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Flamenco nuevo: tradition, evolution and innovation

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Flamenco nuevo: tradition, evolution and innovation

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Content FLAMENCO NUEVO: TRADITION, EVOLUTION AND INNOVATION by Claire Christine Spera A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS (SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM (THE ARTS)) May 2010 Copyright 2010 Claire Christine Spera ii DEDICATION To my parents, who have always supported my curiosity in the world of dance, and to the incomparable Linda Vega, who has shared her passion for flamenco with me since I took my first class at her dance studio at age eight. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank flamenco guitarist Adam del Monte and flamenco dancer María Bermúdez for their interest and enthusiasm throughout the thesis writing process. They were more than willing to discuss their latest projects in the realm of flamenco fusion with me, and for this I am grateful. Many thanks also to my thesis committee — Professor Sasha Anawalt (School of Journalism), Professor Josh Kun (School of Communication) and Professor Stephanie Shroyer (School of Theatre) — who worked with me tirelessly to mold this piece of writing. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ii Acknowledgements iii Abstract v Flamenco Nuevo: Tradition, Evolution and Innovation 1 Bibliography 17 v ABSTRACT Flamenco, born of the gypsies in Spain’s southernmost region of Andalusia, is today bigger than the narrow, winding streets of Jerez de la Frontera, the birthplace of the art. But what many flamenco enthusiasts don’t realize is that today’s flamenco performers, both in and out of Spain, are giving audiences something to which they may not have previously been exposed: flamenco nuevo. Not too surprisingly, this hybrid form is making its strongest global impact outside of Spain in Southern California, where tolerance for cultural fusion is the aesthetic norm. What this thesis will show, however, is that what may appear as new is really not — flamenco nuevo actually continues a centuries-long tradition of evolution, and to understand the true merits of this contemporary form, a close examination of flamenco’s history is required. I will do this, in part, by looking at two exemplars of flamenco nuevo, Adam del Monte and María Bermúdez, whose roots extend to Spain and whose formative creative work is influenced by their time in Southern California. Both artists are known for pushing the boundaries of flamenco to redefine its music and dance. Today’s singers, musicians and dancers are taking flamenco to another level, incorporating a wide range of string, brass, wind and percussive instruments into the music and blending body movement from across dance disciplines in choreographies. California-born and -based flamenco artists have found themselves in a safe haven for experimentation; flamenco fusion, both in terms of the music and the dance, is a phenomenon in Los Angeles in particular, where openness to innovation pervades the flamenco scene. Los Angeles-based and -born artists del Monte and Bermúdez are at the vi frontlines of flamenco music and dance respectively, contributing to the definition of flamenco nuevo as this contemporary art solidifies its own boundaries. 1 FLAMENCO NUEVO: TRADITION, EVOLUTION AND INNOVATION Flamenco, born of the gitanos or gypsies in Spain’s southernmost region of Andalusia, is today bigger than the narrow, winding streets of Jerez de la Frontera, the birthplace of the art. Flamenco music and dance bursts from the intimate hillside caves of Granada’s Sacromonte district, where a sizable gypsy population still lives; it permeates tourist tablaos and Spain’s capital city, Madrid, and has leapt across oceans, to England, Japan and the U.S., among other countries. What many flamenco enthusiasts don’t realize is that, in addition to the sounds of percussive castanets and footwork, and the visual beauty of delicately embroidered shawls, twirling fans and long-trained bata de cola dresses, today’s flamenco performers, both in and out of Spain, are giving audiences something to which they may not have previously been exposed: flamenco nuevo. But not too surprisingly, this hybrid form is making its strongest global impact outside of Spain in Southern California, where tolerance for cultural fusion is the aesthetic norm. What this thesis will show, however, is that what may appear as new is really not — flamenco nuevo actually continues a centuries-long tradition of evolution, and to understand the true merits and value of this contemporary form, a close examination of flamenco’s history is required. I will do this, in part, by looking at two exemplars of flamenco nuevo, Adam del Monte and María Bermúdez, whose roots extend to Spain and whose formative creative work is influenced by their time in Southern California. Both