Carlos Montoya

Carlos Montoya was a prominent Flamenco guitarist.

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Born: 13 December 1903 in Madrid, Spain;

Related Topics:
13 December - 1903 - Madrid - Spain

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Died: 3 March 1993 in Wainscott, New York

Related Topics:
3 March - 1993 - Wainscott, New York

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Carlos Montoya

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Montoya, probably more than anyone, elevated the art of Flamenco from the café cantantés of Madrid to the well-respected concert halls across the world. The nephew of Ramón Montoya, he started accompanying dancers and singers at the age of 14.

Related Topics:
Flamenco - Madrid - Ramón Montoya

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In the 1920's and 1930's he performed extensively in Europe, North America, and Asia. The outbreak of World War II brought him to the United States where he toured with the dancer La Argentina. Settling

Related Topics:
Europe - North America - Asia - World War II - United States - La Argentina

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in New York City, he began touring on his own, bringing his fiery style

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to concert halls, universities, and orchestras.

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Montoya's playing style was idiosyncratic. He once said, according to Brook Zern, "I do not play the way I do to please the public, though it certainly does, on five continents so far, and no other flamenco guitarist will ever fill the Houston Astrodome as I have. No, I play the way I do because to me, that is exactly the way the flamenco guitar should sound. It seems strange to me that the unknowing public should agree, while the real flamenco aficionados clearly do not...but that's the case." It was not particularly appreciated by serious flamenco students, who considered it less brilliant than many others, including Montoya's uncle Ramon. Perhaps Carlos deliberately rejected his uncle's guitar innovations because his uncle had rejected Carlos as a student. Montoya's own favorite flamenco guitarist, it was reported by Zern, was the obscure Currito de la Geroma.

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It can be fairly said that Carlos Montoya, blending flamenco with American jazz, folk, and country, single-handedly (his legendary legato) made the flamenco guitar into a solo musical instrument and is therefore the musical father of today's Ottmar Liebert, who blends flamenco with New Age and other styles, drawing large American audiences. Other modern guitar virtuosos such as Stevie Ray Vaughan have used Montoya-like legatos, as seen on his "Live at the el Mocambo" DVD.

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(http://www.deflamenco.com/articulos/carlosmontoya/indexi.jsp I've been a player and guitar fan since childhood, and saw Montoya at a concert at Ohio State University around 1960 or thereabouts. Thanks much for the opportunity to add background.)

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