Tomasito reactivates flamenco rock on the new album ‘Y de lo mío, ¿qué?’

The disc is produced by Tino di Geraldo and includes scores by Kiko Veneno

Flamenco-world.com, June 15th, 2009

Flamenco once again raises the value of one of its most valuable assets. Tomasito has just released his fifth solo album, ‘Y de lo mío, ¿qué?’, by the hand of the outstanding record company Nuevos Medios and producer Tino di Geraldo. The album knocks flamenco rock up a notch with a personal touch, with a repertoire of eleven songs highlighted by scores by Kiko Veneno, ‘Fandangos de Coppini’ and versions of songs such as ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC. The album’s release on June 15th, 2009 coincides with a busy agenda of performances by the singular Jerez-born artist, which has room for everything from a concert in Dakar, a collaboration with Wynton Marsalis in Canada, to a compás course at Mont de Marsan.

Tomasito (Photo Daniel Muñoz)

The release of Tomasito’s new album contains a paradox. ‘Y de lo mío, ¿qué?’ is the fifth disc of his musical career and, nevertheless, it is going to be the only one his followers can buy now at an online or physical store. All the previous ones, from ‘Torrotrón’ (1993) to ‘Cositas de la realidad’ (2002), are off the catalogue. And the thing is that, for the time being, the record industry doesn’t seem to have known how to value one of the most original, renovating, talented flamenco artists of our days. That might be why the key is held by Nuevos Medios, the label which has promoted new flamenco for over two decades now and which has just released this latest recording by the Jerez-born artist.

Like his previous disc, ‘Y de lo mío, ¿qué?’ has the production of Tino di Geraldo, who moreover authors the album’s title cut. A collaboration with which, according to the promotional flyer, “the groove was guaranteed”. In order to shape up the repertoire of songs, Tomasito “sought the complicity of authors and lyricists he is currently most in tune with”. The list of authors is headed up by “some old buddies” like Kiko Veneno - who contributes ‘Consejos de mi pare’ and ‘La vida está mu mala’ - and Germán Coppini - former member of Golpes Bajos -, who writes the fandangos. The list of songs is completed by ‘Rumba del revés’, with the collaboration of Muchachito Bombo Infierno; ‘Lola y Candela’, ‘De Marte a Miércole’, ‘Quisiera’ and the vibrant version of ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC, among others.

Tomasito on tour

At the same time as the album is launched, Tomasito will travel from stage to stage this summer. Besides the concerts with his own group at forums like Seville’s Festival Territorios 2009, the 2009 Afro Flamenco Festival in Dakar (Senegal) and the 2009 Mont de Marsan Flamenco Festival (where he also stars in a compás course and a street show), he has talked-about collaborations scheduled like the one he will carry out together with jazz player Wynton Marsalis in Barcelona, Canada and the Vitoria Jazz Festival.