Essential Flamenco Guitar 2

The acclaimed first volume of this exciting series gave extensive insights into basic techniques of flamenco guitar playing and the two important rhythmic forms (palos) of Solea and Alegrias.

This second volume continues on with an exploration of further essential rhythmic palos. The first of these, occupying the entire first DVD, is the Bulerias. Juan Martin brings his many years of experience as an internationally renowned flamenco soloist and accompanist for singers and dancers to unravelling its mysteries, explaining and demonstrating very clearly the different elements of its rhythmic structure and the various ways it may be accented and counted.

He uses traditional and more modern examples of the different kinds of rhythm and melodic passages (falsetas) to provide an invaluable understanding of this wonderful palo. The second DVD is devoted to the popular flamenco Rumba, then Tangos, Tientos and that most profound of all the palos, the deeply moving Seguiriyas.

Juan's solo playing is complemented by demonstrations of the guitar's role in accompanying the flamenco dance (baile) and song (cante) with the help of outstanding dancers Raquel de Luna and Miguel Infante and singers Amparo Heredia (La Repompilla) and Carlos Brias. The music for solo guitar is transcribed in standard notation and tablature (cifra) and the two DVDs contain nearly three hours of explanation and demonstrations.

The series is complemented by two other best-selling Juan Martin volumes published by Mel Bay. These provide progressively graded solo material to extend the repertoire, from beginner to concert level.