artists are known for pushing the boundaries of flamenco to redefine its music and dance. Today’s singers, musicians and dancers both in and out of Spain are taking flamenco to another level, beyond the bounds of traditional flamenco culture, incorporating a wide range of string, brass, wind and percussive instruments into the 2 music and blending body movement from across dance disciplines in choreographies. California-born and -based flamenco artists have found themselves in a safe haven for experimentation. Flamenco fusion, both in terms of the music and the dance, is a phenomenon in Los Angeles in particular, where openness to innovation pervades the flamenco scene. Los Angeles-based and -born artists del Monte and Bermúdez are at the frontlines of flamenco music and dance respectively, contributing to the definition of flamenco nuevo as this contemporary art solidifies its own boundaries. However unique flamenco nuevo may be, the art has not escaped severe criticism since its initial development in the 1960s, when the first non-gypsy instruments were incorporated into flamenco music. Self-proclaimed “purists,” mostly Andalusian and many of whom trace their family lineage to the gypsies, worried about the imminent demise of flamenco. In the last decade before the turn of the 21st century, discussions of authenticity with respect to flamenco music began to take place more frequently and with increased fierceness, enveloping the works of such controversial figures as Andalusian flamenco pianist David Peña Dorantes, whose tracks generally eliminate the guitar and gypsy voice. For gypsies, who comprise the majority of the purist faction, flamenco has never been an art form — it represents a way of life that began with cante (song), the most fundamental of the three aspects of flamenco, which also includes baile (dance) and toque (guitar playing). The song component for the gypsies functioned as a survival mechanism, a release from day-to-day hardships. Traditionally, the gitanos voiced their sorrow through song, in the process telling stories of persecution and death, hunger and pain, but only when compelled; before the mid-1800s, there were no performance venues where gypsies sang and danced flamenco in exchange for money. Cante jondo or “deep 3 song,” marked by sincere wailing harsh to the ear, springs from emotional truthfulness and is synonymous with flamenco. In order to understand the debate and why “purists” are so adamant and conservative, one needs to know the history of the gitanos. When Arabs entered the Iberian Peninsula via the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 A.D., they saw the land’s potential and quickly conquered most of the peninsula, save for a few enclaves in the northernmost region (Schreiner 1990). Granada and Córdoba, located in modern-day Andalusia, became the major centers of the Moors’ empire, Al-Andalus. When the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs) Isabel and Ferdinand expelled the Moors in 1492 from Granada — the last city on the peninsula to fall to Christian rule — Andalusia was already an ethno- cultural melting pot (Schreiner 1990). The region’s history is marked not only by ethnic diversity, but also violence and religious intolerance that led to deportations, inquisitions and the persecution of minorities, namely Arabs, Jews and gypsies (Schreiner 1990). This history is the basis for cante jondo. Just as much of flamenco’s early history is unknown, so are the roots of the gypsies. A dominant theory, explained by flamenco scholar Marion Papenbrok in her book chapter “History of Flamenco” in Flamenco: Gypsy Dance and Music in Andalusia, is based on linguistic studies of Caló, the gypsy language (1990). This theory states the Andalusian gypsies’ geographic origin was in northwestern India, from which they emigrated circa 800 to 900 A.D. (Papenbrok 1990). As the gypsies made their way through Asia and the Near East, they lived enough like the native inhabitants to avoid any significant conflict. In Europe, however, this peaceful relationship changed; rulers took 4 advantage of their talents as weapons makers and soldiers, but once their services were no longer needed, they were cast off to the fringes of society (Papenbrok 1990). The gypsies’ appearance in Spain was first recorded in Barcelona in 1447, though they subsequently established southern Spain as their home (Papenbrok 1990). They were ostracized when forced into ghettos called gitanerías under pain of death (Papenbrok 1990). For centuries they were thrown together with Jews and Spanish Moors — two other groups of persecuted peoples who were denied the right to maintain their cultural traditions (Papenbrok 1990). This would influence the musical traditions of Andalusia and, in part, led to the development of flamenco. In 1782, King Charles III issued an edict that reversed discriminatory laws that had been written to target the gypsies, including one that excluded the group