Lately lots of students have been asking for recommendations for music.

I love this question.

Because you CANNOT do flamenco without appreciating the music.

No se puede.  

Impossible.

And listening.  Listening is so great.  Listening to wonderful songs over and over again

Gives me inspiration.

Puts the compás inside of me.

Makes me feel.

Takes me somewhere.

And I love it when other people, here in Portland, or anywhere really, want to listen to flamenco too.  Because, well, let's just say many of my friends and family would rather listen to something else.

The funny thing is when I first began dancing flamenco I didn't even really like the cante.  I can't even imagine that time now.   

For No Soy Bailarina I asked Nat to play a solo.  And he did, and I loved it.  I wished it could have been longer...   As a part of the Groovin' Greenhouse, the focus was to be on the dance, as it was a dance performance.

But I couldn't not include at least one strictly musical piece.  One of my favorite things about going to see a flamenco show is when I can just close my eyes and listen to the music.  I love those moments.  The moments in concerts when I can just completely fall into the music.  And when there is baile, I don't want to close my eyes, well, unless I really don't like the dancing.

Anyway, now I fear I'm getting off topic.

So, about the recommendations.  Where to start?

WHERE to START?

There are the letras, where I often mention artists, so that can be a place to begin.

But there are so many great flamenco musicians.  So many different styles.  There are artists and albums that can be easily found outside of Spain and others that cannot.

Then I realized, we are a bunch of people.  With lots of ideas, lots of resources.  Certainly we have different artists to recommend, different favorites.

So let's share.

I would love to hear in the comments who you like to listen to, who you recommend to start with, what you recommend to practice with, all of it.  Let's start a conversation...

And when Ricardo gets here, you can ask him who he likes.