Search - Sabicas :: Great Masters of Flamenco, Vol. 14

A good "starter" package

Anthony Spadaro | Chapel Hill N.C. | 12/24/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm writing this review based on listening to only the samples from the album available on the Amazon site. THat may seem premature, however, I've heard most of the cuts on this record before, and back in the days when Sabicas was the king of the flamenco guitar I was one of the millions trying (and failing) to play like him, so I'm not completely without knowledge here - I studied his records.

A few of the cuts are from the greatest flamenco guitar solo album ever recorded "Flamenco Puro". This album is almost constantly out of print now. I've been trying off and on to get a copy for 20 years with no luck so far. If you can find it - buy it. If you hate it you will find someone to buy it from you. Trust me.

Numerous other cuts are duets with Diego Castilion, a man who would have been a star if he weren't the brother of Sabicas. Most flamenco duets of the era consist of one man doing his solos while a second fills in as if he were doing song accompaniment. The brothers worked out complex harmony arrangements that were to change the nature of flamenco guitar. There has been a lot of unfortunate fallout from this -- The Gypsy Kings and their 40 cd rhumba fest for example -- but when it is done right the sound is unbelievable.

The final cut is from another long out of print album with Sabicas and the great dancer Carman Amaya. This is an older recording, (early 50s possibly late 40s) so the sound is somewhat tinny, but it is a great performance. This is another one of those great albums someone should re-issue. I believe it might have been a US Decca recording though and very little of their stuff has ever re-appeared."

Sabicas - the eternal master of the Flamenco guitar

Michael Rothberg | USA | 06/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is none and has never been one like Sabicas, and this CD brings all of the drama and beauty of his guitar to you in a way no other can approach. When you hear his tremolo, his Soleares and Farrucas, you will imagine that he has twenty fingers instead of ten. This collection is by far the best I have ever heard in the years I have been listening to Sabicas, and unsuccessfully trying to emulate his skill. VIVA SABICAS in our memories and hearts. This disk will do just that!"

Mislabelled tracks

Paul Magnussen | Campbell, CA USA | 03/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sabicas (1912-90) was one of the greatest flamenco guitarists of the 20th century and a major influence on all his successors, most notably Paco de Lucía.



This compilation contains:



* 8 tracks from the seminal Flamenco Puro album (apparently now re-released) that made such an impact in Spain

* 4 tracks from "Flamenco Virtuoso"

* 2 tracks from "Tres Guitarras Tiene Sabicas"

* 2 tracks from "Adios a la guitarra"

* 1 track from "Flamenco!" (with Carmen Amaya)



However, several of the tracks from "Flamenco Puro" are mislabelled:



2) labelled "Ecos de la Mina" (Tarantas), is actually "Punta y Tacón " (Farruca). There is no Tarantas on the album.

7) labelled "Ecos jerezanos" (Soleá por Bulería), is actually "Aires de Triana" (Bulerías).

13) labelled "Punta y Tacón" (Farruca), is actually "Brisas de La Caleta" (Malagueñas).

15) labelled "Brisas de La Caleta" (Malagueñas), is actually "Ecos jerezanos" (Soleá por Bulería).



Apart from this, it's a good representative selection of Sabicas's playing. The total time is 64'47".



P.S. For a list of (and links to) all 20 albums in this series, see my So You'd Like To... Listen to Great Masters of Flamenco Guide."