from holding certain kinds of jobs, and another that limited the number of gypsies allowed to settle in the same town (Papenbrok 1990). Today, it is estimated there are between 250,000 and 700,000 gypsies living in Spain (Schreiner 1990). The majority of them live as their Spanish counterparts do; only a handful of them still live as nomads, maintaining old traditions. Andalusia’s checkered history led to a folk music culture made up of a blend of different musical practices and aesthetics. Andalusian folk music was shaped by musical customs from the 8th to 15th centuries that included Moorish singing, Jewish synagogue songs and Mozarabic folk songs (Papenbrok 1990). The gypsies encountered this pre- existing folk music and colored it with their own style, developing what we know today as the art of flamenco. After Charles III’s tolerance edict, gypsy music emerged from its hermetic isolation. Many of the songs and dances that the earliest non-gypsies were 5 exposed to and subsequently wrote about do not mean anything to modern readers, since these forms died out as the art evolved (Papenbrok 1990). Flamenco has never been married to one definition. The beauty of the art is its utility — it can be used to express whatever the singer, musician or dancer is feeling at a particular moment; it is the expression of a people. Though flamenco has evolved, the gnawing need to express oneself, to utilize the notes of the guitar, cante jondo or improvisational dance has not gone away with the emergence of flamenco nuevo. Now, nuevo artists are discovering new ways to continue this tradition of expression. Flamenco began as a song form. Christof Jung, in his chapter titled “Cante Flamenco” in Flamenco: Gypsy Music and Dance in Andalusia, writes, “From the early days of flamenco until the middle of the 19th century, cantaores [flamenco singers] sang without accompaniment. They maintained the beat by tapping with a palo (style-stick). The guitar was recruited as an accompanying instrument, in addition to the palmas [hand- clapping], only after the spread of the cafés cantantes” (1990). The cafés cantantes were restaurants that came into existence in the 1840s, offering a combination of food and flamenco song and music to patrons. These cafés were what made it possible for gypsies to earn a living off flamenco, and were the first major contributor to the art’s evolution. It was with the advent of these cafés that flamenco guitar was born, thus shifting flamenco from a song art to a musical tradition. Papenbrok argues the cafés cantantes marked the first step towards the “commercialization” of flamenco, especially because non-gypsies, such as the famous singer Silverio Franconetti, began to sing cante gitano (1990): Thus began a trend towards commercialization which ultimately was to prove harmful for authentic flamenco. The first signs of commercialization began to appear in the cafés de cante; an attempt was made to fit the sound 6 of flamenco to the tastes of the public, which by now had grown to include not only adherents of ‘cante jondo,’ but also those who wanted lighter musical fare…the artistic quality of the cante began to slip” (1990). Traditionally, flamenco cante is made up of laments, sung in the cante jondo style. The playera, one of the earliest palos (rhythms) of flamenco, considered a forerunner to the modern-day siguiriya, serves as an example. The name comes from the word “planir,” meaning “to lament” (Papenbrok 1990). Much of flamenco’s lyrics tell of the persecution and suffering of the gypsies: “Many cantes were born out of the worst sort of poverty and social injustice,” notes Jung (1990). As flamenco began to have commercial legs, the song style was adapted to satisfy the tastes of an audience outside the gypsy culture whose ears craved musical accompaniment to the lyrics (Papenbrok 1990). Even though the song element of flamenco is historically the most fundamental (as recently as 1990, for example, many flamenco recordings still omitted the guitarist’s name from album credits), the cafés cantantes served as a catalyst for flamenco nuevo, a movement that is further shifting the emphasis to the musical accompaniment and the resulting inspired body movement, and away from the cante. Another important factor in the development of flamenco nuevo is a political one: Francisco Franco’s reign as Spain’s dictator from 1939 to 1975 witnessed a period when many cultural activities were subject to intensely restrictive censorship. In Song of the Outcasts: An Introduction to Flamenco, author Robin Tottin elaborates on the role Franco’s policies played in leading to the second major cycle of evolution in flamenco: [F]lamenco is being bombarded with pop music, and the younger flamencos are influenced more and more by it, as well as by rock, jazz, and the music of Latin America. This cultural bombardment from outside is reinforced by a trend from within. For forty years Franco had run the country in the belief