Flamenco

Almost overnight, the success of Ottmar Liebert's groundbreaking 1990 debut Nouveau Flamenco catapulted Higher Octave Music into one of the industry's top indie labels and introduced the instrumental world to a fresh, exotic sound unlike any other…

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.

In 2003 Pianist Sergio Monroy releases his first album, ‘Monroy’, which reflects his musical restlessness with regards to flamenco and jazz. He has collaborations on the recording by musicians such as Javier Ruibal and Miguel Poveda. From then on he shapes a stable group to do the album’s live tour with. The official presentation took place at the Fine Arts Circle in Madrid on September 22nd. The record is showcased at forums such as the Vic Live Music Festival, Cádiz Spanish Music Festival, El Monte’s Flamenco Thursdays, at the University of Seville. Outside of Spain, at the Evernaar Theater in Rotterdam and La Línea Festival in London. Moreover, he collaborates with baile companies such as those of Javier Latorre, Andrés Marín and Ángeles Gabaldón, besides with groups influenced by flamenco such as El Barrio and Maíta Vende Cá.