Listening guide. Today’s flamenco guitar. Special feature

Listening guide. Today’s flamenco guitar

Toque’s new directions

Martín Guijarro, January 2007
Translation: Joseph Kopec

Any guide on today’s guitar could begin with Paco de Lucía, since each and every one of his new albums continues to shake things up for the instrument. But flamenco guitar neither begins nor finishes with the Algeciras-born maestro. Guitarists from the following generation were inspired by his hands, but they have branded their own mark. That is the case of now recognized guitarists such as Cañizares, Rafael Riqueni, Gerardo Núñez and Vicente Amigo. But all over the flamenco map, very personal musicians have made their way, taking a step forward on each album: from Jerez, Juan Diego; from Cañorroto, Ramón Jiménez; from Almería, Niño Josele... And there are now new names in the line of succession, some with a début album like José Manuel León and others with a seasoned career live and imminent records.

In order to start to clarify the rich panorama of today’s toque, we should begin with those maestros who, though still young, have firmed up their mark, their personality and their discography. That group might be limited to four musicians: Cañizares, Vicente Amigo, Rafael Riqueni and Gerardo Núñez.

Cañizares, with solid academic training, toured the world, seconding Paco de Lucía himself, at the same time as he cooked up his own discourse. He is overflowing with precise technique and a complex imagination, but with that necessary know-how to compose for all ears, as is reflected by albums like ‘Noches de imán y luna’ and ‘Punto de encuentro’. More along classical lines was ‘Isaac Albéniz’, an album on which two sonatas for piano by the composer were shone through flamenco’s prism. Rafael Riqueni took the elegance from the old-time maestros to compose and perform. Albums such as ‘Juego de niños’, ‘Alcázar de cristal’ (whose sheet music has just been published in three exhaustive volumes) and ‘Mi tiempo’ capture his musical discourse, full of nuances, deep roots and feeling.

Of the four, the most popular one is undoubtedly Vicente Amigo, a guitarist who has made music capable of winning the heart of the masses, beginning with the teachings of maestro Manolo Sanlúcar. From his first album, ‘De mi corazón al aire’, to the new ‘Un momento en el sonido’, he has developed and matured sensual compositions which have become genuine slogans of contemporary guitar. Gerardo Núñez started off by accompanying cante in his hometown, Jerez, to go on to forge a road which would lead him to discover a style which is his own and universal at the same time. Upon rubbing shoulders with musicians of other genres such as jazz, he has broadened his registers, as can be appreciated in his powerful live show in a trio and on albums like ‘Calima’ and ‘Andando el tiempo’.

Now situated with those four pillars, it is time to investigate the variety and wealth of today’s flamenco guitar. Just out of a question of order, we can follow geographic criteria. We shall begin with the motherland, Andalusia. And from west to east, in Huelva you can hear the guitar of Juan Carlos Romero, which draws on sources from Almería by Tomate de Almería (Tomatito’s uncle) and sources from Cádiz by Manolo Sanlúcar. With a solid career as an accompanist, he started to define himself solo as an enveloping musician, modern but traditional, always surrounded by young voices. That’s what his album ‘Romero’ is like.

In neighboring Seville, today’s toque has names such as those of Manolo Franco, who at present can only be heard on the album shared with Quique Paredes and José Antonio Rodríguez, ‘3 guitarras flamencas’; Antonio Carrión, a specialist in traditional accompaniment live, but with no record out on the market; and Niño de Pura, a musician possessing devilish technique with albums like ‘Pozo y caudal’ and ‘Niño de Pura’. Featuring vigorous, elementary toque is Paco Fernández, who has made his début with the album ‘Sastipén Talí’. Córdoba is represented on toque today, besides by Vicente Amigo, by José Antonio Rodríguez. A conscientious composer and versatile performer, he plays on a deep knowledge of flamenco music and a mentality open to all sorts of influences. Pending the re-release of his previous titles such as the acclaimed ‘Manhattan de la Frontera’, available at present is ‘La leyenda’, a record he composed by assignment of the Andalusian Dance Company.

Heeeeeeey, we’ve left Jerez behind. And it’s really interesting to see how in the land of the pure, totally free proposals stand out such as that of Juan Diego, a reliable accompanist for top-notch cantaores, but also a composer of spaced-out music and subtle feeling. That was seen by those who heard his début album, ‘Luminaria’ (currently out of print) and the disc he recorded for the audio firm Bose with the generic title ‘Flamenco. From the heart of Andalucía’. His next album, which he is getting ready in the United States, is scheduled to be released in late 2007. Also from Jerez are other tocaores with a lot to say and seasoned experience live, accompanying the best baile and cante artists, such as José Quevedo, Manuel Parrilla, Javier Patino and Alfredo Lagos, though they have fans waiting for records. The rest of the province of Cádiz also offers toque options with concepts as open as those of Nono García and Tito Alcedo.