My Latest Flamenco Rant!

I do a fair amount of teaching. late last night (3 am), I wrote this rant. I think it will be interesting to share it here:

Flamenco is different. It is NOT another style of guitar—like blues, folk, rock or even classical. Flamenco is a WAY OF LIFE. It is the artistic expression of the Spanish Gypsy—the Rom—and, as such, deserves the ultimate of respect from those of us fortunate enough to be within its sphere.

Yes, it is a process. Flamenco guitar is a process. You will NOT master it; you will NOT dominate it. The participation is its own reward. Participation brings you into the world and forms of the Great Art of Flamenco. This is known as “El Mundo y las Formas del Gran Arte Flamenco.

Please do not solicit or recruit students for me. True seekers of this art will find me on their own. Or not.

Please make a point of showing up to every class. EVERY class. It is a sacred commitment. Take private classes as you can manage them—obviously, I’m not doing this for the money because my fees are ridiculously low. I am commited to sharing everything I have learned on my journey of 35 years in flamenco—with those handfull of you who care about it. As for the rest of you: Good luck, God speed, and All the Best. Goodbye.

THE JOURNEY IS ITS OWN REWARD.

Video-tape, record, utilize your technological devices—at your own risk. I’m not wild about them.

SHOW UP. LISTEN CAREFULLY AND DO YOUR BEST. HAVE A LIGHT HEART AND FUN TIME. That’s it.

I will put you on a journey to acquire all the technical bells and whistles you need to play flamenco guitar. The picado. The arpegios, tremelos, alza puas, rasgueos, horquillas. Practice them madly, like a possessed person. Better yet: BECOME POSSESSED!. What do you have to lose except the boring hum-drum of day-to-day?

Break down each falseta and glory in playing it as slowly as you possibly can. And as perfectly. We will do this together. This is NOT A RACE!!

Fewer questions. More focused listening. Fewer books. More listening to music. Use your very unique and rare and precious faculties to aid you and stand by you in your pursuit of this elusive and, oh-so-wonderful, divine Art.

I have reached a point in my flamenco where the actual playing is everything and the performance is truly secondary. Weird, I know.

NO POSERS!! I can not abide posers. Class is 11 am on Sunday, 18 October and I will have it even if I am the only one there (as I was on September 27th). That was a GREAT class, by the way…..

If you have other agendas, I may help you—but I will charge you a lot of money. For the true seeker after flamenco—we are brothers and sisters.

Rant is finished. mateo