The Fathers of Flamenco Guitar
Today’s Flamenco Music has much in common with the tops of Egypt’s pyramids. Like the pinnacles of those ancient monuments supported by the stones below — our contemporary Flamenco Music rests on the musical innovations of Flamenco’s Founding Fathers.
There are four of them : Ramon Montoya, Carlos Montoya, Sabicas, and Nino Ricardo.
The first “giant step” forward in the evolution of Flamenco Guitar Music was made by Ramon Montoya. He began performing solo — thus elevating the Flamenco Guitar from it’s previous role accompanying singers and dancers in bars. His energy and vision earned this son of a family of Gypsy cattle merchants the distinction of being the first to introduce the Flamenco Guitar as a solo instrument in it’s own right.
That distinction not withstanding — fate decreed that it would be his nephew, Carlos Montoya, who attained greater fame, as a result of his continual World-Wide concert tours. These, understandably, generated International attention and increased appreciation for authentic Flamenco Guitar Music. In a page from “truth is stranger than fiction”, the elder Montoya — Ramon — was not impressed by nephew Carlos’ playing. That’s why the village barber was Carlos Montoya’s first Guitar teacher!
Flamenco Guitars third Founding Father was an amazing innovator; equally famous for his quality compositions and amazing technique. The latter earned him this allocade from the late American guitar great Chet Atkins: “The best technique around has got to be Sabicas, the Flamenco player.”
Sabicas, especially noted for his impeccable sense of rhythm, toured South America with the dancer Carmen Amaya, after leaving civil war torn Spain in 1936. Picking up the torch from the Montoyas’, Sabicas widened the perception of Flamenco Guitar Music Internationally. Said to have perfect pitch, Sabicas dazzled concert goers with his blazing runs and rapid arpeggios.
He was the most famous guitarist of his day. Slavishly imitated. But never duplicated. Nino Ricardo, Flamenco Guitar Music’s fourth Founding Father, was, like his predessors, totally unique and original. Particularly so for his upwardly curving fingernails. Which obviously resulted in a unique tone and playing style.
His involved and rhythmically elaborate compositions germinated during his early years playing in the smokey bars of Seville. His hometown. Nino’s death from liver cancer at age 68, was quite probably a result of those “bar wars” years. Advancing and innovating on the legacy of Sabicas and the Montoyas’, Nino Ricardo evolved and advanced Flamenco Guitar music to an enormous degree.
Honoring and further expanding the heritage of the Montoyas’, Sabicas and Nino Ricardo is — Santiago Cortez. One of today’s most innovative composer/guitarists.
Although blessed with formidable technical prowess, Santiago never lets it obscure his genuine gift for melody. His great strength as a composer is his ability to seamlessly integrate elements of diverse genres of music into his original creations.
Jazz, Pop, Rock, Classical, Folk, Celtic, Reggae and World Music are just some of the colors on Santiago’s musical palette. In the true spirit of Flamenco’s Founding Fathers, Santiago Cortez is at once honouring, and continuing to evolve, their priceless musical legacy.
