Berlin 23-04-2010
SABICAS - www.Foto-Face.com
Sabicas , born as ‘Agustín Castellón Campos’ was a worldwide reknown Flamenco guitarist who was born in 1912 in Pamplona, Spain and died in 14 April 1990 in New York.
Sabicas started playing guitar at the age of early age of fourn and made his public debut some years later at the artistic ‘mature’ age of six!
His early playing style was greatly influenced by Ramón Montoya and extensive collaboration with important ‘cantaores’ - Flamenco male singers- of the period helped him develop his unique personal style.
As most patriots who could, Sabicas left Spain in 1936 to avoid the fascist Franco and his ilk -going into exile in South America with the famous flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya.
They both toured together extensively with Sabicas himself later settling in New York City – he finally returned to native Spain until 1967 – but ended up back in New York where he died in 1990.
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.
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About Flamenco
Flamenco is a style of music and dance which is considered part of the culture of Spain, although it is actually native to only one region: Andalusia.
Andalusian, Gypsy, Sephardic, Moorish and Byzantine influences have been detected in flamenco, often claimed to have coalesced around the time of the Reconquista in the 15th century. The origins of the term are unclear; the word flamenco itself was not recorded until the 18th century.
Flamenco is the music of the Andalusian gypsies and played in their social community. Andalusian people who grew up around gypsies were also accepted as “flamencos” (Paco de Lucía). Other regions, mainly Extremadura and Murcia, have also contributed to the development of flamenco, and many flamenco artists have been born outside Andalusia. Recently Latin American and especially Cuban influences have also contributed, as evidenced in the dances of “Ida y Vuelta”.
[Biographical details and Flamenco desciption from Wikipedia]
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As a continuation of our’ OTA-Berlin Constituency Blog Mini-Composer-Biography Series’ we present the fourth of the Spanish Composers for the new OTA-Berlin serviced apartments building opening in beginning of May 2010 at Metzer Strasse 8 in Berlin Mitte
Tags: Agustín Castellón Campos, Sabicas
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