Flamenco jazz. Listening guide
Between ‘pellizco’
and feeling
Martín Guijarro, April 2007
Of the musical crosses which
flamenco has experienced, that of jazz is one of the most
fruitful ones. It all began with nearly anecdotal experiences
starring artists from either side, including Carlos Montoya,
Miles Davis and even John Coltrane. But it was when Spanish
jazz players took over the reins that the boom came about.
From Pedro Iturralde to Dolores, from Dolores to Paco
de Lucía, from Paco de Lucía to Jorge Pardo
and Carles Benavent. And Chano Domínguez and Chick
Corea and Jerry González and Marc Miralta... The
encounter has been prospering record-wise for forty years,
so it isn’t a bad idea to offer some orientation
to those who would like to enjoy this doubly-mixed genre
without getting lost.
The origins
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Ramón Montoya |
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How did it all begin? You have to go
all the way back to 1925, when guitarist Ramón
Montoya recorded with saxophonist Fernando Vilches. Next,
it was Sabicas with El Negro Aquilino in 1947. And the
following milestone was a jazz session recorded in the
United States in 1958 in which guitarist Carlos Montoya
conversed with jazz musicians. One year later, Miles Davis,
captivated by Andalusian sounds, recorded an entire album:
‘Sketches of Spain’, inspired by Joaquín
Rodrigo, Manuel de Falla, the saeta and the soleá.
Then came ‘Olé’ by John Coltrane in
1961, with an eighteen-minute piece where what is Spanish
appeared.
But at the same time, on the other side
of the ocean, in Spain, the seeds of jazz were flourishing.
And saxophone and clarinet player Pedro Iturralde happened
to be inspired by his own roots. In 1967 he recorded the
double album ‘Jazz flamenco’, using the jondo,
folk and reinterpretations of the Andalusian genre which
were done by the Spanish nationalist composers. To do
so, he sought out an exceptional ally: Paco
de Lucía. Unfortunately, the record is currently
off the record company catalogue. Let’s hope it
is re-released if not soon, at least some time.
Paco
de Lucía
Once he’d had a taste of it, Paco
de Lucía includes jazz style in his toque and his
work. And to do so, he allied with Pedro Ruy-Blas, leader
of the group Dolores, which would be the hinge for his
encounters with musicians of other lares like Carlos Santana.
The record collaboration was mutual and in 1977 led to
the inclusion of some of its members, that is, saxophonist
Jorge Pardo and percussionist Rubem Dantas, in the mythical
sextet, rounded off with bass player Carles Benavent,
guitarist Ramón de Algeciras and cantaor Pepe de
Lucía. The group’s first fruit, turned into
a flamenco group banner, was ‘Sólo quiero
caminar’.
Paco de Lucía Sextet
With that new language in his guitar,
he converses one-on-one with international jazz greats.
In December 1980, he stars in a concert with Al di Meola
and John McLaughlin, which was recorded on the live album
‘Friday Night in San Francisco’. The tour
was a smash hit and the encounter, long-lasting. Although
it is currently off the catalogue, the album ‘Passion,
grace & fire’ stands out, which would be followed
– and this one is available – by ‘The
guitar trio’ back in 1996, this time recorded at
a studio.
Equally fruitful was his collaboration
with pianist Chick Corea, whom he got together with for
the first time on stage in 1982 in the Dominican Republic.
Their understanding is captured that very year on the
album ‘Touchstone’ by Chick Corea, a real
musical celebration in which Paco de Lucía and
part of his sextet take part. By the way, when the group
breaks up after ‘Cositas buenas’ (2005), the
American pianist re-founds the band Touchstone, but this
time with Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent and Rubem
Dantas. The resulting album, ‘The Ultimate Adventure’,
wins a Grammy in 2007. Ah!, there’s also a DVD with
a live show in Barcelona in which Tomasito joins the party,
too.
Chick Corea and Carles Benavent
(Photo Daniel Muñoz)
Jorge
Pardo & Carles Benavent
If any musician synthesizes in his entire
career as an artist the spirit of what has come to be
called flamenco jazz or jazz flamenco, it’s Jorge
Pardo. The Madrilenian saxophonist and flutist has
devoted his broad range of records to delving into the
prolific ‘entente’, taking inspiration from
both Charlie Parker and Camarón.
And always with complete artistic freedom, as he makes
clear in the title of his second album, ‘A mi aire’.
All his albums are a delight for the palate, though ‘Las
cigarras son quizá sordas’, ‘2332’
and ‘Mira’ could be highlighted. Forever one
step ahead, on his latest album, ‘Vientos flamencos’,
he did the experiment of distributing his music without
a middleman through the website www.flamencodigital.com,
where his most recent pieces can be downloaded LEGALLY.
Moreover, Jorge Pardo is a natural born
collaborator. Dialoguing with other Spanish jazz musicians,
he has put together steady groups and quite a few albums.
With pianist Tomás San Miguel, he has recorded
‘Vida en catedrales’ and ‘De dos en
dos’, currently off the catalogue. His work has
had better luck in the trio D’3 with bass player
Francis Pose and drummer José Vázquez ‘Roper’,
with whom he has recorded ‘3dd3’, ‘Quid
pro quo’ and the live show ‘D’3 directo’.
He has also conversed with pianist Iñaki Salvador
in the live show ‘20 años de Altxerri’;
and with Chano Domínguez in ‘10 de Paco’,
where the saxophonist and pianist do versions of ten songs
by colleague and maestro Paco de Lucía.
And if Jorge Pardo is on winds, at the
forefront of strings is Carles
Benavent, who has established the banner of flamenco
bass, even with a technique of his own. Following his
period in the group Música Urbana with Joan Albert
Amargós, he joins Paco de Lucía’s
band in 1980. And without giving up collaborations with
leading international jazz figures like Miles Davis, Quincy
Jones and Chick Corea. Standing out from his solo albums
are ‘Agüita que corre’ from 1995 and
‘Fénix’ from 1996, on which he includes
two unreleased songs by his admired Jaco Pastorius. He
also loves sharing; an example of that is the album ‘Sumando’
with guitarist Josemi
Carmona, where they found a common space with multiple
influences, but free of labels.
Carles Benavent (Photo: Daniel
Muñoz)
Besides playing in Paco de Lucía’s
group, Jorge and Carles have made a lot of music on their
own. They have formed a trio with percussionist Tino
di Geraldo since 1998, popularly, ‘el trío’.
For the time being, they have one album to their credit;
the vibrant live performance ‘El concierto de Sevilla’.
And the second one is on its way.
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