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| Camarón & Tomatito |
José Monje Cruz, AKA Camarón de la Isla or just Camarón (Little Prawn of the Isle) was born in la San Fernando, a village close to Cadiz known as "La Isla", in 1950. He has been considered one of the all-time greatest flamenco singers and his figure and this consideration in flamenco is similar to old rock leyends.
We are not going to talk about his basic biography that you can find in Camaron's page at wikipedia. We are going to talk about his contribution to flamenco but his special figure.
Camarón was a revolutionary and went hand in hand with Paco de Lucía. As flamenco couple they changed the conceptions and determined the course of flamenco. But this revolution was not free: Paco de Lucia has several anecdotes about their vision crashing against traditional and strict vision of flamenco. Today most of the flamenco performers talk about him about one of the major singers, and his has been idolized.
Camarón arose from humble enviroments of San Fernando but he has a bunch of characteristics that help him in his career. The first was that he was gypsy and from his throat the unmistakable sound of gypsy flamenco, ruled over by an strict sense of 'compás'. He tried his best in traditional styles, was interested in secondary styles as tangos extremeños, he with paco de lucía try to create a new style (palo) called canasteras, he play with great philharmonic orchestas and with rock instruments. He experiment with the rhythms, with Indian instruments, he play the deepest styles and the most happy.
From martinete to rumbas, Camarón and his wild character was a force of Nature living in the edge, in the roll of a common gypsy and a mysterious illusionist of the sounds at the same time. Blonde, with his clothes, his tattoos, his golden jewels, a mixture of ancient and avant-grade artist at the same time. A very intelligent singer to choose guitarist, specially his 'Tomatito'. The guitar player could be not the best, but magic were in the air when they played together. The old singer Beni de Cadiz tell that he could not play comfortably with a young Toamatito anyway but when Camarón began playing with Tomatito few minutes after the atmosphere was magic and amazing.
Around Camarón a universe of outstanding artist expanded, from traditional singers as Capullo de Jeréz to more versatile musicians as Raimundo Amador. Misture with caribbean, jazz or other musics were included in this universe. Some people have described how Camarón took a recorder with him with the aim of recording sounds which attract his attention, from others and anywhere. He was curious, professional, a wild musician without scores.
We are not going to talk about his basic biography that you can find in Camaron's page at wikipedia. We are going to talk about his contribution to flamenco but his special figure.
Camarón was a revolutionary and went hand in hand with Paco de Lucía. As flamenco couple they changed the conceptions and determined the course of flamenco. But this revolution was not free: Paco de Lucia has several anecdotes about their vision crashing against traditional and strict vision of flamenco. Today most of the flamenco performers talk about him about one of the major singers, and his has been idolized.
Camarón arose from humble enviroments of San Fernando but he has a bunch of characteristics that help him in his career. The first was that he was gypsy and from his throat the unmistakable sound of gypsy flamenco, ruled over by an strict sense of 'compás'. He tried his best in traditional styles, was interested in secondary styles as tangos extremeños, he with paco de lucía try to create a new style (palo) called canasteras, he play with great philharmonic orchestas and with rock instruments. He experiment with the rhythms, with Indian instruments, he play the deepest styles and the most happy.
From martinete to rumbas, Camarón and his wild character was a force of Nature living in the edge, in the roll of a common gypsy and a mysterious illusionist of the sounds at the same time. Blonde, with his clothes, his tattoos, his golden jewels, a mixture of ancient and avant-grade artist at the same time. A very intelligent singer to choose guitarist, specially his 'Tomatito'. The guitar player could be not the best, but magic were in the air when they played together. The old singer Beni de Cadiz tell that he could not play comfortably with a young Toamatito anyway but when Camarón began playing with Tomatito few minutes after the atmosphere was magic and amazing.
Around Camarón a universe of outstanding artist expanded, from traditional singers as Capullo de Jeréz to more versatile musicians as Raimundo Amador. Misture with caribbean, jazz or other musics were included in this universe. Some people have described how Camarón took a recorder with him with the aim of recording sounds which attract his attention, from others and anywhere. He was curious, professional, a wild musician without scores.
But there are also detractors: The flamenco singer Agujetas de Jerez said that "Camarón only shouted". But the fact is that his sound was unmistakable and sometimes it sound like two voices at the same time (sic). His voice was natural and It sounded really gypsy, not 'afilla' but with a personal 'rajo', that's mean a clear voice but raspy, full of shades.
Nowadays, Camaron (as Paco de Lucía) is embedded in the spirit of modern flamenco 20 years after his death. Important singers have complained about nowadays most of the beginners try to sound like Camaron but Camaron was unique and incomparable.
¡Camarón Vive!
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