Flamenco Woman, Legends and Innovators

Madrid, Spain – Boa Music will be releasing Flamenco Woman at the end of September, an intimate and authentic image of women in the flamenco world. It will eature17 different female singers from varied backgrounds and styles, born in different historical periods of flamenco. All of them are true bastions of flamenco culture, having achieved the greatest accomplishments with voice and dance. The fertile decade of the 1970s brought forward one of the most eclectic group of dancers, well known for their innovations. Dolores Vargas “La Terremoto” (Príncipe Gitano’s sister) and Lola Flores, baptized in Mexico as “La Faraona” (the Pharoahness), both fall into this category. They perform rumba versions (which veer more towards pop) of “Achilipú”, a hit during the hippy years, and a Mexican bolero “Amanecí en tus brazos,” adapted to the “Pescaílla” rumba style.

The recently deceased Francisca Méndez Garrido, “Paquera de Jerez,” sings the different styles (palos) extremely well, especially the bulería. Both Fernanda de Utrera (Bernarda’s sister) and “Perla de Cádiz”, performer of some of the finest Flamenco tangos, also have to be added to this list of exceptional musicians.

In addition to these voices bound to the orthodox flamenco sound, Flamenco Woman offers the presence of a new generation of singers and innovators. Encarnación Amador “La Susi” (the usual accompanist at Camarón’s concerts), Esperanza Fernández, Las Montoya and Las Peligro, Marina Heredia, Elena Andújar and Tomasa Guerrero “La Macanita,” are but to name a few. Two of the featured non-gypsy singers are Mayte Martín and Carmen Linares.