, but slowly got replaced by Bulerias.
I personally think the transition came when the Gypsy Kings came on the scene.
Their vibrant and rhythmic Rumbas really stole the popular imagination IMO.
And they were French Camargue!!
So I think the Españoles decided to steal their music back again by dismissing Rumba and sticking to the down-home Jerez stuff.
However, if you look and do some searches it seems to me that Rumba generated a lot more interest a few years ago. Rare is the rumba post, I guess it is up to the foro members to want more. Nothing stopping-us!
i like alot tomatitos rumbas because they are some really funky groovy stuff,being honest im not a big gypsy kings fan.
since sanlucar ive been listening to alot more cante and mostly puro jerez cante, la paquera, terremoto, el sordera, el zambo, romerito de jerez, aguejetas, jose merce, el torta its my way to wind down each evening after work and study, doing most of my guitar practice in the mornings when im fresh
ive been listening to nothing but solea por buleria all week, that one with diego amaya and el zambo on you tube is dynamite, absolute cracker.
I like that video Wannabee, lots of good stuff to get started with.
Rumba is very definately a flamenco style and I guess most flamencos will know rumba. In fact most "flamenco bars" in the coast actually play a mixture of rumba and fandango. However there are a lot of guys (especially outside of the major cities) who play Rumba and nothing else called Rumbitos and generally they DONT know flamenco. Flamencos generally look down a bit on Rumbitos because...well frankly because many Rumbitos are very good at being drunk and hammering out a heavy rumba on an out of tune guitar on a street corner or in a bar. Its a busking style, a street or club style more than a flamenco art and its a bit of an insult to refer to a flamenco player as a Rumbito. Its kind of similar to comparing a sevillana band to a cuadro flamenco.
I think it is for this reason flamenco players dont want to be called Rumbitos and tend not to concentrate on Rumba consequently. Saying that Tomatito, Vicente etc. play rumba brilliantly....but it doesnt sound like the horrible street buskers you have to put up with whilst trying to get a coffee somewhere!!
Rumba also seems the music of choice at Gypsy weddings I have been to. Emilio insisted on having a rumba as first track on his first album for radio play. We made an amateur video of that track "Algo de mi" from footage from his niece's wedding, easy editing as they only played rumbas all night !!
Anyway emilio was right not only about radio play but also at the clubs and bars. They always play the rumba and the tango from "Temple". I have no idea about other areas of Andalucia but when friends came up from Jerez they remarked how they heard mostly rumbas and tangos in Granada.
The problem with Rumba is that it is an easier type of beat, and therefore more accessable. Flamenco crossed over into "pop" because of Rumba. Paco is famous because of his "rumba", M. Sanlucar too. Anyone into art knows that the more "pop" something is, the more watered down it is. Also, you have Rumberos that can't do other flamenco styles, so it seems logical to separate rumba into it's own genre, separate from flamenco.
Having said all that, rumba strumming on guitar takes a good deal of work, and singing rhythmically is hard too, like buleria. YOu can't do rumba unless you feel it, and have the right soniquete and things like that. It takes years to master like anything else. I have tons of respect for good Rumberos, and they usually have tons of respect for good flamencos as well. I have some rumba strumming patterns I do at www.flamenco-teacher.com as lessons for sale. They are things I have picked up from playing with gitanos from france and other friends that I consider MASTERS of rumba, but I admit I dont' consider myself a master of rumba. I am getting better though! If that is all you do, you will get better, but flamenco is so broad and there is so much to work on it is not common to find great flamencos who are also the best Rumberos and vice versa. Same with singers. Some guys sing Fandangos like no one else, but can't sing Solea or siguiriyas. Hope that helps.
Since this thread is about rumba, I have a question for some of you more experienced players...
I've been told that there are subtle differences between the French camargue styles and Spanish flamenco rumbas.
I am guessing as to what these might be, but some things I've noticed:
The French style seems to bring out the rhythm guitar into the foreground whereas the Spanish seem to keep the rhythm behind the scenes and focus more on brilliant solos or singing etc.
The French rumbas seem to have a lot more variations of patterns with various golpe patterns accompanying the main strum patterns.
Perhaps my experience is too limited to be able to judge these things correctly. Is my thinking totally out in left field or have any of you noticed similar things?
Another little Rumba question. I've been searching for books with compositions? Not necessarily a how-to like the Gipsy Guitar book, but more so just pieces. Any recommendations?
The Gipsy Guitar CD-ROM is a book with compositions. More or less. You learn the strumming techniques through specific parts of the compositions that are separated and shown in videos.
Another little Rumba question. I've been searching for books with compositions? Not necessarily a how-to like the Gipsy Guitar book, but more so just pieces. Any recommendations?
The Alain Faucher Affedis Tomatito book has his rumba Alejandria from his Rosas Del Amor album
These books can work out cheaper to get from other sources depending on postage charges. I bought some mail order in Uk with free postage.
The Pepe Habichuela Encuentro DVD also has his rumba in - I think thats the only rumba in the Encuentro series, apart from Merengue De Cordoba.
It's not something I play much of really, probably 'cos i've spent the time working on compas etc for solea, siguiriya, buleria, etc., and i haven't had to play it for dancers
Anyone recommend any other sources for good tabs of other flamenco rumbas, ie. transcribed from guitarists albums?
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