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Flamenco in America |
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Posted by: Lupe Alegria (IP Logged)
Date: June 3, 2003 05:36AM |
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Lupe here (again?); I am asked how is the Flamenco Scene in USA. Very very active. However!! When have you seen or heard of a flamenco American artist. If you do, it will be a fusion-menco presentation. Lotsa loud rumba, bularia,salsa, latin beat, hot rythems. There are a lot of Juergas going on across the country controled, as it needs, by Spanards. Very traditional and costly to attend at private homes. Here in San Diego there are a lot of professional players. The Romeros live up from me. Guitarist-teacher Diego Corriente keeps leaving me CD's to compare. I was a classical guitarist befor flamenco. I read well and most flamenco do not. So I can help flamencos learn stuff, Rodrigo, Tarrega, ect. I have tutored some good players, way beyond my capabilities, but then I'm lazy. People like my playing, they say its restfull to listen to. That's good. I'm Director of the Flamenco Conservatory here, where the first concern is Saeta. Uninteresting stuff to Paco-wanabees. I'm uncomfortable with solo picados,bularia, rumba, Latino stuff. Not my thing. Like Sc/fi is paired with Fantacy. Novo Menco is based here as with a lot of other groups, I personally can not take loudness. NovoMenco/PoP/Traditional/Flamenco? No, things are not well here in the USA, that is why I come to Zambra or Flamenco World to view what's-up in Flamenco. We have no Morentes-Carmens-Esperanzas!
Feel free to delete this. It must have been the coffee! Basta.
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Posted by: Miguel (IP Logged)
Date: June 3, 2003 06:05AM |
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Dear Lupe,
your message about Flamenco in the US is fascinating.
I keep wondering how a Flamenco "scene" (Flamenco performers and teachers, people who listen to the music, form peñas and organize juergas) can exist there, because there is something fundamental lacking: Andalucia. In Spain we always say that everything flamenco happens in Madrid. Madrid is more like Hollywood. It is the showcase. But Andalucia is the "craddle and the forge". It is where people where raised listening, dancing and living with Flamenco music (I saw a very nice film about Niño Jero a few days ago. He was playing guitar while his 3 year old was kid sitting on his knee and singing!) It is the "craddle and the forge".
In Barcelona - where I'm from and live - we have some highly talented Flamenco artists (Ginesa, Miguel Poveda, Mayte Martín). They were born and raised here, but they have to visit Jerez every now and then.
Miguel
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Posted by: Lupe Alegria (IP Logged)
Date: June 13, 2003 04:47AM |
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Miguel; I live in San Diego, have a nice studio at edge of Canyon, hence very private. My neighbors know I play flamenco and complain "Play louder, we want to hear!" Some evenings I join them on decks above the street have a beer and play. Everyone love it. I'm not a pushy player, I play and converse at same time, wonderful practice, I should be paying! Across the street lives a flamenco dancer, She's never talked to me, I've never seen her at close.A few month ago there was another flamenco dancer. Both woman had taken classes together. When I go to afternoon coffee-house I play guitar all the time I'm there,There's a house guitar just for me and I pass guitar around to whomever plays. My buddy is Greek drummer. Between us we talk about culture, we notice. Agreed it must be that Mediterainians are simular and get along well, music is a very important factor in this. All across America flamencos compete against one an other. Money-costume-proffesional-Bularia-rumba-picado-who has best slaps-knocks. I get Diego to play just for the playing when he drops in the Coffee House, no excuse-the guitar is there. (A little Yamaha that play flamenco well enough)All the cities in the U.S. have very good flamenco players but none play in public. It is strange. I don't know the reason for this. I just pay it no attention and play anyway. But I will not gig for money or for crowds that know nothing about what Toque I'm playing and how I'm treating it. Sorry for the blah-blah-blah. It's gotta be the coffee! Basta.
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Posted by: Lupe Alegria (IP Logged)
Date: June 15, 2003 05:23AM |
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Miguel; That's it!! America has no Andalucia!! I visit mountains one time with school chum. Appelachia. Tennesee-Sody-Daisy. Real mountain people. sit on a log and sing beautiful-haunting old songs mostly religous but so much like Saeta in Espana. Shy gentle people, roots in Gaelic song and tradition. Some of Americas woman singers have this country quality."It is what it is." Los Fereros as I call them, the kidies, have lost this and are searching. For me there is no Andalucia here.. My new composition that I'm composing at the moment, "Campanilleros-Serrana" it's a sad piece with lots of Campana and tears wailing softly on a guitar made in Espana. For those who may not know; a Sarrana toque is a lot like Seguiriyas except in Am. The two must not be confused. Un fortunatly the music is a bugger to read, takes a lot of study to get it down then cut it loose from its mooring. It's 11 in the morning.
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Posted by: Lupe Alegria (IP Logged)
Date: August 7, 2003 05:44AM |
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Me Again; Din't want to start new discusion. I subscrb to Flamenco World, just recieved add for Carmen Linares "Antologia (La mujer en el cante.) 2cd's @10.90 (why don't I have the Uro-sign key?)I like Carmen very much. Why is that? I like her guitarist, her visual presentation, I'm begining to understand that I'm really in the minority of Flamenco taste, but then these artist are geting the play the deserve, Yesterday ended up playing for a gathering of friends, their vavorite is a variation I play on Evita. I like Evita so I do it up a bit. What really brings attention is Siguirrias, always. But yesterday play MY favorite Taranta and at one particulr falceta, the one by Juan Martin, (where it goes-Bass-AA-slur-C#-slur-5th-to-E to A-4th.) I love this passage and all the ligato in Tarrant but at this very point I lost their attention, hmmm had to dwell on this. (Recovered nicely with Granaina with Tarrega Leyenda falcetas; that always does it.Lisener really don't (America) care what palo-toque you're playing. Sad,sad. Cheers! (Don) Lupe.
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Posted by: Lupe Alegria (IP Logged)
Date: August 11, 2003 05:15AM |
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Miguel;everybody, Hola! Warm Sunday morning here.Coffee-Estella Morente "A song a poem" Yesterday played a gig in "Gas Lamp" district central San Diego. Spanish Wine tasteing party at "The Wine Cellar" Lotsa people. Lotsa Espanos from your area, Barcelona. Big place 'moved from room to room, big crowd, played simple-loud, marvelous reception. every body came to complyment my playing. (I play only my own music-in Flamenco) Tips-.Friends came to hear me, was able to play especial to them also. Mostly Hispano crowd. Guatameteco couple. I feel good. Don Lupe.
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I read your messages with interest. I do not think it is necessary to generalize. There are many valuable Flamenco artists living in America (and in Latin America and Mexico too). I think that bad taste and good taste are everywhere in the world (including Andalusia, unfortunately!) What you sometimes can see in hotels in Spain, on the coast (even on the Andalucian coast) is horrible and commercial.Of course, Andalucia is probably the place where Flamenco was born. Major Flamenco rythms are dedicated to Andalucian cities (Sevilla, sevillanas - Alegrias, Cadiz, Granadinas, Granada, Bulerias, Jerez, etc.)But some of the most genuine and famous artists were born outside of Andalucia, for instance :in Barcelona (Carmen Amaya), pais basco espanol (Pilar Lopez),Navarra (guitarrista Sabicas). Those people spent major part of their lives in America and have left overthere a very valuable human inheritage, from NY to Peru passing by Mexico.
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