It's more difficult than that. There's been a long gypsy tradition of
ripping off the "payos". Many of the greatest Flamenco guitarists of
the past deliberately recorded errors so their stuff could not be
copied accurately. The search for the buck is particularly endemic in
"modern Flamenco" which bears as much resemblance to true Flamenco as
"Jacques Loussier's "Play Bach Jazz" does to "true" Bach. Some of
today's greatest Flamenco guitarists are recording this kind of stuff
because it sells; nevertheless, does anyone doubt that P:aco de Lucia
can play "true" Flamenco whenever he wants to?
So where does that leave us? As in the past, with "El Arte". El Arte
Flamenco is a formally structured art form. It has prescribed compas,
tipos, traditional falsetas and vocal melodies, and classical letras of
the cante. To avoid the value judgements associated with the word
"true" and the associated heat in discussions, perhaps the phrase
"traditional Flamenco" or "classical Flamenco" would be more useful.
There are some extreme cases, even among Spanish Gypsies from the
tradition. Many years ago in New York City I patiently explained the
notion of compas to an advanced student of Carlos Montoya, who couldn't
play in compas (Montoya, not the student) if it was beaten into his
head by an elephant. To the student it was a revelation, and once
explained, he understood that he had been taken for a ride, and where
he should be studying.
P.S. For identification only, though I don't claim to have the true
duende since I'm a non-Hispanic American, I learned flamenco guitar
from Sabicas and his brother Diego Castellon and was part of the New
York City flamenco crowd in the '50s and '60s.
By the way, I'll share a discovery I made many years ago. When you play
for dancers, something goes "click" and "you" are not there any more;
you're just in the experience. When it's over, you sometimes have to
find out what happened from others who were listening.
David
Post by SoniquetePost by Peter TaylorTo my mind, flamenco is in th ear of the beholder, and a lover of music can
distinguish between music played with soul and passion, love and
care. And
that which is not.
I have experienced flamenco played all over spain, and in other
countries. Some of it has been sublime, and some truly awful. And
the nationality of the participants does not seem to matter as much
as their passion.
To suggest that true Flamenco can only be in Spain, and the Spanish,
is as ludicrous as saying that true cricket can only be played by the
English in England. (well, actually, that is in fact true).
Sorry, you are wrong in your argument. Yes, I agree that true flamenco
can be played by someone who wasn't born in Spain (just check out Jason
Maguire, Michio, Calvin Hazen, Roberto Castellon, Bruce Patterson,
Maria Benitez, Miguel Antonio, Amir Haddad, Miguel del Bastide, and
David Serva for some quick references to true flamencos who aren't
Spanish-born)
However, flamenco is not "in the ear of the beholder." Just because
someone calls it flamenco does not make it so. A lover of music may
recognize great music, melody, or actual technique, but a love of music
will teach you NOTHING about flamenco.
Want proof? Be a "lover of music" and a great technical guitarist and
try to accompany a flamenco singer. You will have ZERO idea of what to
do. If you do not have "compás," you have NOTHING as far as flamenco.
You will be laughed at and probably physically thrown out of the peña.
A world-class classical pianist can decide to play jazz tomorrow and
will be booed off the stage of a true jazz club. Does it make him a
crappy musician? Not at all. He just doesn't know anything about
jazz....yet.
Strunz and Farah are great guitarists. Really something else. But
they aren't flamenco guitarists. Even if you and a million listeners
say "but their music is honest and pure." Whatever...it won't admit to
a hill of beans in a flamenco tablao, with a dancer, with a singer, or
with anyone who wants to do palmas to their music. Why? It's NOT
flamenco.
Ottmar Liebert, apart from being an asshole, is a fine musician with a
great ear for melody. His music is pretty and millions of people love
it. Great. However, he is as flamenco as Black Sabbath is polka. No
comparison.
As Ottmar once told me, "I couldn't accompany a dancer if you held a
gun to my head." Guess what that makes him? a NON flamenco guitarist.
Flamenco is the ONLY art form I know of where the general public
insists that something like Ottmar Liebert, Jesse Cook, Oscar Lopez and
the Gipsy Kings are the REAL FLAMENCO, despite the statements of those
who live for the true artform.
Who decides? The Flamencos do. Not the general public. I don't
decide what is true Fado music and what isn't because I am not an
expert on it. So someone who really knows nothing about flamenco
shouldn't say "if it's pretty and honest, then it's flamenco."