Nuevo Flamenco
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Nuevo Flamenco, or new flamenco, was the name
given during the 1980's to a younger generation of flamenco artists
influenced by other contemporary and traditional musics. It is a hybrid
music that is for the most part a long way from the traditional forms
of it's roots, though still retaining much of the spirit, excitement
and inspiration.
Jazz in particular
is a big influence, but also rock and pop music has contributed to the
"verse and chorus" style of writing, and the use of repeating melodic
"hooks". There is also usually the strong rhythmic influence of a south
american mix of salsa and rumbas, all contributing to this interesting
new fusion.
The most important early pioneers of New Flamenco are the virtuoso guitarist Paco de Lucía
and vocalist Camarón de la Isla. Between 1968 - 79 they pursued a very
creative collaboration, producing 10 albums, introducing "...many fresh
musical concepts into the traditional and somewhat 'dusty' music style
that flamenco had become" (Wikpedia). Paco de Lucía went on to develop
flamenco music in many different directions and has forever changed how
contemporary guitarists relate to flamenco music, and stretching its
traditional limitations.
Popular artists such as the French group Gypsy Kings also helped to bring both progressive and traditional flamenco to a wider audience. Ottmar Liebert
is one of the more commercially successful Nuevo Flamenco artists,
ironically calling his first platinum-selling (though relatively tame)
album Nouveau Flamenco, as a tongue in cheek reference to Nouveau Cuisine. Canadian Jesse Cook
is another talented exponent. During the 90's and in part due to the
commercial success of some of these above-mentioned artists, a lot of
young gypsies musicians began building on this style.
The formula for the success of this music is accessibility
- never too technical, and always familiar, by incorporating jazz,
bossa nova, tango , rhumba, classical, and of course flamenco guitar
sounds, often mixed with an assortment of other instruments.
The Australian latin / flamenco band Poco Loco incorporate
piano accordian and flute as well as percussion, and have a huge vocal
presence. (Nuevo flamenco guitarists usually pride themselves on the
use of the right hand fingering technique of classical and flamenco
guitar, but B.J. Ferrier is a plectrum-style guitarist because he also
plays piano and accordian and finger nails do not survive that part of
his musical journey).
