Need flamenco guitarist recommendations

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metalhead

Posts: 189
Joined: Apr. 15 2023

Need flamenco guitarist recommendations

Hello

I'd like to get a few flamenco guitarist recommendations for learning more music or just listen to more flamenco. Personally I like to listen to artists who don't play flamenco just for the sake of it and rather put some soul into their playing. I like to listen to sweet sounding stuff but also very groovy

I don't know who to look out for so currently I've very flamenco guitarists i like. My current favorite players include Paco Pena , Ben Woods and Kai Narezo.

Paco Pena is likely my favorite, his music has a soul and most his music stuff sounds very good while also being really groovy

Can you recommend a few players that I might like?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 25 2023 21:55:52

RobF

Posts: 1627
Joined: Aug. 24 2017

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

Hi, not knowing your background so I’ll assume you know less than more…

First and foremost is anything by Paco de Lucia, including all his early works with Camerón de la Isla. Following on that another mainstay would be Moraíto, he only has a couple of solo albums but they are available on streaming. Vicente Amigo has been hugely influential, he may not be a favourite on the Foro but his music is highly listenable and he’s a top tier guitarist. Finally, we have Tomatito, another Camarón alumni who is well worth a listen.

These players are kind of foundational for the newer generations of players, so could be considered to be must listen to fare. There’s many others, of course, but these four cover a lot of territory and are best in class players of great significance and enormous influence. Even if they don’t all resonate with you, they all warrant a listen. Many listens, actually.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 25 2023 22:44:14

RobF

Posts: 1627
Joined: Aug. 24 2017

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

In the case of Paco de Lucia, his recorded inventory is so expansive it might help to narrow it down a bit. Here are a couple of albums you could start with, the first is with Camarón, called Canestera. The albums he did with Camarón didn’t really have titles, they just used the name of the first track. The second, Almoraima, is one of his own releases and is pretty well required listening.

The other guys didn’t put out as much stuff so are easier to sort through. I like the earlier recordings Tomatito and Vicente Amigo did more, but that’s just me. All of these players play with a lot of soul.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 26 2023 13:06:54

silddx

Posts: 726
Joined: May 8 2012
From: London

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

A few I really like.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 26 2023 16:39:07

Ricardo

Posts: 15142
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

quote:

Paco Pena is likely my favorite, his music has a soul and most his music stuff sounds very good while also being really groovy

He played in the style of Ramon Montoya, Niño Ricardo, and Sabicas, although he would have named Paco de Lucia as the greatest, especially his first 4 solo albums.
Ben played several pieces by Paco de Lucia and would probably also name him as the best flamenco guitarist.
Kai, I don’t know him well personally, but he seems to know the traditional players as I know them.

So it is very odd you don’t name Paco de Lucia. He has crossed the lines between traditional and modern and therefore is the primary reference we use for the genre. In traditional, the players were tending toward cante accompaniment more that solo playing:Melchor de Marchena, Ricardo (mentioned), Manuel Morao, Paco Cepero. The modern players have great track record for doing both:Manolo Sanlucar (Tauromagia), Vicente Amigo (Vivencias), Gerardo Nuñez (Jucal) are my favorites. More recently Antonio Rey has been carrying the torch with his last few solo guitar albums.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 26 2023 16:45:31

metalhead

Posts: 189
Joined: Apr. 15 2023

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to Ricardo)

Paco de lucia is good ofcourse. Almoraima (bulerias) is the greatest piece of music I've ever listened to. I didn't name him because he is simply too virtuosic to have anything in common with anybody. Everybody tells Paco is their favorite, so I felt it wouldn't be a great indicator of the kind of music I want to listen

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 26 2023 17:39:22

Stu

Posts: 2663
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

quote:

because he is simply too virtuosic to have anything in common with anybody

I'm not quite sure thats relevant. or even accurate.

guess it really depends on what you like/wanna hear.

Do you have spotify account? find some flamenco guitar playlists or stations and listen and see what jumps out at you. Just beware. You might have bogus stuff masquerading as flamenco!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 27 2023 10:46:03

Filip

Posts: 439
Joined: Apr. 23 2006
From: Paris

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

Lately I've been listening Rafael Riqueni a lot. Alcazar de Crystal and Herencia albums are lovely masterpieces.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 27 2023 20:51:46

Dudnote

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 13 2007

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

Niño de Miguel (tomatito's uncle) - there's a great documentary about him.

Dani de Marón is one of my favourite modern players.

_____________________________

Ay compañerita de mi alma
tú ahora no me conoces.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 27 2023 21:14:44

mark indigo

Posts: 3626
Joined: Dec. 5 2007

RE: Need flamenco guitarist recommen... (in reply to metalhead)

quote:

Can you recommend a few players that I might like?

Ramon Montoya
Manolo de Huelva
Niño Ricardo
Manuel Morao
Melchor de Marchena
Sabicas
Mario Escudero
Pepe Martinez
Esteban de Sanlucar

Paco de Lucia
(Fabulosa Guitarra,
Fantasia Flamenca,
Fuente y Caudal,
Almoraima,
Siroco,
Rio de la Miel... and all the rest!
9 albums with Camaron - 4 are untitled and say only "El Camarón De La Isla Con La Colaboración Especial De Paco De Lucía" on the front, but are often referred to by the titles of the first track:
Al Verte Las Flores Lloran,
Cada Vez Que Nos Miramos,
Son Tus Ojos Dos Estrellas,
Caminito De Totana.
The others are:
Canastera,
Soy Caminante,
Arte Y Majestad,
Rosa María
Castillo de Arena)

Manolo Sanlucar (Recital de Guitarra, Mundo y Formas de la Guitarra Flamenca vols 1-3, Tauromagia, Locura De Brisa Y Trino)

Victor Monge "Serranito"
Pepe Habichuela
Enrique de Melchor
Niño Miguel
Tomatito
Moraito
Manolo Franco
Rafael Riqueni
Gerardo Nuñez
Jose Antonio Rodriguez
Vicente Amigo
Migel Angel Cortes
Chicuelo

Lots of younger players, I can't keep up with everyone...

Antonio Rey
Diego del Morao
Dani de Moron
Jose Manuel Leon
Alejandro Hurtado

quote:

I didn't name him because he is simply too virtuosic to have anything in common with anybody.

Compare his first two solo albums (first two I listed of his) with his contemporaries Manolo Sanlucar and Serranito. Their level of virtuosity has become a kind of standard for all the players that have come after....

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 4 2023 18:08:36