Customer Reviews

Arte Y Majestad

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If you don't know who Camarón and Paco are, it will have to suffice to say that they are (or were, in Camarón's case), by universal consensus the greatest flamenco singer and guitarist of the last fifty years.

However, their recording history, confusing enough even at the beginning, is now so complex that I think it worthwhile to include a short guide as to where the present album fits in.

They started recording together in 1969, when Paco was barely into his twenties and Camarón even younger; the collaboration revolutionised both their chosen fields, and changed the course of Flamenco forever.

Unbelievably, their first five records together were *all* entitled "El Camarón de la Isla con la colaboración especial de Paco de Lucía". For this reason, they are known to aficonados by the titles of their opening tracks, as follows:

1969 Al verte las flores lloran
1970 Cada vez que nos miramos
1971 Son tus ojos dos estrellas
1972 Canastera*
1973 Caminito de Totana

They also recorded four further albums within the traditional framework, before abandoning it for the experiments with rock, bossa nova, orchestras etc. that resulted in the Flamenco Fusion we know today. These albums are:

1974 Soy Caminante
1975 Arte y Majestad
1976 Rosa María
1977 Castillo de Arena

All of the above adhere strictly to the traditional format, which is to say just voice and guitar, plus the usual rhythmic and other support known as jaleo. Frequently Paco's brother Ramón (a fine player in his own right) is heard on second guitar.

I am not alone in thinking that these albums are some of the finest Flamenco ever recorded; musically, you can't go wrong with any of them.

They are, however, short by CD standards. Only "Al verte" is over 40 minutes, and Castillo de Arena is just over 31. But If you're serious about Flamenco, it's still worth getting all of them instead of the various anthologies.

On "Arte y Majestad", it's notable that all the songs are credited to A. Sánchez - i.e. Paco's father. Sad to say, this and other royalty matters were later to become a bone of contention between Camarón's widow and the Lucía family, giving a distinctly unpleasant tinge to what most people would prefer as a happy memory.

I also should say that I have an older copy of this album, which does not contain the complete lyrics advertised for this edition, but only the usual information provided on Spanish Philips CDs -- i.e. nothing. Therefore, I can't comment on their completeness or accuracy.

*Canastera is in fact so labelled on some copies.

The first reviewer's overview of the entire output of Camarón de la Isla and Paco de Lucia is excellent and I have little to add. This later album, originally issued in 1975, shows how comfortable the artists had become with each other. While the album remains rooted in the traditions (de Lucia's radical jazzy and popular innovations would come later), there is further exploration in guitar chords, deeper intensity in the songs. This edition of the album oddly included a separate sheet showing eye-popping guitar chords over the lyrics! Thus, these recordings were regarded at the time as evolutionary. They already were taking flamenco into modernity. The remastering makes the album sound newly minted. As for the performances, this is powerful stuff. Brilliant guitar work, passionate vocals. It is a pity that the album is so short in duration. A double album or a multi-disc set would make better sense. Meanwhile, listen repeatedly and listen deeper. This recording is among the greatest flamenco albums you will find.