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Latin jazz and Flamenco
The relationship which unites Michel Camilo and Tomatito goes way back; the pianist,
born in the Dominican Republic, met the guitarist in 1980's Spain. Camilo produced
Ketama and they in turn introduced him to Tomatito. From that time on there were
concerts, as many as 60, in which they sought mutual understanding rather than
one-upmanship
Movie director Fernando Trueba has always publicly declared his love of music,
and he is now at a point in his career where he can afford to combine his profession
as filmmaker with some exquisite musical caprices. In 2000, together with some
partners, he set up "Lola records", an independant company which released
the first title of its catalog, a recording called "Spain", featuring
an unusual duo of flamenco guitar and piano, two instruments not usually heard
together, but which in the hands of Michel Camilo and Tomatito sounded like a
perfect rapport between two old friends. The record contains songs which had already
been interpreted on many stages, a living music, virtuoso and tricky to classify
on the shelves of record stores. A strong Latin flavor predominates in the rhythms
and melodies, and jazz and flamenco are freely toyed with, fleeing from established
forms and academic constraints.
 
This
same year the movie director undertook a project which was more romantic than
commercial, the filming of a documentary called "Calle 54", with impressive
live performances by jazz musicians who take their inspiration from Latin music,
and vice versa. There's also room in this movie for flamenco, a pianist from Cádiz,
Chano Domínguez, accompanied by bass-player Javier Colina and Tomasito's
dancing, is presented as the natural link between flamenco and jazz. So we have
Dominican Michel Camilo, with his classical and jazz background, as another Latin
jazz great participating in "Calle 54". With a bill that includes Tito
Puente, Paquito de Rivera, Jerry González, Chucho and Bebo Valdés,
the viewer is transported on a trip through their diverse styles. First released
in 2000, it quickly hit the video circuit. A music-loving public is as scarce
in theaters as in movie-houses.
In October of 2000, Michel Camilo and Tomatito played for five days at the "Blue
Note" in New York, the historic jazz club which presented flamenco for the
first time. "Canal +" tags along with Tomatito on this journey, from
the garden of his house in Almería, right up to the jazz club. The documentary
shows dozens of moments from these days, but above all it shows the common bond
which unites these two musicians, both with impressive professional histories,
who put their egos to one side in order to share a quest for musical communication
that goes beyond either one's culture.
Daniel Muñoz
Translation: Estela Zatania
Photos and video courtesy of Canal+ España
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