Search - Camaron de la Isla, Paco De Lucia :: Camaron de la Isla Con la Colaboracion Especial de Paco de Lucia - Al verte las flores lloran

Sanford P. (sandy) from CANADENSIS, PA
Reviewed on 11/20/2013...

I love this stuff gets the juices flowing. It's. Intriguing. Brings me to a special place of sexual heat. On a beach a casual encounter with a hot guy in a far away city something to remember

0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

The beginning of a legend

Paul Magnussen | Campbell, CA USA | 12/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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 the present album 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.



The title track of the present album is a driving bulería, with Ramón on second guitar. The soleá and the siguiriya are alone enough to show that Camarón was a master of traditional material, before he started doing his own thing. Paco's accompaniments, the virtuosity always under strict control, are models of what such things should be.



I could go on, but you get the idea...



*Canastera is in fact so labelled on some copies. Also, I'm noticing that some CD reissues have the more useful titles."

Passionate and earthy

Savas Altuntas | Westlake, OH USA | 11/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is possibly the first CD that de Lucia and Camaron recorded together. Although they were both very young (19-21) at the time, they show a great deal of artistic expression and technical virtuosity. This is unadulterated, absolutely pure flamenco. Highly intense and emotional - a must have for the lover of traditional flamenco."