Flamenco
Flamenco is a song, music and dance style which is strongly influenced by the Gitanos, but which has its deeper roots in Moorish musical traditions.
"Nuevo Flamenco", or New Flamenco, is a recent variant of Flamenco which has been influenced by modern musical genres, like rumba, salsa, pop, rock and jazz.
Originally, flamenco consisted of unaccompanied singing (cante). Later the songs were accompanied by Classical guitar (toque), rhythmic hand clapping (palmas), rhythmic feet stamping and dance (baile). The toque and baile are also often found without the cante, although the song remains at the heart of the flamenco tradition. More recently other instruments like the cajón (a wooden box used as a percussion instrument) and castanets (palillos) have been introduced.
The origin of the name flamenco is a much-debated topic. Some people suggest an Arabic origin for the name, but it seems more likely that it is of Spanish origin and originally meant Flemish.
Flamenco Forms
Flamenco cante consists of a number of traditional (and not-so-traditional) forms, with characteristic rhythmic and harmonic structures. The rhythm (compas) is perhaps the most fundamental distinguishing feature of the different flamenco forms. The cante jondo, called the mother of flamenco, consists of 12 beats, with accents on the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th beats. Songs are composed of several "phrases" or falsetas with rhythms defined by the song form.
Some of the forms are sung unaccompanied, while others usually have a guitar and sometimes other accompaniment. Some forms are danced while others traditionally are not. Amongst both the songs and the dances, some are traditionally the preserve of men and others of women, while still others would be performed by either sex. Many of these traditional distinctions are now breaking down; for example the Farruca is traditionally a man's dance, but is now commonly performed by women too.
Cante; Classifications
The classification of flamenco forms is not entirely uncontentious, but a common and convenient first classification is into three groups. The deepest, most serious forms are known as cante jondo (or cante grande), while relatively light, frivolous forms are called cante chico. Forms which do not fit into either category but lie somewhere between them are classified as cante intermedio. Many flamenco artists, including some considered to be amongst the greatest, have specialised in a single flamenco form.
Flamenco Artists
Flamenco occurs in two types of settings. The first, the Juerga is an informal gathering where people are free to join in creating music. This can include dancing, singing, violin, Palmas (hand clapping), or simply pounding in rhythm on an old orange crate. Flamenco, in this context, is very dynamic; It adapts to the local talent, instrumentation, and mood of the audience. One tradition remains firmly in place: Singers are the most important part; dancers follow the singing; instruments follow the dancing. Among dancers, Joaquin Cortes is one of the world's most famous exponents of this music.
The professional concert is more formal and organized. The most common performance usually has only one or more instruments (guitar is almost always at the center). Dancers are the next addition, followed by singers.
It is rare to find an artist who has mastered performing in both settings.
An overview of the various flamenco artists can be found in the following categories:
Sounds of Flamenco
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