178- Identity: the
building blocks of
2. Literature
and philosophy
3. Art and
architecture
4. Performing
arts
5. Cinema
and fashion
6. Media and
communications
7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
the details of
Lighting the fuse:nuevo flamenco
Flamenco’s recent popularity surge has been helped
bynuevo flamencoorflamencofusion, which blends
flamencowith other forms. Predictably, the old guard
wasn’t happy at first, but todayflamencoclimbs readily
into bed with pretty much everything – rock, techno,
hip hop, reggae. Virtuosoflamencoguitarist Paco de
Lucía got the ball rolling in the early 1970s, adding
saxophones and the like to the mix, before famously
joining forces with fellow guitarists Al di Meola and
John McLaughlin on a trio of albums. Paco’s long-time
collaborator El Camarón de la Isla also had a go at
fusion before it was recognised as such. Some were
horrified thatflamenco’srevered son could dip his toe
in other waters.Shush, he’s in the zone
A godly cousin of the
cante jondo, thesaeta
is performed during
Semana Santa
processions. A lone voice
starts up in the crowd,
the procession stops and
everyone remains silent
while he gets it out of
his system.
“THE ONLY THING
THAT I DO, AND
THAT I HAVE DONE
IN MY LIFE IS TO
SING, BECAUSE IT
IS ALL I KNOW
HOW TO DO.”
El Camarón de la Isla
Ketama, the biggest
group thrown up yet by
theflamencofusion
genre, take their name
from a small Moroccan
town famous for its
hashish crop.
In search ofduende
Whenflamenco
goes well, really well,
performers can
apparently find a higher
spiritual plane.Duende,
as it’s called, is like the
Holy Grail offlamenco,a
magical, Zen-like state
of euphoria brought on
by the incessant rhythms
of music and song.
El Camarón de la Isla
The tortured genius of modernflamenco, largely responsible for its revival, cemented
his immortality by dying aged 42. He remains the singer against whom all others are
judged.Enrique Morente
Another giant Andalusian voice, this one controversially but brilliantly mixing
flamencowith rock, Indian music and Gregorian chanting.Carmen Linares
The hugely versatile grand dame offlamencohas mastered a vast repertoire ofpalos.
She used to share stage space with El Camarón de la Isla.Miguel Poveda
A young Catalanpayoproving how farflamenco’s tentacles have spread in the last
three decades. He takes a fairly orthodox approach but isn’t afraid to innovate.Estrelle Morente
Enrique’s daughter has got it in the genes (often said to be crucial toflamenco).
She sings the traditional stuff, but has also pursued more progressive avenues.
The voice to which Penélope Cruz lip-synced in the filmVolver.Five modern greats offlamencosinging