Guitarist Gino D'Auri was born in Rome, the grandson of a gypsy. He began studying classical guitar, but while in his teens, D'Auri was "traumatized by flamenco" when he saw the movie Sombrero with Jose Greco, the legendary flamenco dancer, and Geronimo Villarino, one of the all-time great flamenco guitarists.

D'Auri began playing... [+] Read More

Guitarist Gino D'Auri was born in Rome, the grandson of a gypsy. He began studying classical guitar, but while in his teens, D'Auri was "traumatized by flamenco" when he saw the movie Sombrero with Jose Greco, the legendary flamenco dancer, and Geronimo Villarino, one of the all-time great flamenco guitarists.

D'Auri began playing flamenco music and investigating the rich cultures that fed the tradition. In 1967, D'Auri moved to the Los Angeles area, where he played in the flamenco clubs. In 1976, he recorded with Caldera, a groundbreaking world fusion band, on their self-titled album.

In 1980, Hearts of Space's Stephen Hill met D'Auri while Hill was producing a film soundtrack, and Hill was asked to produce D'Auri's first album, Nuevos Caminos (translated "New Paths"), on harpist Georgia Kelly's label (Heru Records). In 1984, the album was remastered by Sonic Atmosphere and re-released as Passion Play. According to Hill, D'Auri created a unique sound by amplifying his Japanese Takemine guitar and shaping the sound through a reverb unit. In the late 1980s, D'Auri played on two albums by Keiko Matsui, a Japanese new age/world fusion artist.

D'Auri's next solo recording, Flamenco Mystico, was with Hearts of Space/World Class, in 1992, followed by Flamenco: Passion & Soul in 1997. D'Auri has toured with famed dancer Jose Greco and often plays at flamenco restaurants in Southern California, such as Los Angeles' El Cid and Lare's in Santa Monica. ~ Carol Wright, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Flamenco guitarist Paco Peña has issued albums over the years on his own (such as 1978's Flamenco, 1988's Azahara, and 2000's Flamenco Guitar), in addition to collaborating with others, such as the Flamenco Dance Company with the Losadas (1999's Arte Y Pasion) and Eduardo Falu (1989's Encuentro). ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Flamenco guitarist Paco Peña has issued albums over the years on his own (such as 1978's Flamenco, 1988's Azahara, and 2000's Flamenco Guitar), in addition to collaborating with others, such as the Flamenco Dance Company with the Losadas (1999's Arte Y Pasion) and Eduardo Falu (1989's Encuentro). ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The unrivaled queen of the Portuguese fado, singer Amália Rodrigues was born in Lisbon's Alfama district in 1920; one of ten children, she was abandoned by her mother at the age of one and raised by her grandmother, spending her formative years selling produce on the streets and working as a seamstress. Against the wishes of her family, as a... [+] Read More

The unrivaled queen of the Portuguese fado, singer Amália Rodrigues was born in Lisbon's Alfama district in 1920; one of ten children, she was abandoned by her mother at the age of one and raised by her grandmother, spending her formative years selling produce on the streets and working as a seamstress. Against the wishes of her family, as a teen Rodrigues performed as a tango dancer, and at 19 she made her professional singing debut alongside her sister, Celeste, at the fashionable Lisbon nightspot Retiro da Severa.

Within a year she was a star, selling out clubs every night; in 1944, she traveled to Brazil, drawing huge crowds during her stay at the Copacabana Casino and later returning to Rio de Janeiro to make her first recordings. Rodrigues not only popularized the fado throughout South America, she reinvented it -- brilliantly fusing the urban and rural styles of Lisbon and Coimbra, she also sought out material that moved far beyond the traditional tales of failed romance to explore instead the deepest crises of the soul and spirit, delivering performances unmatched in their fatalistic power and haunting beauty.

Because Rodrigues' manager, José de Melo, believed her native fans would stop attending her live appearances if they could buy her recordings, she did not enter a Portuguese recording studio until 1951, issuing a handful of sides on the Melodia label before moving to the Valentim de Carvalho imprint the following year. In the wake of World War II she began touring outside of South America, and scored an international hit in 1956 with "Coimbra," recorded live at Paris' Olympia Theatre.

In all, Rodrigues recorded upwards of 170 albums and even appeared in a number of feature films, retaining her drawing power even after the popularity of fado itself began to dissipate during the 1960s. She continued touring well past her 70th birthday, entering retirement only after undergoing surgery; she spent the final years of her life as a recluse, making her final public appearance at the opening of Lisbon's Expo in 1998. Rodrigues died October 6, 1999, at the age of 79; upon receiving news of her passing, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres ordered three days of national mourning, declaring her "the Voice of Portugal." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

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Not to be confused by the Cuba-born and American-based architect, Jorge Pardo is one of flamenco's most innovative instrumentalists. Known for his fluid and relaxed approach to the flute and tenor and soprano saxophones, Pardo has been one of the leaders of the "new flamenco" movement. A longtime member of the Paco de Lucia Sextet, Pardo has... [+] Read More

Not to be confused by the Cuba-born and American-based architect, Jorge Pardo is one of flamenco's most innovative instrumentalists. Known for his fluid and relaxed approach to the flute and tenor and soprano saxophones, Pardo has been one of the leaders of the "new flamenco" movement. A longtime member of the Paco de Lucia Sextet, Pardo has continued to explore the possibilities of his wind instruments as a soloist. While flamenco remains the foundation for his music, Pardo has developed a unique sound by incorporating elements of jazz and Carbbean and Afro-Cuban rhythms. His album, 10 De Paco, recorded with Cadiz pianist Chano Dominguez, featured guitar-less reinterpretations of ten of de Lucia's compositions. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide [-] Hide

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Flamenco guitarist Gino D'Auri taps into the deeper undercurrents of flamenco, what they call "duende," on this fiery follow-up to his album Flamenco Mystico. Improvisation has always been a part of the flamenco tradition, and D'Auri extends this by inviting cellist David Darling to play on this album. On five tracks, the cello takes the place... [+] Read More

Flamenco guitarist Gino D'Auri taps into the deeper undercurrents of flamenco, what they call "duende," on this fiery follow-up to his album Flamenco Mystico. Improvisation has always been a part of the flamenco tradition, and D'Auri extends this by inviting cellist David Darling to play on this album. On five tracks, the cello takes the place of the singer, while on others, the cello adds bass drones, rhythms, or dramatic countermelodies. Darling often took the music to more romantic territories, more caressing than sizzling, more tender fingertips than pounding heels. D'Auri burns through the guitar work, but his playing is not reckless. He offers a sense of the other musicians, the space of the room, and the acoustic depths of his guitar. Palmas by Antionoi De Jerez added the perfect accompaniment, and I could swear I heard dancers' heels and the swish of long dresses. The percussive tango "Cadiz y Badajoz" swirls at breakneck, heart-pounding speed. The liner notes will help your appreciation of this music. Its gypsy origins are well-known, but much of the music was derived from the synagogual chants of the Sephardic Jews. The languid "Paternera" is one such piece; Darling provides a bowed drone, while the guitar embellishes a chant above it. Suddenly, the music snaps to a strong and sultry dance cadence. The original song tells the legend of a beautiful singer named La Paternera: very exotic and a troublemaker. "Paternera" is supposedly bad luck. Take your chances? ~ Carol Wright, All Music Guide [-] Hide