that outside influences were pollutants. He referred to 7 the legacy of liberalism as “bastard, Frenchified, Europeanizing.” The Spanish people were to be kept pure by his shutting out of all outside influences. So the coming of democracy and freedom was accompanied by a thirst to find links with the outside world, with other cultures, and with peoples long since expelled from Spain (2003). Spanish flamenco artists working in the years up to and following Franco’s death can be seen not only as desiring to create new sounds, but as fighting against the dictator’s notion of “purity.” Their songs and dances became subversive acts as they consciously adopted music and dance styles created outside of Spain. After being shut off from the rest of the world for so many years, it is easy to understand why 1960s, 70s and 80s Spanish artists were eager to become part of the global musical conversation, and this was passed down to subsequent generations of flamenco musicians. Yet it is also important to recognize that flamenco has undergone change continually since its birth, that it was an art no more “pure” right before the flamenco nuevo movement began than it is now. Today’s new age flamenco artists are simply continuing a tradition that has taken place over hundreds of years; California, with its diverse cultural history, was — and is — more than ripe to contribute to this tradition. ADAM DEL MONTE: FLAMENCO FUSION Adam del Monte, a California-based flamenco guitarist, has dedicated his life to advancing his own interpretation of flamenco music. A professor in Los Angeles’ Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California since 2002, and an authority on flamenco fusion styles, his music stems from his all-inclusive, eclectic background. Born in Israel, del Monte, 43, was exposed to flamenco culture in Málaga, Spain, a coastal Andalusian city where his family moved from the Netherlands when he was two. From Spain, the family transplanted to Germany, where del Monte took up the 8 guitar: “I started with classical guitar when I was eight” (del Monte 2010), he recalls. “My dad was my first teacher. He’s self-taught.” Before turning 19, del Monte would be uprooted another four times (including to study classical guitar in England), finally landing in Madrid for seven years to study under some of Spain’s finest flamenco musicians, such as Granada-born Enrique Morente and Jerez-born Gerardo Núñez. For nearly twenty years now, del Monte has lived in California. Del Monte characterizes his musical upbringing as a “juggling of flamenco and classical styles.” Even after he began serious classical study in England, he could never shake flamenco’s hold: “The pull of flamenco over me is very strong. It’s been a constant process of moving away from it and coming back to it.” This dual interest was precipitated by the childhood summers he spent in Granada, Spain. There, he was welcomed into the caves of the old gypsy district of the Sacromonte, and engrossed himself in Andalusia’s gitano culture, falling ever more in love with flamenco guitar. At the end of del Monte’s seven years in Madrid, he began a professional foray into the world of flamenco fusion: “I started to compose a flamenco concerto, but I didn’t have the financial means and the mental rest to be able to work fully on it.” Unable to drop the project entirely, he picked it back up when he moved to California at age 26. “My desire was to give this classical, big stage music opportunity to flamenco by infusing flamenco with the symphonic world. I wanted to expand the language of flamenco beyond the scope of the guitar.” The idea of fusing flamenco — not traditionally the stuff of “big stage music” — with a classical symphony was an intriguing one for the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP). After looking at del Monte’s first movement, BMOP asked him to finish the concerto. The result was 1999’s 9 “Ensueño Flamenco,” a concerto for flamenco dance, guitar, voice and orchestra. His musical style, del Monte explains, “isn’t under one umbrella. If it was under one umbrella, it would be a very nuanced and inaccurate umbrella…Flamenco was the medium of choice that inspired me to be more creative in. I was always fighting with the dichotomy of wanting to do flamenco but also create my own voice. How do I on the one hand keep the feeling of flamenco, yet develop my own sound?” With this question in mind, the title of del Monte’s latest CD, “Así Lo Siento Yo” (“That’s How I Feel It”), released March 14, makes sense — one listen to the wide range of instruments whose notes make up the tracks and it’s clear he’s developed an intricate answer. The global musical traditions he’s borrowed from and incorporated on the CD both inform and comment on his understanding of traditional flamenco. Del Monte notes his musical influences, conscious and subconscious, extend far beyond the borders of Andalusia, to the Middle East and Brazil, Eastern Europe and the