And “Lo Jondo” Met the Groove: The Birth of Proto Flamenco-Jazz in the 20th Century

“The term ‘flamenco fusion’ appeared, and I remember thinking to myself: that’s redundant.” These were the words of Faustino Núñez in an article published by Expoflamenco. Flamenco has been a melting pot of music and cultures since its very origin. That’s why, as the flamencologist writes, labeling any music as “flamenco fusion” seems repetitive. Since its emergence in the late 18th century, flamenco has been woven from musical elements of diverse origins—Arab, Latin American, African, Spanish, and even Jewish. In its two-hundred-year history, it has continued blending with other genres and exploring new paths. One of the most followed and fruitful hybrids of recent decades is the subgenre known as flamenco jazz.

Despite criticism from some sectors, flamenco and jazz have found harmony, and their union has achieved broad popularity. According to Carlos Aguilar, co-author with Anita Haas of the book Flamenco y jazz: historia de un amor, the connection lies in their roots: “They share a deeply significant cultural and anthropological foundation. These are two musical forms that were born within socially marginalized ethnic communities. In the case of flamenco, it was the Spanish Roma people (Gitanos), and in the case of jazz, African Americans and their difficult circumstances at the end of the 19th century,” Aguilar said on the RTVE program Tapiz Sonoro.

Flamenco Glimpses in the United States

In 1956, the album Jazz Flamenco was released in Spain—the first time both words shared space in an album title. The record, created by Lionel Hampton, came about after the trumpeter’s concerts in Barcelona and his encounter with pianist Tete Montoliu. The back cover explained it this way: “Lionel Hampton, a refined artist, tireless man, and discoverer of new music, conceived the idea of bringing together the Spanish grace of flamenco with jazz. Hampton quickly grasped the similarities in rhythm, color, sentiment, and emotion between these two kinds of music. Thus, the new discovery was born: flamenco jazz.”

Though it planted a seed, the musical creations on this album still lacked authentic flamenco melodies and harmonies. The use of the major Phrygian mode, a hallmark of flamenco music, “leans more toward a Latin perspective than a Spanish one,” explains Juan Zalagaz in his article on the topic published in La Madrugá, a flamenco research journal.

From New York, in 1958, Carlos Montoya (a Madrid-born guitarist and nephew of the legendary Ramón Montoya) released From Saint Louis to Seville, in which he “adapts jazz standards in flamenco style,” writes Faustino Núñez in Flamencópolis. In this visionary album, Montoya’s jondo guitar sound is layered over traditional jazz drums, with tracks like “St. Louis Blues” appearing alongside others titled after flamenco palos: tarantas, alegrías, zambras, or guajiras.

The True Encounter Between Artists

During those years, one of the most important figures in jazz history, Miles Davis, turned his attention to Spanish sounds. In his 1958 album Kind of Blue, he included the piece “Flamenco Sketches.” The American trumpeter and composer continued exploring this path, and two years later, in 1960, released an entire album inspired by Iberian music: Sketches of Spain. It features a saeta, a soleá, and adaptations of El Amor Brujo by Manuel de Falla and Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez. The flamenco and Andalusian imaginary began to take root among jazz musicians, and in 1961, trumpeter John Coltrane released the album Olé Coltrane—a title that left no room for doubt. The first track, “Olé,” lasts 17 minutes and is inspired by the Spanish folk melody El Vito.

But things gained real weight with the arrival of Chick Corea. In 1972, already established as a composer and pianist, he released the album Light as a Feather, which includes the iconic track “Spain.” Thirty years later, flamenco guitarist Tomatito released the album Spain alongside Dominican pianist Michel Camilo, including Corea’s composition. The collaboration earned them a Latin Grammy Award for Best Jazz Album. Corea continued drawing closer to flamenco in the 1970s, recording My Spanish Heart. According to flamencologist Faustino Núñez, it was in that decade that the true encounter between artists of both genres began.

On the other side of the Atlantic, in Spain, New Orleans jazz was starting to find its way into clubs, and some flamenco musicians were beginning to take an interest. But that’s another story—for a second chapter.