Flamenco

Still growing today, flamenco is strangely revered by many cultures – for instance in Japan – where they are usually less inclined to express emotional torment in their artistic interpretation, flamenco has managed to enter their main commercial channels of music and dance. After the passing of two major spanish flamenco figures, Paco de Lucía and Enrique Morente, others took over and imposed themselves in the current landscape with memorable recordings and tours, while new voices emerge every day from the rhythmic sediment of both of these late legends. José Mercé (Doy La Cara, Warner Music 2016) and Diego “El Cigala” (Indestructible, Sony Music 2016) are at the forefront of the movement, along with new talents who are being warmly received by the public. Alba Guerrero (Seda y Esparto, Taller de Musics, 2015), Maloko (Maloko, Universal Music 2017) and Kiki Morente (Albayzín, Universal Music 2017) are some of the artists performing regularly on Spanish radios, in festivals and theatres, and whom, with their renewed vision, breath new life into this traditional art form that has impacted so many generations. Their talents are nurtured by seasoned interpreters such as Rafael Riqueni, Miguel Poveda and Pepe Habichuela.

One of flamenco’s biggest strengths is its ability to adapt to the market’s new dimensions by collaborating with various musical languages, which − fortunately − has found a way to coexist. The split between flamenco in its purest form and the fusion of new trends has paved the way for unprecedented song and guitar expressions. Alfredo Tejada − who just won the Lámpara Minera (Miners Lamp), the first prize of the Festival del Cante de las Minas, which takes place every year in the mining region of La Unión (Murcia) – acknowledged it in an interview: “I’ve travelled around the world two or three times and worked with the dance companies of Eva Yerbabuena, La Lupi, Antonio Gades and Mario Maya. Flamenco is respected all over the world.” And this search for new influences brought together, under the same rhythm, such extraordinary musicians as B.B. King and Raimundo Amador (on Bollere, from Noche de Flamenco y Blues, Universal Music 1998), Dave Holland and Pepe Habichuela (Hands, Universal Music 2010), or Pat Metheny and Enrique Morente (Sueña la Alhambra, Virgin 2005).

Flamenco, as a means of expressing a feeling, has become a fundamental part of the artery through which music legends flow. Artists have absorbed this art form's ability for regeneration and resilience, perhaps because of its uniqueness and universality, or because it is the embodiment of a passion. Extraordinary albums, such as Santiago Lara’s Flamenco Tribute to Pat Metheny, Warner Music 2016), are part of flamenco’s heritage, transmitted from year to year to other musical genres: “It’s wonderful, I’m very honoured to see how far you’ve been able to take this music”, said the jazz legend after listening to the album.