Gino D'Aurio has an FIM XRCD titled "Flamenco Passion" that is a standard test disc for me and many others, he has several other great discs, but the recording quality on that one is unbeleivable, as is the music. I would start with this one for sure!
Paco Delucia is another big guy in this genre.
Here is a link to another thread that addressed this same question.
Do you mean Flamenco or classical guitar by Spanish composers? Very different sounds.
"real" Flamenco often has some percussion - tapping (on the guitar) or dancers (tapping on the floor), and often singing. You might also like "nouveau flamenco", e.g. Jesse Cook or even Otmar Liebert.
If you mean classical guitar, you would probably also like many things by non-Spanish composers.
Just came to know of a South American couple called the Cavatino Duo. They were on WFMT live here in Chicago and understand they live in Chicago. They sounded very good.
For rumba flamenco then Jesse Cook is the best I have heard. I bought it a year ago and still play it a few times a month. Everyone I have played it for has gone out to buy it. Read his Press Release at http://www.jessecook.com/home.html and listen.
You purists will hang me for this, but... anyone a fan of Jorge Struntz? of Struntz and Farah, formerly with Caldera in the 70's. Struntz is from Central America and a really hot player. Hey how about old Al dimeola on some of his later 1980's recordings on Manhatten records.. nice acoustic playing with Airto on percussion, probably more "mediterranian" than Spanish though.
This has nothing to do with recordings however, almost thirty years ago we (USN) picked up a contingent of Spanish Marines and made a banzai run the length of the Mediteranean Sea for no apparent reason. Anyhow amongst them were two guitar players that were of some renown in Spain. Them boys could play some guitar. I've like Spanish guitar music ever since.
Carlos Montoya- Recital. One of my favorites. Very rhythmic, raw, passionate, and virtuoso guitar! Another good one on CD (although not spanish- lebanese I think) is Strunz and Farah- Americas.
Xiekitchen, Splendido Hotel is one of my favorite Al Dimeola's albums. All the pressings on Columbia you will hear some of the best guitar work ever. His work on Return to Forever, along with three other superstars rivals none. Plenty of vinyl copies out there to. Its to bad I heard him say that the Fusion Jazz of the 70s will never come back.
I just noticed that someone else sent the link - my mistake.
I got to see both Jesse Cook at the Banff Centre last year - excellent live concert with significant middle eastern influence. I downloaded his CD - Gravity - to my MP3 player and have been downhill and x-country skiing to his music all winter. Excellent background activity music.
Oscar Lopez was at the Canmore Folk Festival last summer. His playing wooed the audience - much fun.
check out Govi. "Havana Sunset: The Best of Govi". very easy to listen to.
Also, a more serious CD, would be the "The Guitar Trio - John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia, Al Di Meola". Awesome, but a little complicated if you are not used to that kind of music, which is a mix of avantgarde jazz and spanish guitar. Same applies to "Friday Night at San Francisco" that was recommended before. Same three guys, great cd.
The Flamenco Passion is out of this world and truly sets a standard for recording ability.Kennyt hit the nail on the head for recommending this disc,the first and seventh song left my friend and I in awe of the 2players.I also think highly of the Romero brothers on the Mecury Living Presense.Take care Dennis
I just got a copy of Flamenco Passion based on the recommendations from this thread. Wow, a truly incredible piece of music. The quality is really amazing. Thanks!!
I am glad you liked the music since it is truly a incredible couple of players,I was reading the notes on the giutarist and he plays strictly by feel.The dynamics are quite silly and I have wondered how those two are able to play so well.Do enjoy-dennis
If you trully want to hear Flamenco guitar and how far it can be pushed, then get "Cositas Buenas" by Paco De Lucia. I've listened to many flamenco virtuoso's from Paco Pena, through to Montoya, the Romero brothers and some more modern ones like Tomatito, Riqueni, Nunez and Chuscales. De Lucia is by far my favorite.
John Williams, for me, is the undisputed master of the classical guitar, even better than his master/teacher Segovia (who employs a much more academic style). Listening to John Williams, I always realize how trully intimate and gentle the classical guitar can be, like a part of one's soul.
If you enjoyed Jesse Cook, Ottmar Liebert and want to pursue this nouveau flamenco genre further then you may also want to consider : Robert Michaels (Arizona), Jose Luis Encinas (Duende) and Mark Antoine ... more great players.
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