Customer Reviews

Konfusion

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you like "aflamencada" music (i.e., flamenco-inspired music, sometimes called "flamenco fusion"), these are the guys for you. I can wholeheartedly recommend this as well as any other album by Ketama for this style of music, for they are superb musicians, and their very flamenco backgrounds provide that earthy "umph" which separates their music from the limpid and mediocre stuff out there masquerading as "new flamenco" (viz., Otmar Liebert et als. ad nauseum). Mind you, this is not "new flamenco" (with the exception of one or two cuts found on each of their albums), which is still flamenco but done in a progressive, modern style.

The members of Ketama represent, for me, the difference between really good "aflamencada" music and a lesser quality product which is, in many instances, a mere imitation: Each of these musicians were first completely immersed in flamenco, with a complete knowledge of its forms, rhythms, stylings, and techiniques BEFORE they went on to study and experiment with other forms. Flamenco is very rich and very demanding, and it is almost impossible to capture its vital flavor without years of training and experience. This is why the many non-flamenco quitarists who have been attracted to and inspired by flamenco nevertheless produce a sound that is hollow and lacking in that "certain something" that informs flamenco: You can't do it a hit and a lick - it's an all or nothing proposition. It's also why the really worthwhile exponents of flamenco-inspired music almost exclusively started out in flamenco rather than vice versa. (The Gypsy Kings actually did come out of a certain limited type of flamenco training and exposure - but they're a whole discussion in themselves. Suffice it to say that I would not so easily dismiss them and their music entirely - just to appreciate it for what it is.)

The members of Ketama are all gypsy and all related (as most Spanish gypsies are - which is why they always call one another "primo" (cousin)). The Carmona's are the sons of two brothers, Juan Carmona and Pepe Carmona, who use the nickname "Habichuela." Juan and Pepe grew up in Sacromonte, the gypsy barrio of Granada which, ironically, usually produced very bad flamenco artists. The Habichuela's (and the Maya's, Juan Maya "el Morote" and his brothers) were great exceptions, and being very talented and popular as accompaniests, moved to the much more prosperous venue of Madrid. Their sons, the Ketama boys, grew up in Madrid, and naturally had very different experiences than their parents. At home they were exposed to incredibly good flamenco since the day they were born, but in the greater community of Madrid they acquired new and different tastes. Ketama is the result.

By the way, on their first album, it is represented that the name "Ketama" comes from a Moroccan town known for its hashish. Not so: Madrid's flamenco studios have for years been full of Japanese students, fanatical for flamenco, but who remained unquestionably Japanese. They formed an interesting and, to some extent, humerous sub-culture in the Madrid flamenco scene. This is where the "K" that the group habitually uses comes from - the Japanese language. The name "Ketama" is Japanese slang for the male member (derived from "Ketana," the traditional long sword of the Samurai warrior). I'm sure the Habichuela boys thought it a great inside joke.

If you think that the Gypsy Kings are flamenco, then this is not the album for you. Ketama are much more sophisticated in their melodies and rhythms. They are part of the "nuevo flamenco" and at the foreground of a musical style all of their own, flamenco jazz.

"Nuevo flamenco" is a not so new movement. Groups like Ketama and Pata Negra have been around for quite a while. New acts like Jarabe de Palo and Navajita Plateá are rapidly moving up the charts and into the international market. They will have to fight for a rightful spot among the "nuevo flamenco" elite.

The Carmona brothers have grown tremendously in this last decade, showing great maturity and versatility. Konfusión is their best album to date. It is full of rich melodies ranging in diverse musical styles. Each song is unique and complex. If you are a musical connosseur, this album is for you.

As always, Ketama has put together a solid album in "Konfusion." It seems that with their last album, "De Aki a Ketama," they reached the pinacle of their revolutionary Flamenco-Jazz fusion and have now turned in a slightly different direction. While this album doesn't demonstrate the same rhythmic sophistication as "De Aki a Ketama," in which they really did an amazing job of exploring unorthodox rhythmic patterns and meters, it does have a smooth Pop+Jazz+Flamenco sound that promises to please new listeners. Also, the lyrical content of "Konfusion," for those who understand Spanish, is far more thoughtful, interesting, and, even, intellectual than anything found in Ketama's earlier "party" albums. In short, this band is brilliant. "De Aki a Ketama" is an absolutely indispensible album and "Konfusion," while more introspective, will not disappoint any of us who have come to expect the highest caliber of music from this band.

Ketama at their very best. Now they are simply commited to Music, as a link between civilizations and they do it as serious musiciens, not so worried as selling out but specially foccused on enjoyng their creativeness and doing the music they like. Something resulting from an intersection of flamenco, north africa, south america (rumba, bossa) and yet, jazz fusion from the States.Let them fly as princes of a new planet era in popular music. Together with "La barberia del Sur" and Pepe Luis Carmona (you'd better listen to this guy) they are the creators and guardians of a certain type of sound developed in the musical scene of Madrid, but with their deep roots in the Andalucian ground. They are gipsies opened to the world in search of new emotions through new sounds, and for that they made a crossover experiment between styles. The CD KONFUSION is perhaps their very best release, for it exhibits the ultimate capacity of taking their model of fusion as far as it could go.Or is there something else yet to do? One remark as to be made, this one for the usual listeners of spanish-flamenquish junk. Don't mess these guys with under class products like Gipsy Kings and other stuff like this, please. Have the good taste to taste what is good. But, anyway, if you can't distinguish between pearls and marbles...

Flamenco, rhumba, latin, brazilian, hip hop..you name it. This album shows a beautiful fusion of different world rhythms under the trademark of Ketama. Its interesting how a flamenco group like Ketama incorporates different world rhythms creating an interesting album that you would like to listen to and dance to over and over. If you like the Gypsy Kings, Ketama is superior by all means...you'll love this album.

1 star only because it is the lowest rating available. I bought this CD based on the previous review and I am extremely disappointed. It is not even close to flamenco or even upbeat. I'm not sure what kind of music this band plays and I can't quite categorize it but it is not contain the upbeat, latin rythyms I'm acccusomed to. If you want upbeat flamenco rythms, you're better off with Novamenco, Rumba Tres, Gypsy Kings, Jesse Cook or anyone else for that matter. I couldn't even trade this in for something else at a local store. No interesting sounds or talented vocals come out of this CD..in a nutshell...BORING! I wish I could return it to Amazon for an exchange.