When flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo released his first recording De mi corazón al aire with Sony in 1991, he made his mark as an individual voice in flamenco. He had already won a number of prestigious prizes, including gaining First Prize for guitar at the competition of Cante de las Minas in La Unión in 1989. 

The opening rumba called De mi corazón al aire, with its very earthy percussion and with Marcelo Fuentes‘ electric bass carrying the vocal line and sounding almost like a brass instrument, is still a super exciting to listen to, even 20 years on!

There are also some real voices: José Mercé sings in Reino de Silia and Morao features Charo Manzano. The percussionists – Tito Duarte, Tino de Geraldo and Antonio Carmona – whip up a storm in the bulerias called ‘Gitano’ de Lucia. Maestro Sanlúcar, dedicated to the guitarist Manolo Sanlúcar with whom Vicente Amigo studied and worked. The beautifully lyrical Callejón de la luna is dedicated to the guitarist Juan Habichuela (father of Antonio Carmona).

Since that first recording, he has been very measured in his releases; we have been forced to be patient and sometimes wait five years for the appearance of the next. 

© 2010 Thérèse Wassily Saba