U.S., and they have found their way onto “Así Lo Siento Yo.” Says del Monte: “Being inspired by other musical influences gave me a vocabulary I could use within flamenco. I was raised hearing gypsy music and jazz, the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. All of these influences crept out of my subconscious…I was exposed to jazz as a kid. I’ve always had a love affair with jazz, but I was so vested in flamenco and classical that I didn’t have the time to delve into it. However, I did surround myself with jazz music and musicians.” Del Monte frequently fuses jazz harmonies, phrasings and melodies with traditional flamenco music, as can be heard on his new recordings. “California [has been] the kitchen where I could mix all these ingredients,” he adds. “Ironically, it’s by being here in California that I have been able to fulfill my vision.” 10 “Así Lo Siento Yo” is a project del Monte had been working on compositionally for six years before recording a single minute, a period he calls an “experimental phase.” Recorded during two major sessions between March 2009 and January 2010, the nine tracks feature the sounds of del Monte’s melodic flamenco guitar along with other instruments, such as the saxophone, drums, bass, violin, cello and keyboards. In traditional flamenco, the incorporation of any of these instruments is a big no-no, but for del Monte, this fusion has grown out of a natural place, given his global upbringing. It also doesn’t hurt that he has had some of flamenco’s biggest names backing him up in the endeavor. The hour-long CD highlights performances by some of Spain’s most innovative flamenco artists, such as electric bassist Carles Benavent, who plays on del Monte’s tracks “Sambule” and “Dahab.” Benavent is well known for his collaborations with the late cante jondo singer José Monje Cruz, more famously recognized as the Cádiz Province-born Camarón de la Isla. Though Camarón suffered criticism from flamenco purists for including Benavent on his 1970s recordings, such as his 1979 version of the popular tangos “Como El Agua” (Camarón 1996), those who support innovations in flamenco music have this “God of flamenco” to thank for kicking off the early flamenco nuevo movement. Del Monte, who has known Benavent since he was 15, expresses his deep appreciation for the chance to work with one of the best in the realm of flamenco nuevo: “He invented the flamenco bass. It’s an incredible honor to have him on my CD. Besides being the best at flamenco bass and having invented it, he took this project very seriously and pulled out all the stops. He adapted his genius to the service of (the CD). I was able to bring out the contemporary nature of the pieces with Carles…The way he 11 reacted to my stuff was tailor-made to what I was doing; he went with the flow.” In one word, Benavent is “adaptable,” del Monte concludes. “Así Lo Siento Yo” is also a family affair. Del Monte’s brother, Asaf Kofler, also plays bass on the CD, while his twin sons, Shaul and Enosh del Monte, play cello and violin respectively. Through Kofler, del Monte met saxophonist Shlomo Cohen, whose evocative notes seem a stand-in for the flamenco singer’s voice on six of the CD’s tracks, a characteristic of flamenco nuevo. “They used to play in a jazz fusion band together,” del Monte explains, adding, “They give it a very unique sound and touch. They don’t come from the flamenco world, but they’re Middle Eastern and Mediterranean.” Also noteworthy is Turk Emir Isilay’s work on piano and keyboards. Like Cohen, Isilay is featured in the majority of the numbers. Spanish gypsy singer Guardiana’s emotive voice is featured on two tracks. The effect of combining Guardiana’s singing, del Monte’s guitar work and Shaul del Monte’s cello playing in “Granaína” is particularly haunting. The piece opens with the lone notes of del Monte’s guitar, soon joined by Guardiana’s mournful lyrics. An interlude gives way entirely to the cello, before the return of del Monte and Guardiana to conclude the number. In most of the songs, percussion (performed by Jaco Abel, Benji Habichuela, Luis Amador, Eran Asias and Moy Natenzon) and palmas (hand clapping) play a key role in maintaining a distinct flamenco feel amidst the complexities of the nuevo instruments. Flamenco is a style of expression whose goal is to foster a sense of community; everyone is encouraged to participate, no matter how little he or she knows about music. This is where the simpler tasks come into play, such as doing palmas, shouting jaleos (words of 12 encouragement) or tapping a box to maintain the beat. “Así Lo Siento Yo” retains this traditional sense of community via the through-line of palmas. The CD’s final number, “Chalaco,” is the one that “has the most world sound feel to it,” notes del Monte of the Middle Eastern influence that pervades the music. “I learned the rhythm from my father. We used to play a piece with this rhythm back in the day. I took the rhythmic pattern and