Flamenco Guitarist, or Not?
Why is Manitas de Plata not mentioned on websites about Flamenco? Or for that matter, in books about flamenco or in online flamenco CD stores. Good question.
Manitas de Plata was an amazing improviser.
Nobody can deny that he put everything he had into his music. He was a showman and an entertainer with a energy that just draws you in and compels you to listen.
With around 50 LP albums to his credit, he sold millions of records in the 1960s and 70s and entertained sellout crowds around the world. In 1964, Pablo Picasso is said to have exclaimed after seeing him perform, “That man is of greater worth than I am!” … and proceeded to draw on the man’s guitar. I dare say this worn out guitar is now worth a small fortune.
In 1968, he performed in the presence of the Queen at the London Palladium. He also represented Europe at the United Nations annual gala celebrating the International Declaration of the Rights of Man. Not bad for an illiterate man who was born in a gypsy caravan and couldn’t read music to save his life.
Manitas de Plata left behind an amazing collection of records as a testimony to his talent. But that’s not all. He can also be credited with inspiring the Gipsy Kings to pick up their guitars. This group were formed by the sons of Jose Reyes (his vocalist) and other members of the Baliardo family. Tonino Baliardo, one of my favorite guitarists is Manitas de Plata’s son.
So why does he not command the respect he deserves?
Well he does amongst mere mortals like myself who enjoy listening to someone who plays better than me. It’s just that traditional flamenco aficionados have a different take on his music. There are a couple of reasons for this which may not be immediately obvious to anyone not familiar with traditional flamenco.
Firstly, he was a French gypsy. This in itself (being a non-Spaniard) should not, and does not necessarily exclude an artist from being described as a flamenco artist by fellow flamencos from Spain. The main reason he is not well regarded is because he was rather loose with his compas. Basically, compas is a recurring cycle of beats analogous to a bar of music. In flamenco rhythms, the beat cycle may be 2, 4, 6, 8 or 12 beats, depending on the rhythmic form. To traditional flamenco artists from Spain and aficionados alike, not adhering strictly to compas is equivalent of blasphemy.
Two great musicians
Look at Paco de Lucia as an example of a guitarist aficionados have great respect for. Why do they respect Paco? His guitar playing could be described as technically flawless, full of creative insight and strictly in compas. By contrast, Manitas de Plata’s playing was as raw as you can get. I feel that view can be a little harsh but I’ve heard it so many times from other flamenco players. What about the inspired energy he put into his playing, or the Duende that possessed him and the listener. Does that matter? To some it obviously doesn’t. He just sounded rough to those used to a more refined style of playing.
Anyone who plays a 12 beat form like Soleares or Bulerias or whatever, and totally ignores the dynamics of compas, is in turn ignored by the traditional flamenco community at large. It’s that simple. They just don’t take him seriously because although he plays what is considered by aficionados to be good imitation, or sound alike flamenco. It is not strictly flamenco by definition because it lacks adherence to compas.
Loose cannon creativity Vs Tradition rule
His music also lacks cohesion, meaning that there is no apparent structure to a lot of his music. It’s more like a random collection of musical ideas. The music is created on the fly and without reference to the bits before and after. In other words, little or no coherent musical “flow”.
Basically he made things up on the spot and tended to slow down and speed up too much when one would expect a steady rhythmic tempo. While this may be OK to the record buying public, it is not OK to someone who knows flamenco. There are certain dynamic and structural “rules” with most traditional flamenco forms that all performers in a group would be aware of and adhere to. These rules can also define parts that actually DO speed up and slow down by consensus. Otherwise a performance would descend into chaos.
The compas is hard to follow.
These “rules” can be modified but never ignored as Manitas de Plata ignored them. His speed variations tend to follow his whim rather than any ordered pattern such as the meaningful speed variations that are dictated by flamenco tradition.
In a nutshell, his music cannot be followed by a dancer or by another guitarist because he appeared to be in his own world and plays primarily for himself. Much As I enjoy the energy and spontaneity of Manitas de Plata’s recordings, I must confess that I can’t follow it. All you have to do is start counting the 12 beats in one of his Soleares, and before you get very far into the piece, he has made one compas 8 beats and another 10 beats and yet another 14 beats. The fact he has performed and recorded with singers and dancers makes me suspect he knew how to keep compas when it suited him. As a solo performer he did not appear to be constrained by such agreed musical rules.
No serious flamenco student could use his falsetas (musical variations) verbatim. Interesting as they may be, they require major modification before they could be used to accompany a dancer for example. He was not a composer or a musical “choreographer” in the same way as Paco de Lucia or Sabicas would be. It’s more like an instant “crazy fingers” maker of random music that sounds like flamenco and has flamenco titles attached to it, but is not flamenco.
Criticism has no affect on popularity or fame
This is not to say that he is not an inspiring guitarist to listen to. By saying these things, I am not knocking him or trying to put his down as an artist. I am simply repeating the usual criticism in explaining why he is not so well regarded as a guitarist in Andalucia. I’m sure he was well aware of this sort of criticism but I am equally sure he couldn’t give a two hoots.
Manitas De Plata Album cover collection
Download here (51 album covers)