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Well, the first serious cante that I heard was in the late '80's, the CD 'El Nino De Ronda - The Real Flamenco' and that for me was the start. I was just totally blown away by the passion and attitude of the cante, but the harmonic content touched something deep inside me....this I find really difficult to quantify. Strangely enough Mozart does the same, but in a different way. I also find that some Monteverdi can fire my Siguiriyas trigger, as do some of the Bach cantatas, I think it is the underlying sense of stillness that does it....or is it just because I don't understand the words of either
Romerito, opera is not that far from you. Try Korean or Chinese opera, or those untuned bells that they play in Indonesia, if you want to hear something different, or those Mongolian violins that they only play pentatonics in...
Well, I think that Opera and Flamenco are totally different from the voice point of view. (Except they are both volume 8-11 ) There is never any vibrato in a good Flamenco voice. They don't ever try to make the voice sound "beautiful" in a "Western" sense. The only similarity I can see is in the delivery and theatricality. (Which is muy importante of course.)
cheers
Ron
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A good guitar might be a good guitar But it takes a woman to break your heart
I always liked singers that sing out loud and hold the note, with a lot of balls, you know? Started I guess with pop/rock on the radio, triumphant loud refrains with high notes. Later I was amazed at Metal singers holding high notes. Then in the Amadeus movie I really liked how the busty chick was belting out those high notes and cool scales. I did not mind opera at all, if the singer was strong and in tune and in rhythm.
In college, at the time I got into cante, I was dating an opera singer. I don't like the exaggerated vibrato either, unless it is done with rhythmic control. Those beats need to go with the music. That is how I subconsciously prefer one vocalist to another I think for opera, and singers in general probably. (I realized this later of course). I forced this opera chick to listen to some cante. She was impressed by Maria Vargas and Paquera. I dumped her because she said she did not like Paco's tremolo. I knew from then on the girls I dated would have to at least be into flamenco.
One of the first cantaors I heard that I loved and still like, was El Moro, Indio Gitano. Very gutzy harsh sound, very exotic to me at the time. I really liked the range of color the different voices of cante had. Tauromagia and the movie "Flamenco" by Saura were great for introducing the range of vocal colors flamenco offers, to people coming into flamenco as guitar fans first. (I like some Camaroneros, but the color nowadays is very similar). I loved torchering my college roomates by watching Agujetas do martinete over and over.
Of course I still like those powerful voices. I like Terremoto jr, nowadays. Jerez singers in general. I was impressed by Poveda. I am not picky so much the sound of the voice as HOW they sing, if they project with balls. Quiet sexy singing is cute when girls do it, like jewel or Pastori or Estrella, but it does not do it for me like the singers the really yell and hold the high notes (Paquera, Maria Vargas, Esperanza Fernandez, etc). I listen to music loud, like I want my car windows to break on the high note.
Funny enough, Opera and Cante is what I like the most. To this I would like to add: All kinds of interesting ethnical music with human voice. I just love it.
Flamenco without cante can be beautifull, vituose, etc, but if there´s no cante.... I dream away.
Opera, or better said Classical music with voice is something I´ve enjoyed for decades, and I´m not from an elitarian background, all the opposite. For me some days are just listening to a 3 hours Wagner opera, Mahler simfony or Monteverdi etc, in the workshop. I love these long stories where you are kept in the same mood for hours. It helps me concentrate in the workshop.
Other days its Paquera, Mairene and all the others giving me their pure energy.
Theres a lot of music I dont like but it can be in all types of music. There are also flamenco I dont like.
I think that I like more or less all kinds of music. I like a good country song. It reminds me of good ole days back home, but I would never buy or even download a country CD. I dont buy Jazz either, but I like to listen to jazz once in a while. I have most probably listened to east indian music in the radio. I´m a big follower of ethnical music programs in the radio. I feel I learn something, but I forget fast. When art is good its good, and its difficult to explain.
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