Spanish Music

Flamenco Artists
  • Paco de Lucía
  • Camarón de la Isla
  • Pepe Habichuela
  • Tomatito

Flamenco Music

Spanish Flamenco style is actually the result of a blend of cultural influences that came from gypsies, Moors and Andalusians, among others. Flamenco is made up both of the song (canto) and the dance (baile) and has three identifiable forms, namely grande or hondo (meaning grand or deep), intermedio (meaning intermediate) and pequeño or chico (meaning small). These forms indicate the tone of the music, ranging from serious, profound and even tragic melodies, to oriental sounding tunes and lastly, to lighter, more uplifting melodies.

It is not known when exactly Flamenco – especially in its song form - appeared in Andalusia. It is thought that it was possibly sometime in the late 18th century, as reference was first made to Flamenco in writing in the "Cartas Marruecas" of Cadalso in 1774. The first Flamenco schools are said to have been created during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera and Seville.

Flamenco singer Antonio Chacón García from Jerez is said to have given Flamenco its distinct Andalusian style. Born in 1869, he soon left his hometown to seek his fortune together with guitarrist Javier Molina and one of Molina’s brothers, a dancer. During this time, Don Antonio also created the “malagueña” and “cartagenera” styles, which are still used by artists to this day. The question still goes unanswered – what was it that Don Antonio found in the various places he visited that inspired him and made his creative juices flow?

Some of Spain’s most important Flamenco musicians and artists include Paco de Lucía, Camarón de la Isla, Tomatito and Pepe Habichuela. They will forever be a part of the Flamenco legacy.