composed my own piece with it. We got inspired by an African-Arabic kind of vibe,” he says in reference to the track’s constant, driving drumming. “The guitar solo is very much inspired by Middle Eastern players. There’s a free, nomadic approach. But there are still some flamenco elements in there, with the guitar and the rasgueado (flamenco guitar technique).” This is flamenco fusion — innovation sewn with threads of tradition. MARIA BERMUDEZ: CHICANA GYPSY PROJECT Flamenco dancer María Bermúdez has multiple identities. The East Los Angeles- born artist has managed to build a successful flamenco career amongst the gypsies of Jerez de la Frontera, evident by the fact that she’s been asked to perform in the city’s prestigious annual flamenco festival, the Festival de Jerez, several times. But what is most interesting about Bermúdez’s journey is that she hasn’t abandoned her Southern Californian Chicana roots in favor of adopting a Spanish identity; in fact, her formative years in Los Angeles are playing a larger role in her creative work than ever before with the creation of the Chicana Gypsy Project (CGP), an ensemble of musicians that accompany Bermúdez while she sings and dances to a blend of music encompassing American jazz and blues, Mexican ranchera songs and gypsy flamenco, effectively fusing her identities as a Mexican-American and a flamenco dancer. 13 Twenty years ago, Bermúdez decided it was time to take a leap — across the Atlantic Ocean, that is. Following the premature death of her 29-year-old flamenco dancer brother, Bermúdez knew she was at a crossroads. “My demands on myself and my subconscious desire to continue my brother’s dream and legacy are what led me to move to Spain in 1990” (Bermúdez 2010), she writes from Jerez, where she still lives. Bermúdez, known by the stage name “Chacha” in Southern California, began her dance training with highly regarded flamenco teacher and choreographer Linda Vega in Los Angeles. Vega started her professional career in 1973 and, after 10 years in Spain, returned to Southern California to teach. Like Vega, Bermúdez, even after many years of being immersed in Andalusian culture (including marrying gypsy flamenco guitarist Pele de los Reyes), hasn’t forgotten her Californian roots. She regularly tours North America with Sonidos Gitanos, her company of dancers and musicians, spending at least several months a year in Southern California, teaching and performing at venues such as Los Angeles’ Ford Amphitheatre and the Fountain Theatre, two flamenco hotbeds. In 2007, Bermúdez decided to pay tribute to her various artistic heritages by forming the Chicana Gypsy Project. Says Bermúdez, “I truly believe flamenco is a phenomenon. It is fusible with almost any music. I think any culture that has its roots in a ‘cry’ is an obvious harmony. Spain as a culture was repressed for so many years that when democracy came into play, everyone wanted to reach out and experiment,” she notes in reference to Franco’s 36-year reign as dictator. “Anytime you have a tradition so woven into the earth of a people, the tendency is to ‘protect’ it from any change or bastardization. I personally think this is almost an endearing quality of a people. But, there is nothing one can do to stop evolution, integration and plain inspiration. Artists 14 need to create, experiment and communicate. And it comes down to that! The artist’s expression…whether it is ‘good’ or not, well, that is relative, just like any art form. An analogy I like to give is the blues from the Mississippi Delta. I am sure there were or are ‘purists’ who say that R&B, soul, hip-hop, etc. is not the blues. But this is certainly the roots.” CGP has been an official group for three years, but the project’s inspiration came 12 years ago when Bermúdez, who also studied jazz and blues vocals in Los Angeles, sang the jazz standard “Summertime” as a flamenco soleá, a twelve-count rhythm characterized by its mournful quality. “Chicana Gypsy Project was a slow evolution that just started to take a life of its own as I started to get hired just to do that one song. I decided to take it on seriously and expand my repertoire and the project was born.” CGP made its world debut in New York City in January 2009 and performed most recently in March at the annual Festival de Jerez. Spanish website flamenco-world.com wrote of CGP’s performance, “There are people who aren’t from one place, but rather many… or perhaps from an intersection. And in the case where they’re artists, that eclectic experience surfaces when they express themselves up on stage. That happens to María Bermúdez, an American from the Mexican border who, out of love for flamenco dancing, found love in/for Jerez. Moreover, she sings, and well at that. But she doesn’t sing flamenco, but rather standards of jazz, blues and rancheras. And she does so sprinkling all of it with touches of dancing…flamenco, that is” (flamenco-world.com 2010). Furthermore, the review points out the group’s “internationalism” (flamenco-world.com 2010), demonstrating that “Foreigners are no longer just observers” (flamenco-world.com 2010) in the realm of flamenco. 