Flamenco masterpieces. Recommended popular songs.

Procuro OlvidarteMayte Martin

Mayte Martín – Procuro Olvidarte (Bulería)

If you’re looking for a singer with a subdued, mature style, I recommend Maite Martín.

Her greatest appeal lies in her poignantly melancholic expression.

This piece, “Procuro Olvidarte,” has a feel close to traditional Uruguayan tunes.

Although she’s a rare cantaora in flamenco who doesn’t use a husky, weathered voice, she still conveys a deep, understated gravitas.

While flamenco is often associated with fiery passion, there are expressions of love like this as well.

This is a song I recommend to anyone who wants to explore the deeper side of flamenco.

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Ya No Quiero Tu QuererJosé El Francés

José El Francés – Ya No Quiero Tu Querer (Niña Pastori, Vicente Amigo) (Video Oficial)

José el Francés follows in the footsteps of Ketama and Antonio Carmona’s nuevo flamenco.

To put it simply, he’s a singer who performs a straight-ahead, masculine style of nuevo flamenco.

On Ya No Quiero Tu Querer, he collaborates with the cantaora Niña Pastori.

The melody is incredibly sexy and sophisticated, so if you’re interested in nuevo flamenco, definitely give it a listen.

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Tangos del Arco BajoVicente Amigo

Vicente Amigo – Tangos Del Arco Bajo (Videoclip)

Another track by Vicente Amigo makes the list.

This one, Tangos Del Arco Bajo, is one of his hit songs.

You can really feel his love for Paco de Lucía all throughout the piece (haha).

If you play guitar, you’ll know this tune is insanely difficult.

The way he just breezes through it—that’s exactly what makes Vicente Amigo so cool.

Now that Paco de Lucía has passed, I’m excited to see where Vicente’s career goes from here.

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MezquitaVicente Amigo

Mezquita (Solea)

Guitarist Vicente Amigo rose to popularity after excelling in competitions such as La Unión and Córdoba in the 1980s.

He’s well known for having immense respect for Paco de Lucía.

His appeal is simple: his guitar technique is unbelievably advanced.

He has the kind of ability that can make ordinary guitarists pale by comparison.

The track “Mezquita” is a deep, sensual piece that lets you savor his performance skills.

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Soleares de AlcalaAntonio Mairena

Antonio Mairena – Soleares de Alcala

For those who enjoy orthodox flamenco, I recommend “Soleares de Alcalá.” In the 1940s and ’50s, when the flamenco boom was on the verge of fading, he helped turn the tide by popularizing classical flamenco pieces and reigniting public interest.

“Soleares de Alcalá” is a quintessential flamenco track suffused with a sense of pathos.

Both the performance and the singing are simple, making it a good recommendation even for those unfamiliar with flamenco.

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Abre la Puerta NiñaAntonio Orozco

Antonio Orozco – Abre la Puerta Niña

If you like sweet and gentle flamenco, I recommend “Abre la Puerta Niña.” The singer, Antonio Orozco, is a highly regarded singer-songwriter in Spain.

He’s essentially a pop singer-songwriter, but many of his songs have a fairly strong flamenco flavor.

He’s not the type of singer-songwriter known for exceptional vocal prowess, but his expressive ability makes his music very satisfying to listen to.

Recommended for those who enjoy light, Nuevo Flamenco.

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ProblemaKetama

Problema

Ketama is a great band representing Spain.

Formed by brothers led by Antonio Carmona, they established the genre known as nuevo flamenco, which has now become mainstream in Spain.

At their debut, they drew criticism for bringing reforms to traditional flamenco, but they proved their overwhelming musicality and, by the late 1980s, had gained support even within the flamenco community.

Their appeal lies in their impeccable taste and their masterful blend of flamenco with contemporary genres.

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