What did you think when you first heard...?

[deteresa]

Paco Peña and Sabicas are both fantastic. Another guitarist essential to every record collection would be Ramon Montoya (NOT Carlos!!). If you're thinking about investing a little money in learning about classic old-school masters of cante and toque, the series "Rito y Geografia del Cante Flamenco" is really priceless. They come in (I think 3) sets of 4 DVDs each, with accompanying booklets, each about 2 hours long. Just jam packed with incredible performances by all the greatest cantaores and tocaores that were alive in the early 70s when this series was made.

[federico]

Classical Gas by Mason Williams, 1968 is what sent it over the top for me. That was the first time anyone had ever heard such posibilities with the guitar in that style of music. Unfortunately he has not been able to out do himself on that one.

[Black Sheep]

I know what you mean about 'Classical Gas'. I first heard that in an art class in primary school... you know 'Paint want the music tells you... feel the melody... paint what you feel' speech delivered by a teacher wearing cheese cloth, beads and no shoes... and I thought 'If I could play that, women would flock in adoration.'

It has not worked yet...

[MauiFlamenco]

I first heard a rumba player as a guest on a victoria secret model show. He made golpes with each step the model would take on the cat walk. He let the model set the compas, and he played it well. It was smoking hot! I then knew that I wanted to play like that, and it took a couple years and a few too many classical guitar downloads to discover it was flamenco! later, I learned of Paco, Vicente, and Jose Merce. Moraito and Vicente play like their strings are on fire, I love it. I bought a guitar, and now 4 years later, its like its xmas every saturday and sunday morning with my studies in Flamenco.

[Payul]

Hi MauiFlamenco,

It is always funny what different things lead people to flamenco!
Also it facinates me with all these stories is, why it is atracting just a surtain person ( in this case you) to flamenco, and other people does not feel any effect....
It seems to happen all the time...

Welcome here on the foro!
Aloha!

Payul

[Estanislao]

Strangely enough I didn't really get to hear hardcore flmenco until recently.

Most of what I heard throughout life was secondary, though one just about has to be on another planet not to hear the ubiquitous malaguena or the Gypsy King's Bamboleo at some point or another. When I started looking for music when I decided to learn how to play it I was blown away by Manitas de Plata playing El Camino de Ronda. It is a more disciplined version of his Granaina from Juerga, which I have as well.

I agree that Manitas is a bit undisciplined in his play, but that is part of his charm. He epitomizes the wild and free gypsy image most folks have. Though it is easy to wonder what he may have accomplished if he'd made more effort to discipline his play, like Paco de Lucia, who played with Manitas for a time did. My favorite from Manitas' Juerga is Moritas Mora It is a very long and, for him, a very disciplined piece of music. In fact, it is somewhat hypnotic.

I like many others, current and past. But Manitas is quite inspirational to me.