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New Flamenco ("Flamenco Nuevo") is synonymous with contemporary flamenco, and is often confused with flamenco pop, or latino and even mariachi music.
A modern, diverse musical form, the globalized "New Flamenco" pleases listeners on most continents, notably in Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
The history of "new flamenco" can be traced back directly to "old flamenco" (see the cafés cantantés period, and Rámon Montoya (1880-1949)). Fortunately, some old flamenco was immortalized by records and still serves as priceless inspiration to New Flamenco artists.
New Flamenco movement
The most important early pioneers of New Flamenco are the guitarist Paco de Lucía and singer Camarón de la Isla. Between 1968 and 1979 they enjoyed a fruitful collaboration which produced 10 albums, of which many introduced fresh musical concepts into the traditional and somewhat 'dusty' music style that flamenco had become. After their collaboration Paco de Lucía went on to develop flamenco music into many different directions, even back into the direction of the Moorish music origins of traditional flamenco music.
New Flamenco
New flamenco always respects its central concept of rhythm, complemented by dance, music or voice (or all or some combination there of). The flamenco guitar plays a sentinel role in aiding flamenco. It is sometimes joined by violin, flute, bass. It is said that the person playing the instrument is flamenco, not the instrument itself. The expression of a variety of tonalities (see tonality) are possible, sometimes assimilating from other genres such as jazz, classical and blues and others, yet trying never to lose focus on flamenco and its character. As according to the principles above, the full essence of "new flamenco" may be fully expressed without a guitar being played (see palo seco). This provides a great contrast within new flamenco. Authentic flamenco versus not flamenco can be easily recognized. No matter how "new" the flamenco, it will never come in self-violation with its own compás, cante or baile. The central rhythm shall not be sacrificed in the name of flamenco. This is what sparks controversy with purists who feel a vaccuum is created and the reputation of the art is damaged by it. Flamenco is Flamenco according to the law of identity "'A' is 'A'".
New Flamenco Artists
New Flamenco artists have a fundemetal thread uniting them. They respect the established compás of flamenco music, therefore can build on the works of previous generations of flamencos, with flamenco music being the focus (as oppopsed to a music being inspired by flamenco but focusing on something else).
A few of today's leading New Flamenco guitarists are Paco de Lucia, Tomatito, Diego de Morao, Vicente Amigo, Pedro Sierra, Gerardo Nuñez, Chicuelo, Juan Carmona, Niño Josele, Ramon Jimenez
A few of today's leading New Flamenco singers are Diego El Cigala, Duquende, Potito, Enrique Morente his daughter Estrella Morente, Miguel Poveda etc...
Flamenco Pop
More multi-faceted musicians, such as singers Pata Negra, Alejandro Sanz, Martirio and guitarists Lyloly, Strunz and Farah, Jesse Cook, Ottmar Liebert, Young & Rollins, and Luis Villegas are often mislabelled new flamenco, and have borrowed from flamenco and diversified their experiments with latin jazz, salsa, rock, pop, blues and so on.
Outside of Spain, one of the most famous Flamenco Pop groups are the French group Gipsy Kings, which based almost of their entire repertoire on traditional "Rumba Flamenca". Also from France, Louis Winsberg founded the group Jaleo, which takes fusion experiments even one step further, introducing elements from Arabic, Indian and African music traditions.
External links
"New Flamenco"