Sabicas
Encyclopedia
Sabicas was a Flamenco
guitarist, of Romani origin, who was born in 1912 in Pamplona
, Spain
and died in 14 April 1990 in New York
.
Sabicas began playing guitar at the age of 4 and made his performing debut 2 years later. His early style was influenced by Ramón Montoya
, with whom he was related on his mother's side of the family. Extensive collaboration with important cantaores (male Flamenco singers) of the period helped him develop his unique personal style.
Leaving Spain in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War
, he went into exile in South America
with bailaora (dancer) Carmen Amaya
. The two toured together several times. Sabicas later settled in New York City
in the United States
. He did not return to his native Spain until 1967.
Sabicas was instrumental in the introduction of Flamenco to audiences outside of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. He was probably best known for his technical skills: blazingly fast picados
(scales), fast arpeggios, quality composition for the many forms of flamenco, and infallible rhythm, which was critical if playing with a dancer. Also, he was considered to have perfect pitch
. "The finest technique around has got to be Sabicas, the Flamenco player," famed guitarist Chet Atkins
told Guitar Player Magazine in March 1972.
Sabicas was a tremendous genius of his day, not only with technique, but with major contributions, playing Flamenco previously unimaginable and giving new tools and possibilities for the solo instrument. He brought this art to concert halls and major theaters where all classes can enjoy.
Notable contemporary players such as Paco de Lucía
, Tomatito
, Serranito, Juan Manuel Cañizares, El Viejín, Vicente Amigo
, Gerardo Nuñez and many more claim large influence from Sabicas' music.
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
guitarist, of Romani origin, who was born in 1912 in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and died in 14 April 1990 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Sabicas began playing guitar at the age of 4 and made his performing debut 2 years later. His early style was influenced by Ramón Montoya
Ramón Montoya
Ramón Montoya , Flamenco guitarist and composer.Born into a family of Gitano cattle traders, Ramón Montoya used earnings from working in the trade to buy his first guitar...
, with whom he was related on his mother's side of the family. Extensive collaboration with important cantaores (male Flamenco singers) of the period helped him develop his unique personal style.
Leaving Spain in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, he went into exile in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
with bailaora (dancer) Carmen Amaya
Carmen Amaya
Carmen Amaya was a flamenco dancer and singer, of gypsy origin, born in the Somorrostro slum of Barcelona, Spain, nowadays....
. The two toured together several times. Sabicas later settled in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He did not return to his native Spain until 1967.
Sabicas was instrumental in the introduction of Flamenco to audiences outside of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. He was probably best known for his technical skills: blazingly fast picados
Picados
Picados are the flamenco scales of a guitar , or a guitar playing technique where musician plays scale passages by alternating the index and middle fingers. Picado is normally executed apoyando . It is often used rapidly to play a melody....
(scales), fast arpeggios, quality composition for the many forms of flamenco, and infallible rhythm, which was critical if playing with a dancer. Also, he was considered to have perfect pitch
Absolute pitch
Absolute pitch , widely referred to as perfect pitch, is the ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of an external reference.-Definition:...
. "The finest technique around has got to be Sabicas, the Flamenco player," famed guitarist Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
told Guitar Player Magazine in March 1972.
Sabicas was a tremendous genius of his day, not only with technique, but with major contributions, playing Flamenco previously unimaginable and giving new tools and possibilities for the solo instrument. He brought this art to concert halls and major theaters where all classes can enjoy.
Notable contemporary players such as Paco de Lucía
Paco de Lucía
Paco de Lucía, born Francisco Sánchez Gómez , is a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist and composer. He is considered by many to be one of the finest guitarists in the world and the greatest guitarist of the flamenco genre...
, Tomatito
Tomatito
José Fernández Torres, known as Tomatito , is a Spanish Romani flamenco guitarist. He grew up in a musical family, including two uncles: Niño Miguel, a flamenco guitarist, and Antonio, a professional guitarist....
, Serranito, Juan Manuel Cañizares, El Viejín, Vicente Amigo
Vicente Amigo
Vicente Amigo Girol is a Spanish flamenco composer and virtuoso guitarist, born in Guadalcanal, near Seville. He has played as backing guitarist on recordings by flamenco singers El Pele, Camarón de la Isla, Vicente Soto, Luis de Córdoba and the rociero band Salmarina, and he has acted as a...
, Gerardo Nuñez and many more claim large influence from Sabicas' music.
Partial discography
- Flamenco on Fire (retitled version of The Art of the Guitar)
- Fiesta flamenca (retitled version of Festival gitana)
- Queen of the Gypsies (with Carmen Amaya, 1959)
- Flamenco! (with Carmen Amaya)
- Flamenco puro (1961)
- Flamenco Styles on Two Guitars (with Mario EscuderoMario EscuderoMario Escudero, full name Mario Escudero Valero Jimenez Valverde, is one of a handful of Spanish flamenco guitar virtuosos who helped spread flamenco beyond their homeland when they migrated to the United States in the early 1950s...
) - The Fantastic Guitars of Sabicas and Escudero (1959)
- La historia del flamenco (double LP, 1969)
- Recital de guitarra flamenca (vols. 1–3)
- From the Pampas to the Rio Grande (with Mario Escudero)
- Festival gitana (with Los Trianeros)
- Sabicas, Vols. 1-3 (1957–1958)
- El rey del flamenco (1965)
- Soul of Flamenco (1960)
- Flamenco Reflections (1963)
- Rock Encounter (with Joe BeckJoe BeckJoe Beck was an American guitarist who had been notable in jazz for more than 30 years.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Beck also briefly flirted with rock music in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, 1966) - Flamenco Fantasy (1960)
- Flaming Flamenco Guitar (1963)
- Flamenco virtuoso (1961)
- Nueva York / Granada (with Enrique MorenteEnrique MorenteEnrique Morente Cotelo, known as Enrique Morente, was a flamenco singer and a controversial figure within the world of contemporary flamenco...
) (1990) - Sixteen Immortal Performances (anthology from ABC-Paramount recordings, 1972)
- Solo Flamenco (1959)
- El duende de la guitarra flamenca
- The Art of the Guitar (1976)
- Tres guitarras tiene Sabicas (1969)
- Flamenco histórico