First entry--Moron de la Frontera

[Bob Weisenberg]

Hi, I'm happy to make the first entry in this forum. I've been playing flamenco for many years, but this is the first time I've looked into flamenco forums. I wasn't familiar with the old site, but this looks great so far.

I was brought up in the Moron school, and was very fortunate to have lived there and study with Diego del Gastor and his nephews.

Since then I've moved on to develop my own style, but it is still heavily influenced by the gypsy thumb style of playing. I'd love to hear from anyone who is interesting in this. There is a good article about my time in Moron at my CD Baby website: CD Baby: BOB WEISENBERG: American Gypsy .

If there is enough interest, perhaps we can create a Moron forum.

Bob Weisenberg

[falseta]

Great first post! A while back Falseta.com was invited to the Flamenco Festival held at The Barclay in Irvine California. It was a great show and meeting Juan del Gastor was a highlight of the evening. You can read more about it here:

New World Flamenco Festival

Thanks for making the first post!

[Bob Weisenberg]

Yes. I was lucky to spend a lot of time with Diego, Augustin and Dieguito, but Juan was actually the nephew who was most available day by day when I lived there in 1971-2. He was always in Casa Pepe, or strolling around town. And we heard the most of his playing because he often just took out his guitar to play for fun. He loved to just hang out and talk about flamenco or anything else, for that matter.

Bob Weisenberg
http://www.myspace.com/padreehijo

[falseta]

Hey Bob,

Sounds like Juan del Gastor never changed. I was lucky enough to hang out with him and have a pretty lengthy conversation. And the vibe I got from him was completely about just having fun. He kept telling me how people just dont "play" with the guitar anymore to come up with new sounds. Just play and have fun is what he kept telling me.

[Frontera]

Unbelieveable ... 2 on one forum that are from the Moron school. Bob you were learning in Moron in 71 the same time I was learning Moron flamenco in the USA from a guy that had studied with Diego in the 60's. Played for a few years when time allowed and then stopped to do hard labor jobs until 2003 when I started again. If you haven't got Steve Kahn's CD yet do so, it will bring back memories.

Steve Kahn -- Flamenco Guitarist

[Bob Weisenberg]

This is why I love this Forum--unexpected connections like this. I will spend some time browsing your website and I'm sure I'll have a lot of reactions and comments.

[Frontera]

Bob, I am not Steve Kahn and have never met him but purchased his CD and emailed some. He is one of the better known Moron players. Others include David Serva, Chris Carnes (deceased), Evan Harrah, and many more in the San Francisco Bay area. Sam

[Bob Weisenberg]

Sorry, Sam. I mistook the Steve Kahn link in your last message to be a signature. I read it too fast, clicked on what I thought was the signature and replied right away. Thanks for quickly clearing that up! Tell me more about yourself.

[Frontera]

I wish I could play like Steve Kahn. I just listened to your music on your website. Very good and you are much more advanced than I am. I really liked your Taranta as I have been working on a Moron style Taranta and have just a few falsetas I got from Evan Harrar a few years ago for ideas. I don't play any pieces so to speak, just some rhythm and lots of short falsetas. I mainly play Soleares as I have always identified with it more than others. I recently became interested in the taranta as I spend 11 or so years working in underground mines. I became enchanted with the lyrics about life and death in the mines of Southeastern Spain and want to express it on the guitar.

In 1971 by luck I met a guy that had studied with Diego. I heard him playing and ask him what he was playing and he told me it was Moron Gypsy flamenco. I ask him if he gave lessons and he said no but he was in town for a couple of weeks and would give me a couple of lessons. He wrote down the compas for Soleares and Bulerias and showed me basic technique and on the final lesson he had Diegos favorite rhythms and falsetas written down for me. That was my only lessons and the rest I did on my own. I bought LP's of Sabicas, Raymon Montoya, Phillip John Lee, Juan Serrano, etc and started listening. There were no Moron LP's in those days. I got method books from Cordoba and others and learned what I could. I then switched to playing Brazilian classical as I could read music and it was easier to play correctly.
I built 3 guitars in the mid seventies and one I still have today.

I went to work in construction, logging, mining, bridge building, etc., about 1976 and didn't do much with guitar until I retired due to nerve damage to my inner ear and some others in the brain. My hands are badly damaged from work, so when I started again in 2003, it was worse than starting over. I could no longer do a good rasqueado, etc and my hands cramp after about 30 minutes of practice. To make matters worse I have lost most hearing in one ear and 50% in the other. Anyway 5 years later on a good days I can play simple stuff ok. I had to develop an unusual rasqueado that fits the timing, but lacks dynamics. I don't have a lot of strength in my hands so keeping strings down can become a problem. I kill a lot of notes, but just keep going.

I just play for myself as no one within 150 miles plays or knows flamenco, let alone appreciates Moron. Due to my health I can't travel very far or fly so here I am on the internet. Sam

[Bob Weisenberg]

Thanks for sharing your story with me, Sam. It's late right now, but tomorrow I'll write back with some comments and suggestions.