Fabulous guitar in name and fabulous guitar in sound; along with a carefully selected repertoire, which shows off a refined panorama of the Flamenco toque offering an intelligent variety of genres for this his first full length album as a solo artist. The titles of the tracks selected show his great connection to the land, offering us a selection of the fundamental styles of the Flamenco geography: ‘Triana’, ‘Cádiz’, ‘Punta Umbría’, ‘Jerez’, ‘La Unión’, ‘La Caleta’ and ‘El Tajo’. Recorded when Paco was just 19, in addition to the use of the Flamenco techniques of the time (reverb, echo, etc.), here there is a superb sense of the compass of Flamenco, a fabulous right hand technique (thumb, alzapua, strumming), dizzying picados and perfect legato of the left hand.

Since Almoraima (1976) Paco had not recorded an album which we could call authentically Flamenco. Not like his early recordings, which centred on classic guitar toques as played in concert. On Siroco, he abandons for the moment the sound of The Sextet to mark out in eight pieces the new vanguard of Flamenco creation. A record for lovers of good music, a mature and worthy work.

When Paco de Lucía made the groundbreaking Almoraima, he was just 28 years old. Already established as a prodigious talent, he used to opportunity to expand the possibilities of the flamenco music he loved so much. It wasn't so much the addition of bass and congas (he'd employed them before) as his entire rethinking of what constituted flamenco. The title cut, which opened the album, emphasized the Moorish influence, not only in the presence of the lute-like oud, but in its melody, which borrows from Arab maqams, or modes. "Rio Ancho" transports the rhumba rhythm to Brazil, melding it to a feel taken from bossa nova, which makes it all the more sinuous and sensual.

Recorded in 1973, this album signified a leap in the popularity of Paco de Lucía. With this recording, a new cycle of his career began. The Algeciran found himself at a level of technical and stylistic perfection never previously reached by any Flamenco artist. As much in creative as interpretative terms the level of maturity of the young guitarist brought to fruition an astonishing array of means of expression. Paco de Lucía achieved international as well as national recognition with the release of this album, owing greatly to the popularity of the rumba ‘Entre Dos Aguas’, which was only added at the last minute because only seven tracks had been recorded for the album up to that point.

Mario Escudero (October 11, 1928 – November 19, 2004), was one of a handful of Spanish flamenco guitar virtuosos who, following on the footsteps of Ramon Montoya, helped spread flamenco beyond their Spanish homeland when they migrated to the United States in the early 1950s. Along with others such as Sabicas, Carlos Montoya and Juan Serrano, Escudero helped forge the viability of solo flamenco guitar as a concert instrument, with lauded performances at New York's Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and other venues. Invited to perform at the White House for President John F. Kennedy, Escudero was counted among the best in his era; Ramón Montoya called him "the best flamenco guitarist of this new generation."

Flautist/saxophonist Jorge Pardo is a leading proponent of nuevo flamenco. On his fifth release, he pushes the envelope, presenting jazz standards and pop alongside more traditional compositions. "Caravan" lends itself well to rhythmic interpretations, but the arrangement degenerates midway into a dark-toned muddle. "'Round Midnight" and "Michelle," presented simply with flute and guitar, fare better, coming across as pleasant, "light jazz" renditions. The balance of the compositions are mostly by Pardo, and make his case more persuasively.

Diego Ramon Jimenez Salazar (Madrid, 27 de diciembre de 1968), mas conocido como El Cigala, es un cantaor de flamenco espanol de etnia gitana y nacionalidad dominicana desde 2014. Es "Diego" resultado de una disputa familiar producida por su padre y su tio en la pila bautismal; y "el cigala" apodo que recibio de los hermanos Losadas, guitarristas. Crecio cerca de la zona del Rastro, en el barrio de Embajadores de Madrid. Sobrino del cantante flamenco Rafael Farina, a los 12 anos gano un concurso de flamenco y el primer premio del certamen al mejor cantaor de Getafe. En 1997 publica Undebel, su primer disco en solitario, donde colaboran entre otros Tomatito y Paquete. En el 2000,

With a quivering, seductive, mournful, and remarkably flexible voice, Concha Buika earned a healthy following in her homeland as the great ‘00s chanteuse of flamenco. The singer enchanted crowds on a U.S. tour just prior to her 2008 stateside debut, NINA DE FUEGO, a bewitching and diverse record featuring echoes of everything from Coltrane to Jobim to Radiohead. The sound ranges from the dark offbeat artistry of the title track to the downright breezy playfulness of “Arboles de Agua,” on an engrossing opening statement of an album.

Chick Corea was involved in a wide variety of projects during the early 1980s, some acoustic, others electric, and everything from solos and duets to orchestral projects. Touchstone really displays quite a bit of diversity with features for flamenco guitarist Paco DeLucia, a one-song ("Compadres") reunion of Return to Forever (with guitarist Al DiMeola, bassist Stanley Clarke, and drummer Lenny White), a spot for alto-great Lee Konitz ("Duende"), and a conventional sextet outing on "Dance of Chance." A bit uneven but with its interesting moments, Touchstone is worth checking out.

Chano Domínguez is one of the most celebrated of jazz pianists and composers. His singular work is defined by his flamenco origins. In more than 40 years of his career, he has dazzled all kinds of audiences, including other musicians spanning both worlds of jazz and flamenco. His interpretive talents are highly sought after for his authentic integration of both jazz and flamenco traditions, working with an extensive range of colleagues such as Paco de Lucía, Enrique Morente, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, Martirio, Wynton Marsalis, Paquito d'Rivera, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock, Jerry Gonzalez, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Michel Camino, Chucho Valdés, Joe Lovano, and George Mraz, among others.

One of the best known and most celebrated “maestros” in flamenco guitar history presents this studio album of gorgeous interpretations of pop/rock megahits! Immerse yourself in Riqueni’s lush rendering of these timeless classics by Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Whitney Houston, The Police and more!

Formed in France, but rooted in Spanish flamenco tradition, the Gipsy Kings began incorporating pop into their buoyant Latin sound in the late 1980s, eventually leading to massive international success. Released in 1991, ESTE MUNDO finds the ensemble offering up a potent set of acoustic guitar-driven tunes that are marked by percussive strumming, dexterous lead work, and the husky, emotive vocals of bandleader Nicholas Reyes. The core group of six-string players is bolstered on some songs by bass, horns, and/or drums, giving ESTE MUNDO a vibrant atmosphere, particularly on songs such as the surging "Baila Me" and the dreamy title track. Although much of the album is upbeat, the Gipsy Kings also ease into a few mellow instrumental numbers, including the gentle "Lagrimas" and the slightly funky "Ternuras." One of the most consistent and confident outings in the Gipsy Kings' catalogue, ESTE MUNDO is sure to please flamenco aficionados and many other world music fans.