Title : Flamenco
Pepe Romero, Guitar
Chano Lobato, Singer
Maria Magdalena, Dancer
Paco Romero, Dancer
 
Cat No: LP43056
Label : Philips
Format : 2LP, 180g Vinyl, Gatefold  
Barcode : 8808678160567

● From the original masters of Universal Music
● Audiophile analogue mastering by Hans-Jörg Mauksch
● Cutting to copperplate at Pauler Acoustics
● 180g audiophile virgin vinyl pressed by Pallas GmbH in Germany
● Very first 2 vinyl set release for enhanced sound reproduction
● Stereo Recording (422 069-1 / Philips)

Recorded : Utrecht, The Netherlands, 12/1987
Recording producer, balance engineer: Wilhelm Hellweg
Recording engineer: Erdo Groot
A strictly traditional flamenco record, Pepe Romero's 1987 recording Flamenco! features not only his own sterling guitar work, but also singer Chano Lobato's expressive vocals and, in an inspired touch that not enough flamenco artists have thought of, two genuine flamenco dancers, Maria Magdalena and Paco Romero. Flamenco, after all, is dance music, and as in some forms of English contra dancing, Appalachian clog dancing, and other forms of folk music, the percussive sound of the dancers' shoes (and the female dancer's traditional castanets) is intended as part of the music. As a result, Flamenco! has a vitality and excitement often missing from classical flamenco records, which can sometimes come off as a bit stuffy and overly serious. Lobato's voice, a dusky alto with a beautifully controlled vibrato, suits the material perfectly, capturing the florid theatricality of flamenco music without going over the top. There are undoubtedly better flamenco records than this, but there are few that are as much fun.
- All Music Guide