Not many records can be pinpointed as genuine historical turning points, but
La Leyenda Del Tiempo is a bona fide before/after landmark in the
flamenco world.
El Camaron de la Isla, almost universally regarded as the greatest
flamenco singer of all time, put aside his classic partnership with
Paco de Lucia to record with different musicians and incorporate
rock and
jazz elements on an album often called the
Sgt. Pepper's of
flamenco. It was a radical, daring step by a singer in his late twenties who opened the door for a whole wave of musicians and bands who are still major figures in Spanish music. It cemented the legend of
El Camaron de la Isla as a towering creative force who, much like
Bob Marley in
reggae, brought
flamenco into the present without losing the essence of the root tradition.
La Leyenda Del Tiempo was a turning point in
Camaron's career -- his first record with his second long-term guitar partner,
Tomatito -- and afterwards he began to blend
traditional albums with more experiments in varied musical settings and writing many of his own lyrics. The album doesn't seem that radical on the surface: half the songs are in
traditional flamenco style -- including
"Romance Del Amargo," "Homenaje a Federico," and
"Bahia De Cadiz," all fine performances -- with acoustic guitars and/or hand percussion behind
Camaron's impassioned voice. The opening title track has a full band with well-played electric piano and miniMoog solos that may sound dated, but not in the album's 1979 context. The songs are short and to the point -- half feature lyrics adapted from poems by
Federico Garcia Lorca and most of the music was adapted by producer
Richard Pachon.
Kike Veneno's
"Volando Voy" is a racehorse
flamenco rock blend with flailing acoustic guitar and kinetic hand percussion.
Camaron doesn't muster the spiraling flourishes and unbridled passion of the straight
flamenco material, but his vocals fall perfectly in the rocker pocket. The sitar melody on
"Nana Del Caballo Grande" leaves
Camaron out on his own, but that's no problem for a singer of his caliber. You might have to study
flamenco singing to really get all the things
Camaron does vocally, but not to appreciate the fact that you're listening to a great singer --
"Viejo Mundo" or
"Mi Nina Se Fue Al Mar" will convince you of that. If you like
flamenco guitar or modern bands like
Ketama or
the Gypsy Kings,
El Camaron de la Isla is the artist with whom to begin exploring the root traditions and
La Leyenda Del Tiempo is probably the best single album to start with. ~ Don Snowden