José Fernández Torres (born Fondón, 1958), known professionally as Tomatito, is a Spanish roma

flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...

guitarist and composer. Having started his career accompanying famed flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla (with

Paco de Lucía Francisco Sánchez Gómez (; 21 December 194725 February 2014), known as Paco de Lucía (), was a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer, and record producer. A leading proponent of the new flamenco style, he was one of the first flamen ...

), he has made a number of collaborative albums and six solo albums, two of which have won

Latin Grammy Award The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from any ...

Biography

Beginnings, Camarón de la Isla

Jose Fernandez Torres grew up in a musical family, which included two guitar playing uncles: Niño Miguel, a flamenco guitarist, and Antonio, a professional guitarist. Tomatito, who had been playing clubs in

Andalucía Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

, became a flamenco sensation when he was discovered by guitarist Paco de Lucía. He accompanied legendary flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla for two decades. With Paco and Camarón he recorded four albums, and had a 1979 hit called "La Leyenda del Tiempo". Their album ''Paris 87'' won a Latin Grammy for best flamenco album in 2000. Their partnership continued until Camarón's death in 1992.

Later career

Tomatito's music blends traditional flamenco and jazz. On some albums, such as ''Barrio Negro,'' he experimented with

Afro-Cuban Afro-Cubans () or Black Cubans are Cubans of full or partial sub-Saharan African ancestry. The term ''Afro-Cuban'' can also refer to historical or cultural elements in Cuba associated with this community, and the combining of native African a ...

and Brazilian Music. He has also worked with flamenco singers Duquende and Potito and pianist Chano Domínguez, among others. A collaboration with pianist Michel Camilo produced the albums ''Spain'' (2000), which won a

Latin Grammy The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from any ...

, and ''Spain Again'' (2006). Tomatito has produced six solo albums. His 2005 album ''Aguadulce'' won a

for best flamenco album, and in 2010 he won his second solo

for ''Sonanta Suite''. His music for the film '' Vengo'', directed by Tony Gatlif, won the César Award for Best Music Written for a Film in 2001. On March 11, 2019, he was awarded by the Premio Flamenco Radio of

Canal Sur Canal Sur ('South Channel') is part of Radio y Televisión de Andalucía (RTVA), the public broadcasting company of Andalusia. It was created by means of the devolved powers given to this autononomous community by an Act of Parliament in its ...

Style and instruments

Tomatito incorporates elements of

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

in his style of flamenco; both, he says, "emerged as a response to discrimination, a cry of suffering, or the joy of liberation". Half of what he plays is improvised, he said. He frequently employs the

Phrygian mode : The Phrygian mode (pronounced ) can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek ''tonos'' or ''harmonia,'' sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set of octave species or scales; the medieval Phrygian mode, and the m ...

, and his favorite tuning is D, A, D, G, B♭, D. He plays guitars made by Manuel Reyes, and uses (and endorses) strings by Savarez.

Discography

Solo albums

* 1987: '' Rosas del Amor'' * 1991: ''Barrio Negro'' * 1997: ''Guitarra Gitana'' * 2000: ''

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

'' (with Michel Camilo) * 2001: ''Paseo de los Castaños'' * 2004: '' Aguadulce'' * 2006: ''Spain Again'' (with Michel Camilo) *2008: ''Pansequito'' * 2010: ''Sonanta Suite'' (with Josep Pons and the Orquesta Nacional de España) * 2013: ''Soy Flamenco'' * 2016: ''Spain Forever'' (with Michel Camilo) *2019: '' Rodrigo: Concierto De Aranjuez''

Singles

* 2012: "Mi Santa" Ft Romeo

With Camarón de la Isla and Paco de Lucía

* 1981: "Como El Agua" * 1983: " Calle Real" * 1984: "Vivire" * 1992: "Potro de Rabia y Miel"

With Camarón de la Isla

* 1979: " La Leyenda del Tiempo" * 1986: "Te lo Dice Camarón" * 1987: "Flamenco Vivo" * 1989: "Soy Gitano" * 1994: "Camarón Nuestro" * 1999: ''Paris 1987''

References

External links

Tomatito website
– Biography, discography, video collection and bibliography.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomatito 1958 births Living people Musicians from Andalusia Flamenco Spanish flamenco guitarists Spanish male guitarists Latin Grammy Award winners Milestone Records artists People from Almería Romani guitarists Spanish Romani people EmArcy Records artists César Award winners