In my lifetime I have heard all the great Flamenco artists including the famous Carlos Montoya, all the members of the Romaros family and all the current popular Flamenco guitarists.
Sabicas will always be my favorite. In his lifetime there was none better. The smoothness of delivery and the technical ability was and will forever be the very best. He played with magnificently trained fingers and with his heart. His music and style has been copied by all the greats today.
When I first heard Sabicas I was stunned into silence! I stopped playing my guitar for two years of just listening to Flamenco in general, trying to understand it. Pretty rad for a Led Zep fan!
Filmed rarely for the spanish TV. Sabicas is the Jimi Hendrix and then some of the flamenco guitar. One could argue that Paco de Lucía was better at technique, but given the opposition that Sabicas was given (operating from the Bronx, New York) he was very captivating, to say the least. He filled up a Madison Square Garden. I could listen to his Malagueña 24 hours a day.
My son started studying classical guitar in his early teens because he said if he could learn to play classical, he would be able to play anything -- and he went on to do just that. However, I had the opportunity to take him to see Sabicas as a concert in Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada) I was able to get us seats right up front so Dan could get to watch his every move. We were both blown away! So glad I was able to do that at that particular time in my life because being a single mom of 4 teens, money for that type of thing was just not included in my "budget" - It was worth every penny!!!
I have heard hundreds, but to me this is the PUREST version of Malaguena I have ever heard. Everything about it....the smokey cafe, the women...everything is so perfect!