Ricardo -> RE: modern vs traditional (Apr. 26 2006 15:03:28)
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The first impression of most is that modern flamenco is "jazzy". While there are many fusions like that going on nowadays, the actual literal Jazz music is not really something the modern flamenco guitarists are doing. I studied jazz and I don't find anything that is truely jazz based in the modern flamenco (that SOUNDS jazzy to many). In other words, a very advanced jazz guitarist would not have a clue what is going on in one of Tomatito's "jazzy" bulerias. The chords and usage would be new and weird. I gravitate to the more modern style myself, but still enjoy and play some music by the old masters, such as R. Montoya, Sabicas, Escudero. Gerardo Nunez is one who has very traditional pieces mixed in with very modern pieces on his recordings. (His recordings of Solea, Taranta, solea por bulerias, even Impetu on his newest disc are examples of traditional stuff). In general, the Post PDL generation trys to avoid the old "cliches", at least in the recording studio. (Live flamenco is another matter, which is actually much more important than studio recordings). Moraito is another that mixes it up, but he does so much work for singers, it is easy to describe his playing overall as "traditional". As Florian said, his son can and has played just like his father, but his own personal style is VERY modern. With the exception of the occasional 2-5-1 progression or 13th chord, most of the harmonic stuff that goes on in modern flamenco was established long ago. Listen to Escudero's "Impetu". There are virtually no new harmonic ideas por medio (in A phrygian) in modern flamenco that were not first explored in that very old piece. (not including modulations:relative, parallel, minor third, etc). Some of the "jazzy" chords that you hear in modern flamenco you can find in that piece somewhere. Also the use of the melodic minor modes (common in jazz, but coincidentally) was already in use by "modern" classical composers like M.de Falla who were a big influence on Escudero, PDL, etc. Modulating parallel or relative (Aphrygian -A minor-Amaj, or to F maj/Dminor) is something that sounds "jazzy" at times in a guitar solo, but is based directly on the cante. The only "modern" harmonic idea that is pretty standard nowadays is PDL's beloved minor third modulation, that even singers use nowadays. (A phrygian -C phrygian, and back). The idea is not related to jazz at all, but rather related to the way the spanish phrygian scale works. Also if you listen to Brazillian guitar music (bossa nova stuff) you see a lot of the chordal ideas present in modern flamenco. But I don't consider that jazz. Guys like Charlie Byrd made that stuff popular, so lots of people hear bossa nova on the classical guitar and think "jazz" or jazzy chords. For me as a player the BIGGEST difference between traditional and modern flamenco is SYNCHOPATION in the rhythm. PDL was one of the first to open that door. Listen to the bulerias on Fantasia Flamenca. Playing melodies off the beat really changed flamenco guitar a lot I feel. If you play old Sabicas falsetas, or better yet "Impetu" with lots of synchopation, then there you have "modern" high tech flamenco. Also dynamics plays a big part. Playing soft and sweet in a rhythmic piece, leaving space, or building up the volume at certain points, etc, seem to give a "jazzy" impression too. The techniques of today are essentially the SAME as back during Montoya's day. But the way the techniques are used is different. No doubt modern flamenco guitarists like to listen to different music and it has a big influence on their personal style. The music that influenced PDL (spanish classical impressionistic stuff, Brazillian Bossa, Jazz, jazz fusion and latin jazz) has influenced his own followers. But a flamenco form has certain rules that define it, and depending on one's taste and understanding, it can be argued whether or not a piece is "flamenco" enough to be called whatever. Is Impetu classical spanish based on flamenco, or is it simply Bulerias? As we learn about the parameters of the flamenco forms, we develop personal taste and draw our own lines. I personally like to listen and learn from old and young players. If he is a flamenco player and he wants it to be called Solea, then it is up to me the listener to understand what makes it a "solea". Ricardo
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