Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time

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Spencer

Posts: 34
Joined: Mar. 27 2008
From: Bargara Beach, Australia

Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time

With Jazz there are many guides that suggest the MUST have albums that are the foundations to any good collection. For example, most guides include Miles Davis' 1959 recording "Kind of Blue."

An idea that I would love to see take shape, is to have a place on this site which allowed for the listing of good or great recordings, and that people could rank, rate or vote on, to see which albums emerge as the Flamenco Greats, the Top Ten Must Have Albums.

What albums would you put on this list?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 30 2009 23:46:02

MarcChrys

Posts: 121
Joined: Jan. 11 2009
From: England (West Yorkshire/Lancashire)

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

Hi there,

I requested the 'Must Have' flamenco guitar albums when I first registered..

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=99167&p=2&tmode=1&smode=1

I'd second (third or 333rd!) the recommendation of Manolo Sanlucar's 'Tauromagia'

My other 9 - completing my Top 10 suggestions - would be...

Vicente Amigo 'Un Momento en el Sonido'
Pepe Habichuela ' Habichuela en Rama'
Paco de Lucia 'Sirocco'
Gerardo Nunez 'Jucal'
Tomatito 'Aquadulce'
Paco Pena 'La Gitarra Flamenca/Fabulous Flamenco'
some Sabicas - e.g. 'Sabicas - Greatest Ever Flamenco guitarist'
Rafael Riqueni 'Mi Tiempo'
Legends of Gypsy Flamenco (compilation)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 31 2009 12:29:06

El_flaco

Posts: 44
Joined: Jan. 28 2009
From: Pacifica, CA-US

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

Rugboots,

Thanks for posting this. I can kick myself. I should of thought of searching or asking this question a while back.

I definitely need to expand my flamenco collection.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 31 2009 15:20:46

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

Of the [relatively] few that I have, and in no particular order except maybe that the MOST important are towards the top, my top ten is:

Manolo Sanlúcar - Tauromagia
Vicente Amigo - Ciudad de las Ideas
Paco de Lucía - Almoraima
Armik - Rosas de Amor
Camarón de la Isla - La Leyenda del Tiempo
Camarón de la Isla - Paris 1987
Enrique Morente - Omega
Emilio Maya - Temple
Gerardo Núñez - Andando el Tiempo
Paco de Lucía - Fuente y Caudal
Tomatito - Paseo de los Castaños

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 5 2009 20:05:06

Munin

Posts: 595
Joined: Sep. 30 2008
From: Hong Kong

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

It all depends on taste, of course, but I really think you can say that Tauromagia is an astounding album and should be a constant in any list.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 5 2009 23:22:39

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

IMO, any Camaron/PdL album should be in that list. They are by far the albums which has meant (and stil mean) the most in my journey in flamenco.

To this I would add some older and newer albums.

Older: Maybe a good compilation like "medio siglo de cante flamenco" 4CD or Caracol, Paquera, La perla de Cadiz. There are many.

Newer: Poveda, Maite Martín, Archangel, Carmen Linares etc.

Yes, I know, its all cante albums, but thats what I find to be important. Solo guitar...well, Tauromagia, a couple of PDL, Pepe Habichuela, Tomatito, etc, but I find them boring after listening a couple of times so thats why I didn´t list any of them.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 5 2009 23:41:30

tsoum

Posts: 44
Joined: Mar. 6 2007

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

I love lists, so this is mine:
1. Paco de lucia-Almoraima
2. Paco de Lucia -Fuente y caudal
3. Camaron-la leyenda del tiempo
4. Camaron-como el agua
5. Paco de Lucia-Sirroco
6.Tomatito- paseo de los castanos
7. Nino miguel-diferente
8. Gerardo Nunez-Jucal
9. Serranito-virtusismo flamenco
10. Vicente Amigo-un momento en el sonido

Kostas

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 6 2009 4:31:14

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

1. Paco (all albums, because he is a piece of art itself, lol!)
2. Tomatito - Rosas del Amor (because of the bulerias)
3. Ramon Jimenez's album (because its very innovative with melody)
4. Antonio Rey - A traves de ti (because its Antonio Rey and because of the taranta)
5. Diego Moraos album (because its Diego)
6. Jesus de Rosario's album (because i like 8 of 9 tracks on that CD, which never happens usually)
7. Jesus Torres' album (because i saw him yesterday and the guy is no joke... buleria and solea por b)
8. Rafael Cortes - Gitanos del agua (because of the bulerias and rumba. The first rumba i liked...)
9. Gerardo Nunez (any album is good, cant do anything wrong)
10. Vicente Amigo - De mi corazon... (because of the taranta and buleria)

All albums above include cante. But since its about tastes anyway, just take it with a "

".

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 6 2009 12:09:03

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

D@mn I guess I'll have a crack at it...
Unfortunately my Flamenco record collection is not huge, I get a lot my music from utube and Canal's internet radio these days. I probably don't even have most of the "essential" records, but I will give it a go just picking from my favorite CDs that I have, in no particular order:

Paco de Lucia - Siroco
Sabicas - Flamenco Puro
Camarón - Rosa Maria
Fernanda de Utrera - Cante Grande de Mujer (anthology)
La Niña de los Peines - "Le chant du Monde" (anthology)
El Pele - La Fuente de lo Jondo
Paco de Lucia - Cositas Buenas
Potito - Barrio Alto
Pepe Habichuela & Bollywood Strings - Yerbaguena
Esperanza Fernandez - Recuerdos

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 6 2009 12:43:28

avimuno

Posts: 598
Joined: Feb. 9 2007
From: Paris, France

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

There's so many good stuff out there (great for us humble students of flamenco), but as a foundation I would think that anything ny those artists is really worth gold (I'm mixing both cante albums and solo guitar albums):

- Manuel Torres
- Terremoto de Jerez
- Sabicas
- PDL (anything with Camaron, Siroco and Luzia are my favs)
- Manolo Sanlucar (Tauromagia and Locura de Brisa y Trino - both stunning!)
- Tomatito (here again anything with Camaron, I must say I'm not such a big fan of his solo work - he's a such a great guitarist though)
- Vicente Amigo (his first solo album and the one with Remedios Amaya - a must have!)
- Gerardo Nunez (Andando El Tiempo - flamenco of the future - amazingly rich and complex harmonies)
- Jose Merce with Moraito
- Diego el Cigala (I really like his new album, 'Picasso', Tomatito plays an amazing bulerias on it and Diego del Morao is simply great!)
- Lole y Manuel (amazing songs!)

Also, definitely check out the new generation like Poveda, Arcangel, Estrella Morente, Rafael de Utrera, Miguel Angel Cortes, Chicuelo, Diego del Morao, Jeronimo etc

Listen to as much cante as you can... this is where all the great guitarists got their inspiration from.

Good listening!

Cheers,

Avi

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 6 2009 15:48:15

gj Michelob

Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

To me each album represents a special date with this style still relatively new to me. I can scarcely exclude any of the many in my ridiculously increasing collection. Each different artist is a teacher showing me a different angle to a multifaceted style I earlier thought of as quite single-minded. Anything played by Paco Pena, Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo, Gerardo Nunez, Tomatito, Moraito and Oscar Herrero represents an un-renounceable inspiration, a profoundly rooted pillar in my love for flamenco.

And it is in that perspective, of music “I do not just listen, but pay attention to” I must add “Ricardo”s Madera Sonora. His recording have left a stunning impression on my initial appreciation of this style. Now I realize one could dismiss my enthusiasm as excessive under the auspices of this thread. But if the question seeks a subjective view, then Richard Marlow’s is one of my top-ten in my ipod.

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gj Michelob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 6 2009 19:16:10

aleksi

Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

I only own three guitar albums and they are all exelent and inspiring.
Moraito - Morao Y Oro
Paco - Almoraima
Ricardo Marlow - Madera Sonora

I recommend all of them.

also Tauromagia by Manolo Sanlucar is amazing

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2009 5:23:41

edguerin

Posts: 1589
Joined: Dec. 24 2007
From: Siegburg, Alemania

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

good compilation like "medio siglo de cante flamenco" 4CD

I found a used set at Amazon, and the 4 CDs just arrived.

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Ed

El aficionado solitario
Alemania

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2009 9:11:50

Spencer

Posts: 34
Joined: Mar. 27 2008
From: Bargara Beach, Australia

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to edguerin)

Thanks to all the ideas for increasing my collection.

I have found that the development of my appreciation of flamenco has been an amazing journey. I still owe a debt of gratitude to Jesse Cook and Liebert - hearing their music got me interested in the first place. Now I find them irritating to listen to.

And so the journey continues, and I will pursue some of the CD's in the suggested albums.

I also encountered this discography which others may like to look at:

www.guitarist.com/flamenco/discographies/guitarists.htm

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2009 20:02:48

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

I got into flamenco through the same people and agree re: Jesse Cook but check out Ottmar's newest album (The Scent of Light). I don't see how it can possibly be irritating - very well-written, brilliantly-textured piece of work IMO.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2009 22:00:03

edguerin

Posts: 1589
Joined: Dec. 24 2007
From: Siegburg, Alemania

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

quote:

a good compilation like "medio siglo de cante flamenco"

Thanks Anders for pointing me there!
Great collection. Too bad a number of the pieces have been "chopped off" at the end.

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Ed

El aficionado solitario
Alemania

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 9 2009 21:43:40

asisetoca

Posts: 35
Joined: Nov. 16 2008
From: Kemble, England

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

This is by no means an exclusive list but i think if you were to own all these CD's you would have an excellent collection of high quality recordings spanning the entire spectrum of flamenco. Beginnners, I suggest you get all of these asap and start listening, you won't regret any of them!!

Paco de Lucia- Solo Quiero caminar(some GREAT bulerias!)
Gerardo Nunez- Jucal(just sublime compositions!)
Diego el cigala- Picasso en mis ojos(modern but some real legends collaberating!)
El ni~no ricardo- Toques flamencos de guitarra(classic!)
Camaron de la isla- 3 disc antologia( a must have for all guitarists)
Paco de lucia- Almoraima(the CD that sparked my interest in flamenco)
Juan Carlos Romero-Romero( beautiful sound,great pieces, nice use of cante)
Tomatito- Guitarra Gitana(mind blowing guitar, inspired cante collaberations too)
Tomatito-Aguadulce(modern with some interesting instrumentation)
Paco de lucia sextet- One summer night (one of the best CDs I own!)

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 9 2009 23:39:57

Santiago

Posts: 18
Joined: Apr. 11 2011

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

I thought I'd bump this list up for us new aficionados.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2011 15:57:07

Guest

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Santiago)

Hi
Did a bit of a search through the engine
So
I noticed the Jose Merce and Moraito must have
Currently searching for a complete album of this collaboration
My puro y jondo video tape ( yes video )
Is all I have

So can anyone tell me the name of the album or is it self titled ? ( not finding anything self titled on iTunes )

Great thread
Cheers

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2014 3:29:54

Ricardo

Posts: 14818
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Guest)

"Aire"

THis desert Island flamenco guitar solo list thing has been done a lot, but it's ok to revise it now and again. I have some additions since I wrote in those old links:

1. Tauromagia Manolo Sanlucar
2. Fantasia Flamenca Paco de Lucia
3. Jucal Gerardo Nuñez
4. Paseo de Los Castaños Tomatito
5. Vivencias Imaginadas Vicente Amigo
6. Colores del Fuego, Antonio Rey
7. El Genio de La Guitarra Flamenca Ramon Montoya
8. Flamenco Puro Sabicas
9. Cuchichi Enrique del Melchor
10. Sin Tanto Jesus del Rosario

I would give this list as a way to introduce a range of fine solo players that have impressed me. Of course I spend time listening more to Paco, Nuñez and Montoya in general. And there are not included all the fine accompanists for cante that don't have solo recordings or are or not so impressive as solo players. I spend tons of time listening to them. Rito y Geografia del Cante remains for me as THE ultimate resource for singing and guitar accompaniment stuff.

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www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2014 14:07:49

mark74

Posts: 690
Joined: Jan. 26 2011

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

I can't list ten and the album is an outdated concept anyways, but I have to say

1) Paco De Lucia -Entre Dos Aguas
2) Paco De Lucia- Almoraima
3) Camaron de la Isla- Come el Agua
4) Camaron de la Isla- RosaMaria

also a few tracks from (a) Ramon Monotya (b) Nino Ricardo (c) Diego del Gastor

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2014 0:21:48

Xavi

Posts: 68
Joined: Jul. 10 2012

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

One of the greatest statements of flamenco guitar - or any guitar for that matter - is Paco de Lucia's Siroco, IMHO.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2014 2:00:16

vigrond

Posts: 161
Joined: Nov. 30 2010

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

I made a spotify playlist with a lot of these

http://open.spotify.com/user/vigrond/playlist/6gWBaxcsh1YlTTWbnlxNSO

feel free to make it your own

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2014 3:46:32

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

add
El Viejin - Algo que decir

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2014 8:28:23

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

Great lists here.

An addition among the older tocaores: Niño Ricardo. There's a Chant du Monde album, or if you prefer cleaner technique and modern sound, there's Paco Peña's album of pieces by Niño Ricardo and Ramon Montoya.

There are a lot more cantaores on my shelves, but this is mostly a guitar forum.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2014 16:17:32

BarkellWH

Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

I have to agree with Richard on the Chant du Monde CD of Nino Ricardo. I have it as well, and it contains great pieces from a tocaor who greatly influenced early Paco de Lucia. Another favorite of mine is Sabicas's "Flamenco Puro." And finally, there is a great double CD album called "Ramon Montoya: El Genio de la Guitarra Flamenca, Grabaciones Historicas 1923-1936." With those three, plus Paco de Lucia, one gets a pretty good idea of the development of flamenco guitar in the 20th century, and they make for some fine listening pleasure.

Cheers,

Bill

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With the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2014 17:44:41

Estevan

Posts: 1936
Joined: Dec. 20 2006
From: Torontolucía

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

A great addition to any list:

Jerez - Fiesta y Cante Jondo
- with Manuel Moneo, El Torta, and various others accompanied by Moraíto

...oh yes, and:

El Cante de Fernanda y Bernarda de Utrera
- with the monstrous guitar playing of Marote.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2014 17:45:45

aloysius

Posts: 233
Joined: Apr. 7 2005
From: Adelaide, Australia

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to Spencer)

Totally agree with most of the above choices. I'll try and do a list of must-haves from comparatively less well-known guitarists:

1. Bola (Agustin Carbonell) - self titled
2. Carlos Heredia - Gypsy Flamenco
3. Miguel Perez - Con-Trastes

That's all I can think of for know, most of what I keep going back to has been listed already.

Recent albums I'm really digging are Cano's El Atlante and José Quevedo's Fluye.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 1 2014 10:36:00

El Kiko

Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland

RE: Top Ten Must Have Albums of All Time (in reply to aloysius)

and nobody has put .. “Madera Sonora” by R Marlow ......

well I liked it any way .....

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 1 2014 10:41:31