Sabicas

Sabicas (proper name: Agustín Castellón Campos) (16 March 1912 – 14 April 1990) was a Spanish flamenco guitarist of Romani origin.

Biography

Sabicas was born in Pamplona, Spain, and began playing guitar at the age of five and made his performing debut two years later. His early style was influenced by Ramón Montoya, to whom he was related on his mother's side of the family. Extensive collaboration with important ''cantaores'' (male flamenco singers) of the period helped him develop his personal style.

Leaving Spain in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, he went into exile in Latin America with ''bailaora'' (dancer) Carmen Amaya. He lived in Mexico City, married Esperanza González Erazo and had four children of the marriage: Maricruz 1944, Carlos 1946, Agustine 1952 and Margaret 1956. Agustine and Margaret live in New York City, Maricruz is deceased, and Carlos is deceased. Amaya and Sabicas toured together several times. Sabicas later settled in New York City in the United States where he formed a life-long friendship and business association with classical guitarist Rolando Valdés-Blain. He did not return to his native Spain until 1967.

Sabicas was instrumental in the introduction of flamenco to audiences outside of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. He was probably best known for his technical skills: blazingly fast '' picados'' (scales), fast arpeggios, quality composition for the many forms of flamenco, and infallible rhythm, which was critical when playing with a dancer. He was also considered to have perfect pitch. "The finest technique around has got to be Sabicas, the flamenco player," Chet Atkins told '' Guitar Player Magazine'' in March 1972.

Sabicas was one of flamenco's greatest guitarists, not only as a technician, but also as a composer. He played flamenco at a previously unimaginable level and created new techniques, opening up new possibilities for the solo instrument. He brought his art to concert halls and major theaters, making it available to all classes. Modern players such as Paco de Lucía, Paco Pena, Tomatito, Serranito, René Heredia, Juan Manuel Cañizares, El Viejín, Vicente Amigo, Gerardo Núñez, Javier Conde and many more acknowledge the great influence of Sabicas's music.

Sabicas died at the age of 78 at a hospital in New York, New York, of complications from pneumonia and multiple strokes.

Discography

The following is a partial list of LPs recorded by Sabicas. Some but not all have been reissued on CD or MP3, many under different titles. Some dates are tentative, since many LPs (Decca in particular) did not carry a date (or carried the date of reissue). The many anthologies are not listed.

* 1949 ''Flamencan Guitar Solos''
* 1957 ''Sabicas Vol. 1'' (CD = ''La Guitarra Flamenca'')
* 1957 ''Sabicas Vol. 2'' (CD = ''La Guitarra Flamenca'')
* 1958 ''Sabicas Vol. 3''
* 1958 ''Gypsy Flamenco''
* 1958 ''The Day of the Bullfight''
* 1958 ''Romantic Guitars'' (with Mario Escudero. CD = ''Masters of the Spanish Guitar'')
* 1959 ''Flamenco!'' (with Carmen Amaya)
* 1959 ''Queen of the Gypsies'' (with Carmen Amaya. MP3 = ''The Best of Carmen Amaya'')
* 1959 ''Flamenco Puro''
* 1959 ''Serenata Andaluza'' (with group)
* 1959 ''Solo Flamenco''
* 1959 ''Fantastic Guitars'' (with Mario Escudero)
* 1960 ''Festival Gitana'' (with Los Trianeros)
* 1960 ''Flamenco Fantasy'' (CD = ''Adios a la guitarra.'' MP3 also available under the original title)
* 1960 ''Furioso'' (with Dolores Vargas)
* 1960 ''Soul of Flamenco''
* 1960 ''Flamenco Variations on Three Guitars''
* 1961 ''Flamenco Virtuoso''
* 1961 ''Rhythms of Spain'' (with group)
* 1961 ''Flamenco Styles'' (with Mario Escudero)
* 1961 ''El Terremoto Gitano'' (with Dolores Vargas)
* 1962 ''Concierto en Flamenco'' (with orchestra)
* 1963 ''Flamenco Reflections''
* 1963 ''Flaming Flamenco Guitar''
* 1965 ''El Rey del Flamenco''
* 1967 ''Flamenco Fever''
* 1967 ''Guitars of Passion''
* 1968 ''Artistry in Flamenco''
* 1969 ''3 Guitarras Tiene Sabicas''
* 1969 ''Arte Gitano''
* 1969 ''La Historia del Flamenco'' (with many singers. CD = ''Sabicas,'' RCA ND 74612)
* 1969 ''La Guitarra de Sabicas''
* 1970 ''Rock Encounter'' (with Joe Beck) (recorded in 1966)
* 1971 ''The Soul of Flamenco and the Essence of Rock''
* 1972 ''Flamenco!!''
* 1972 ''¡¡Olé!!'' (with Adela la Chaqueta)
* 1972 ''Sabicas in Concert'' (CD = ''Concierto Vol. 2'')
* 1972 ''Fiesta Flamenca'' (with various old-time singers)
* 1976 ''The Art of the Guitar''
* 1990 ''Nueva York-Granada'' (with Enrique Morente)
* 2014 ''Al compás de mi guitarra'' (compilation from pre-WWII 78s, with the top singers of the day)

References

External links

Sabicas discography (in Spanish)




- In Spanish
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sabicas
1912 births
1990 deaths
Elektra Records artists
People from Pamplona
Romani guitarists
Spanish flamenco guitarists
Spanish male guitarists
Spanish Romani people
20th-century Spanish guitarists
20th-century Spanish male musicians