15 Although Bermúdez is creating new sounds, much of her focus remains on the cante, whether in English or Spanish, just as in traditional flamenco. “Well, almost everyone knows I am a cante die-hard,” she points out. “That is how I ended up in Jerez to begin with, because (cante) is so much a part of the fabric of this place. It influences the dance and the dancers, in a very personified way, and it has continued to do so. The children are a continual example of this. They are churned out singing and dancing before they can walk and talk.” In CGP, Bermúdez takes well-known lyrics from blues, jazz, flamenco and ranchera songs and fuses them seamlessly with diverse musical traditions — for example, her translation of “Me Acordaré de Ti,” a Mexican ranchera, into a flamenco alegrías, an upbeat 12-count rhythm. Bermúdez’s affinity to jazz, blues and flamenco is interesting to note, for these genres hold a common thread: they were born out of oppression. The singer gives voice to a community’s hardships, needs and dreams via the music, preserving history by passing down traditions to subsequent generations, who in turn make their mark. CONCLUSION The historical evolution of flamenco is based on utility. The gitanos of the 15th to 18th centuries used flamenco cante as an outlet to voice their sorrow within their tight- knit communities. In the 19th century, flamenco transformed into a source of income as the gypsies brought their art into the public realm of the cafés cantantes, exposing Spaniards and foreign travelers to this previously isolated song and music form. Starting in the 1960s, flamenco was used in a subversive manner to defy the oppressive regime of the dictator Franco, who sought a homogeneous national identity for the country. With 16 Franco’s death, an epoch of intolerance ended, leaving flamenco artists more than ready to explore the cultural worlds from which they had been cut off. Southern California, with its diverse cultural history, in many ways mimics the environment of Andalusia. Like in southern Spain, whose cultural heritage has been influenced by Arabs, Jews, Christians and gypsies, the Los Angeles flamenco scene has experienced overlap with other musical forms. As is demonstrated with Bermúdez’s Chicana Gypsy Project and with del Monte’s album “Así Lo Siento Yo,” artistic innovation is not only accepted in Southern California, but is almost expected. In Los Angeles, a city known for its blending of cultures, fusion comes out of a natural place. Flamenco nuevo, for all its new sounds, is really continuing a tradition of evolution that has existed since the mysterious birth of flamenco. 17 BIBLIOGRAPHY Bermúdez, María. All references from interview with dancer via email, February 10, 2010. Camarón de la Isla. “Como El Agua.” Antología. PolyGram Ibérica, 1996. Del Monte, Adam. All references from interviews with musician from phone conversations and on the University of Southern California campus, January 18, 2010, February 23, 2010 and March 4, 2010. Flamenco-world.com. “María Bermúdez, ‘Chicana Gypsy Project.’” <http://www.flamenco-world.com/magazine/about/jerez2010/resenas/ 03032010ing.htm#1> March 23, 2010. Jung, Christof. “Cante Flamenco.” Flamenco: Gypsy Dance and Music from Andalusia. Portland: Amadeus Press, 1990. Papenbrok, Marion. “History of Flamenco.” Flamenco: Gypsy Dance and Music from Andalusia. Portland: Amadeus Press, 1990. Schreiner, Claus, ed. Flamenco: Gypsy Dance and Music from Andalusia. Portland: Amadeus Press, 1990. Totton, Robin. Song of the Outcasts: An Introduction to Flamenco. Portland: Amadeus Press, 2003.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Flamenco, born of the gypsies in Spain’s southernmost region of Andalusia, is today bigger than the narrow, winding streets of Jerez de la Frontera, the birthplace of the art. But what many flamenco enthusiasts don’t realize is that today’s flamenco performers, both in and out of Spain, are giving audiences something to which they may not have previously been exposed: flamenco nuevo. Not too surprisingly, this hybrid form is making its strongest global impact outside of Spain in Southern California, where tolerance for cultural fusion is the aesthetic norm. What this thesis will show, however, is that what may appear as new is really not — flamenco nuevo actually continues a centuries-long tradition of evolution, and to understand the true merits of this contemporary form, a close examination of flamenco’s history is required. I will do this, in part, by looking at two exemplars of flamenco nuevo, Adam del Monte and María Bermúdez, whose roots extend to Spain and whose formative creative work is influenced by their time in Southern California. Both artists are known for pushing the boundaries of flamenco to redefine its music and dance.

