10 Must-Have Albums...

[Jack in Wilmington]

The man is like no other, his other works are also quite impressive. I love many many different types of music, but in my 44 years of musical enjoyment I've never heard anything like Vicente's music. It's sort of in a category of its own.
I believe "Ciudad" is a Grammy winner if memory serves me correctly.
I'm so glad you resurrected this thread as I'm always happy to find out about fellow Vicente fans. He is like a treasure that very few have discovered, at least in the US.

Can you imagine Vicente on SACD or Blu-Ray? That would be the Ultimate of the Ultimate.

Rudy

Hey Rudy. Has Vicente recorded anything in English? It's really hard for me to appreciate music if I can't understand the lyrics. It's very beautiful music, but it won't grab me if I don't know what he's singing about. Maybe that's why I can't get into Opera.

[Rudy Gireyev]

Hey Rudy. Has Vicente recorded anything in English? It's really hard for me to appreciate music if I can't understand the lyrics. It's very beautiful music, but it won't grab me if I don't know what he's singing about. Maybe that's why I can't get into Opera.

That's funny that you say that. As a youngster I enjoyed a lot of music in English even though I could not speak a word of it, until I turned 16 and we came to this country. Now that I know what those lyrics were about I so miss those days of old when I had no idea .....
In Russia lyrics were written by actual poets and music was composed by actual composers. The performers were just that, performers. Everyone played to their strengths and the results were quite spectacular. I'm still looking for something even remotely poetic in the English language, from either side of the Pond.
Anyway, no he does not have anything in English, save the single he did with Sting. He is very much a Flamenco artist and the tradition of it would not allow him to do something that brazen. I think it would be considered a betrayal of sorts. You know what I mean?
Also bear in mind that the amount of singing in his material is, I don't want to say minimal, but rather measured. The vocals are used as instruments more so, rather than a traditional lead for the "band" role they usually play.

Like you I don't really speak a word of Spanish let alone the Andaluz dialect that so dominates Flamenco. But I actually like it that way. Makes me focus on the music and prevents the potential disappointment upon discovering what the words actually say.

Rudy

Edit: Just a note, he doesn't actually sing on any of his albums he has two regular singers "Cantaors" that have been with him since his first album "De mi Corazon al Aire" that do the job quite admirably. One of those singers Potito has become quite famous is his own right in the Flamenco world.

[oaqm]

In no particular order:

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland

Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms

Global Communication - 76:14

Buddy Guy - Sweet Tea

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery

Pink Floyd - Pulse

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Deja Vu

Frank Zappa - Thingfish

Renaissance - Scheherazade & Other Stories

The Beatles - Abbey Road

[Jack in Wilmington]

That's funny that you say that. As a youngster I enjoyed a lot of music in English even though I could not speak a word of it, until I turned 16 and we came to this country. Now that I know what those lyrics were about I so miss those days of old when I had no idea .....
In Russia lyrics were written by actual poets and music was composed by actual composers. The performers were just that, performers. Everyone played to their strengths and the results were quite spectacular. I'm still looking for something even remotely poetic in the English language, from either side of the Pond.
Anyway, no he does not have anything in English, save the single he did with Sting. He is very much a Flamenco artist and the tradition of it would not allow him to do something that brazen. I think it would be considered a betrayal of sorts. You know what I mean?
Also bear in mind that the amount of singing in his material is, I don't want to say minimal, but rather measured. The vocals are used as instruments more so, rather than a traditional lead for the "band" role they usually play.

Like you I don't really speak a word of Spanish let alone the Andaluz dialect that so dominates Flamenco. But I actually like it that way. Makes me focus on the music and prevents the potential disappointment upon discovering what the words actually say.

Rudy

Edit: Just a note, he doesn't actually sing on any of his albums he has two regular singers "Cantaors" that have been with him since his first album "De mi Corazon al Aire" that do the job quite admirably. One of those singers Potito has become quite famous is his own right in the Flamenco world.

Thank you for the insightful information. I do enjoy Santana very much and some of his songs are not in English. You may have a point also. Some of todays music is so bad lyrically that I wish I could mute it.