SPECIAL FEATURE. CHARTS: TOP 10 FLAMENCO-WORLD.COM 2009

CD. Top 10 Flamenco-world.com 2009 DVD. Top 10 Flamenco-world.com 2009 BOOKS. Top 10 Flamenco-world.com 2009

DVD. Top 10 Flamenco-world.com 2009

1. María del Mar Moreno, Mercedes Ruiz & Fernando Terremoto, ‘¡Viva Jerez!’ More information, video, orders

2. José Manuel Montoya, ‘Guitarra flamenca en 48 clases’ (4 DVDs) More information, video, orders

3. AAVV, ‘Método de baile flamenco’ More information, video, orders

4. Paquito González, ‘El cajón flamenco de Paquito González (2 DVD)’ More information, video, orders

5. VVAA, ‘Pasión Flamenca. Guitarra. Vol. 1 y Vol. 2 (2 DVD NTSC)' More information, video, orders

6. VVAA, ‘De Córdoba a Cádiz (DVD)’ More information, video, orders

7. Rocío Márquez, ‘Aquí y ahora’ More information, video, orders

8. Estrella Morente, ‘Antología’ More information, video, orders

9. Bambino, ‘Bambino: artista de artistas’ More information, orders

10. Niña Pastori, 'Caprichos de mujer’ More information, orders

The publication of audiovisuals, although declining in 2009, always arouses interest among enthusiasts, whether it is due to the desire to learn, or due to the demand for recordings of live flamenco. And triumphing this year was the DVD ‘¡Viva Jerez!’, the baile, cante and traditional toque show which opened Festival de Jerez 2008, a production by the event itself starring artists like María del Mar Moreno, Mercedes Ruiz and Fernando Terremoto. But taking correspondence classes on DVD is the next most valued thing for Flamenco-world.com’s customers. In fact, the next three posts in the ranking are occupied by educational products. Specifically, José Manuel Montoya’s guitar method ‘Guitarra flamenca en 48 clases’; the different volumes of the collection ‘Método de baile flamenco’, on which maestras such as Ángeles Gabaldón and Mercedes Ruiz explain specialties like the bata de cola; and the classes for percussionists ‘El cajón flamenco’ by Paco González.

¡Viva Jerez! (Photo www.vivajerez.net)

And back to live flamenco… which is another way to learn. Coming in fifth place is ‘Pasión flamenca’, a select compilation of performances by leading cante, baile and toque figures recorded by Andalusian television in past seasons and now recovered. In sixth place is ‘De Córdoba a Cádiz’, a tablao show which Javier Latorre choreographed for El Cordobés in Barcelona. The seventh post goes to the curious début by Huelva-born cantaora Rocío Márquez who, after winning the Lámpara Minera Award, decided to début with a concert on DVD, instead of on CD, entitled ‘Aquí y ahora’. And the next place is occupied by ‘Bambino: artista de artistas’, a pack in which, besides music, the live performances on television of the vibrant artist from Utrera have been published for the first time. Similar products are ‘Antología’ by Estrella Morente and ‘Caprichos de mujer’ by Niña Pastori, well-wrought anthology editions in which each includes a bonus DVD with previously unpublished performances. Both of them close a Top 10 consisting of nearly all the new audiovisuals, that’s to say, once again more audiovisual activity has been missing, especially focused on spreading the work of the top figures of this artform and baile in particular. That might be why titles like ‘Flamenco’ by Carlos Saura and the DVDs of Joaquín Cortés and Sara Baras continue to be classics in the shopping cart year after year.

Books. Top 10 Flamenco-world.com 2009

1. Diego del Gastor, ‘Diego del Gastor. Estudio de estilo’ More information, orders

2. David Leiva, ‘Camarón’ More information, orders

3. David Leiva, ‘Método de cante y baile flamenco y su acompañamiento’ More information, orders

4. Juan Parrilla, ‘Método flamenco para instrumentos melódicos’ More information, orders

5. Claude Worms, ‘Dos guitarras flamencas por fiesta' More information, orders

6. Pedro Bacán, ‘Pedro Bacán. Estudio de estilo’ More information, orders

7. Lola Fernández, ‘Flamenco al piano. Tangos’ More information, orders

8. Rafael Riqueni, ‘Sueños y sones flamencos’ More information, orders

9. Carlos Piñana, ‘Mi sonanta’ More information, orders

10. Silvia Calado, ‘Por bulerías. 100 años de compás flamenco’ More information, orders

That flamenco fans are more prone to listening and watching than reading is confirmed list after list… unless we’re talking about sheet music. And in 2009 this trend has been even more pronounced. Most of the top sales consist of study books, with music transcriptions of basic guitarists such as Diego del Gastor, Pedro Bacán and Rafael Riqueni, or of young toque talents like Carlos Piñana. There is also a demand for educational material for other instrumentalists, highlighted by new products focusing on cante. That’s the case of two different books of transcriptions by David Leiva, one based on ‘Camarón’ and the other entitled ‘Método de cante y baile flamenco y su acompañamiento’. And if Juan Parrilla published a pioneer ‘Método flamenco para instrumentos melódicos’, Lola Fernández specialized in the study of piano in tangos. The only reading book making a place for itself in the Top 10 has been ‘Por bulerías. 100 años de compás flamenco’ by Silvia Calado, an informative study on flamenco’s most emblematic style. While it’s true that it has been a year when publishers have backed down, books such as ‘Antonia Mercé. El flamenco y la vanguardia española’ deserved certain attention by those who like baile, just like the latest features on La Niña de los Peines and Manolo Caracol by those who like cante. Now then, the ‘classics’ continue to include the most ideal titles for initiation and to get to know a little bit more painlessly; that’s to say, books such as ‘Todo sobre flamenco’ and ‘Una historia del flamenco’.

That is how the year 2009 shapes up in flamenco and publishing; with relief for the difficulties overcome, with concern about the possibility of moving backwards and, of course, with hope for a much more favorable year ahead. All that is left to add is the wish that in 2010, the year in which the genre might be declared Heritage of Mankind, there are more titles, more commitment, more respect, more care, more opportunities… and above all, more music.