Search - Camaron De Isla :: Autorretrato

Beware - strong meat in a feast of great wild artistry

Mr. Stuart Robert Harris | Bradford-on-Avon, UK | 01/27/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love it but this album isn't for everybody. In fact there are times when I can only take small doses of it. Why? Because flamenco singing is raw, emotional - full of harsh beauty, depth of feeling, and as legend has it, "the taste of blood in the throat". It demands empathy, giving it space and attention. It's a pain in the ear as background music. Think Tom Waits in his Bone Machine phase.Camaron (little shrimp) was flamenco singing incarnate - an electrifying performer but much given to disorderly living, which eventually finished him off in his forties. This album brings together some wonderful performances, including a couple of outings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. Think of it as Spanish gypsy blues.I've occasionally heard Americans describing it as mellow, which makes me think that either I don't understand the American use of mellow, or else they're not really listening. All in all, essential for anyone with the flamenco bug, but definitely not for the faint hearted or "easy on the ear" brigade."

Autorretrato

janetbob | saint james, new york | 02/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard this CD in Madrid in '05 and was blown away by the emotional intensity expressed by the singer. I purchased it in Salamanca a few days later and have enjoyed it since then, but be warned, it is neither easy listening nor for faint of heart. It's a great testimony to the versatility

of Camaron, but not a totally cohesive package; on the other hand, the serious music lover,will no doubt be amazed and cheer for more."

Camaron Overview

Gregory J. Gilbert | San Francisco, CA | 04/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a great overview of Camaron's different types of work. It shows the incredible depth of Spanish music as a genre, as well as Camaron's impressive ability to sing each style with passion and grace. It is not cohesive as an album, because it is an overview of his work, selected by the singer. There are some fantastically moving songs in here though, and it is probably my favorite album of his. Although not nearly as famous, I find it much more of a pleasure to listen to than the Paris 1987 album. It has more songs that have a rhythm to them that is pleasing to the ear, whereas some Flamenco can at times seem disjointed. In short, a great introduction to Flamenco and Camaron, its greatest singer."