James Jeffrey

The other side of flamenco

The sanitised, tourist-friendly type is just one part of the story

  • From Spectator Life
[iStock]

When you hear the word flamenco you probably think of a lady dancing in a polka-dot dress, stomping her feet, accompanied by guitars and singing. And in the fair capital of Andalucía, Seville, you would have no problem finding such a sight. All across the old town, around the cathedral and in the lee of its 12-century minaret turned cathedral bell-tower, glamorous flamenco dancers are busy at it, stirring up passion on the cobbled streets and in the city-centre tourist shows. There’s no denying such flamenco demonstrations will raise your pulse and the tourists, not surprisingly, love them.

Dancers on Plaza de Espana in Seville [iStock]

But if you think that’s good, you need to head south of Seville toward the sherry-growing region around Jerez de la Frontera, and to the likes of San Fernando, just outside the coastal city of Cadiz, where El Camarón – The Shrimp – emerged to become one of flamenco greatest and most tragic sons.

Born in 1951 into a gypsy family, José Monge Cruz was given his unusual nickname on account of the fair hair he had as a child. Growing up amid a family of singers, his extraordinary talent drew crowds even when he was a boy. Also known among gypsies as El Príncipe, The Prince, he was revered for his heartrending voice and songs, playing solo as well as making albums with the renowned Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia. Camarón died of lung cancer in 1992 aged just 41.

José Monge Cruz – El Camarón – with Paco de Lucia in 1974 [Alamy]

Soldiers in combat have better survival rates than many flamenco singers judging by the history. If it’s not the chain smoking, it’s the drug use or interfamilial squabbles ending in stabbings. But the tragedy coexists with – perhaps is a fundamental part of – producing sublime artistry that offers further evidence that no matter how tawdry man becomes or how low he sinks, he is never entirely removed from the angels.

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