After I finished writing yesterday’s blog, I worried that I might have given the impression that I wasn’t so keen on the singing of Carmen Linares and Camarón de la Isla. I do actually love so much of their work, but I was focused on interpretations of the particular Andalucian folksong, La Tarara, which really isn’t flamenco, but is performed by flamenco and non-flamenco artists alike.

What I love about flamenco is all the interconnections with the artists. Of course in other styles of music musicians do often collaborate, but never so much as they do in the flamenco world (except possibly with jazz).

Now keeping in mind that Radio Tarifa was not a flamenco ensemble, but an ensemble that performed flamenco pieces with some added flavourings, I mentioned that Radio Tarifa had a great selection of guest artists on their recordings. On their Rumba Argelina recording, for example, they have the super flamenco guitarist Gerardo Núñez playing on the Tangos del agujero.

 Gerardo Núñez is one of the younger generation of guitarists who has really managed to establish a strong personality of his own in the post-Paco de Lucía period. He has produced some very special recordings and is a dynamic and exciting performer ‘live’ with his virtuosic technique, performing often with his wife the dancer Carmen Cortés. Both of them are incredibly powerful in performance with an incredible energy in their expression, which seems to surge up from very deep inside them.

© 2010 Thérèse Wassily Saba