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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

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Asset Metadata

Creator Spera, Claire Christine (author)

Core Title Flamenco nuevo: tradition, evolution and innovation

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism (The Arts)

Degree Conferral Date 2010-05

Publication Date 04/20/2010

Defense Date 04/01/2010

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Adam del Monte,Andalucía,Andalusia,café cantante,Chicana Gypsy Project,Dance,dance history,David Peña Dorantes,evolution of flamenco,flamenco,flamenco fusion,flamenco history,flamenco in Los Angeles,flamenco nuevo,gitanos,Granada,gypsies,Jerez de la Frontera,journalism,María Bermúdez,Music,Music History,OAI-PMH Harvest,Sacromonte,southern Spain,spain

Place Name Andalusia (region), California (states), Los Angeles (city or populated place), Spain (countries)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Anawalt, Sasha (committee chair), Kun, Joshua (committee member), Shroyer, Stephanie (committee member)

Creator Email claire.spera@gmail.com,spera@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m2943

Unique identifier UC1279729

Identifier etd-Spera-3678 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-307968 (legacy record id),usctheses-m2943 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Spera-3678.pdf

Dmrecord 307968

Document Type Thesis

Rights Spera, Claire Christine

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Repository Name Libraries, University of Southern California

Repository Location Los Angeles, California

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu