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I wondering how many flamencos don't have a cool flamenco nickname? Vicente Amingo is the first one I can think of that comes to mind. How many others are there? Why do so many flamencos use nicknames? Is this popular in other styles of music?
It's just part of Spanish culture. In everday life, your formal name is for business, strangers and acquaintences, and your nickname is for close friends and family. That goes for everyone, not just musicians or flamencos. Sometimes it's the other way around, with your formal name being reserved by those who know you well. It's sort of like a guy's friends calling him "Tony" and only his mother calling him "Anthony."
About the concept of identity, Spanish kids always go through a phase where they become aware of signatures (like when you sign your name at the end of a letter). It's funny because they always overdo it at first, with all kinds of exaggerated loops and flourishes.
Perhaps the use of nicknames originates from the flamenco gitanos.
In Greece, the gipsies use their nicknames in their life. I had some gipsy friends called Tsiou, Katsoulinos, Saravakos (which was the forename of a famous greek soccer player of the 80s-90s).
Cuz you could not tell which "Jose" was singing, or which "Manolo" or "paco" or whoever was playing etc. Look what happened with "Juan Carmona".....I mean WHO do I mean here? That is like half a dozen people, and one of em is French!
Amigo is not his last name, it is Girol. Sanlucar is not manolo's name, it is Muñoz, same for de lucia, de gastor, de huelva, Niño Ricardo was Manuel Serrapi, etc etc.
That leaves the actual guitarists that use their actual name only Ramon Montoya, Rafael Riqueni, Juan Manuel Cañizares, Gerardo Nuñez, and Jeronimo Maya. Can't think of any others on my favorite lest.
I agree with Norman; its just part of the culture. Pretty much in Spain and all of latin america people have nicknames. Most people give nicknames to other people based on their physical apearances:
Flaco - skinny Gordo(a) - fat largo - tall (but it actully means long) Chaparro(a) - short pelon - bald negro - black or brown skin Pelo de maiz - red head (actually means corn hair)
We have a cowrker here whos name is Mauricio, or Mau. He stutters a lot, so we all call him Ma Mau! He laughs at it and that is now his name!
But theres also the nicknames that are from childhod that have just satyed with you - Camaron de la Isla was named camaron, or shrimp, because of his fair complexion, and de la isla means "of the island". Most people who are called Tito, are not actually named tito - it is just a common nickname that is given to a child.
Since my parents are Mexican, my nickname here in Costa Rica is Manito. Mano, or manito is a common way of saying buddy or man in Mexico.
Cuz you could not tell which "Jose" was singing, or which "Manolo" or "paco" or whoever was playing etc. Look what happened with "Juan Carmona".....I mean WHO do I mean here? That is like half a dozen people, and one of em is French
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Amigo is not his last name, it is Girol.
I thought his name was Vicente Amigo Girol but I may be wrong.
The popularity of nicknames in Spain is rife but particularly so with gypsy's.
This may stem from the fact that only 40 years ago when Franco had power he insisted all woman be called Maria and all men Jose. They were then able to choose a christian name of choice. They also have two surnames.
Maria (Reyes) + fathers suranme + mother maiden name Jose (Ramon) + fathers suranme + mother maiden name
In school we had no nicknames at all. Also at the university, i dont know anybody who has a nickname. We just use the normal names. It works, its a pretty simple concept actually
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Most people give nicknames to other people based on their physical apearances
I recently saw the name "El chorizo" on a website ... A dancer i know likes to give me "olé, Moreno!" jaleos and for that one second i think i sound like an authentic flamenco guitarrist ... or at least i feel like that
In fact, EVERYONE, had to be called Maria (for religious reasons) and if you were a man you could use Jose Maria just as girls used Maria Jose. Religious stuff....
In Mexico there is a whole range of terms for skin color - guero, moreno claro, moreno, prieto ... I wonder if this is a holdover from the libro de las castas.
A year ago, I read El Chato de la Isla's book (he was called "Chato" - 'pug nose' because an illness left him with a very small, deformed nose). He was discussing the nickname 'Farina' - there was a dancer named Farina, from Chiclana (who, by the way was crippled - he's discussed in Howson's Flamencos of Cadiz Bay - the Maestro Felipe chapter). You think they would have called him "Cojo", but 'Farina' referred to his dark complexion. There is, of course, the famous fandangos singer, Rafael Farina - I hadn't realized 'Farina' was a nickname, but he is also dark.
Where this comes from is amazing. In the 30s and 40s, dubbed versions of Little Rascals movies were popular in Spain. The names of the kids were also translated in Spanish - the Spanish word for 'buckwheat' is 'farina' - so after that, it was common to refer to dark-skinned kids as 'Farina' after the Little Rascals character.
That leaves the actual guitarists that use their actual name only Ramon Montoya, Rafael Riqueni, Juan Manuel Cañizares, Gerardo Nuñez, and Jeronimo Maya. Can't think of any others on my favorite lest.
just found out that someone from iran stole my idea already (with persianas)
Don't worry, it sounds funny in Spanish anyway (= 'blinds', on the window). But you could get back at Bahram by collaborating with gj to invent yet another new palo, called..... persianas venecianas.
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