Whether you are a performer or observer what is your favorite palo and why? I had a hard time deciding. Taking into consideration what palo I enjoy playing and listening to most, I chose the Soleares. One factor is it was the first palo I learned to play. I probably listen to more Soleares than the other palos. Here are my top 9 in order of preference.

1. Solea
2. Alegrias
3. Bulerias por Solea
4. Bulerias
5. Siguiriyas
6. Tangos
7. Taranta
8. Sevillanas
9. Farruca

Sam, here's my list--

1: Soleares/Siguiriyas (a tie) Emotional richness, and best opportunity for both singer and guitarist to enhance each other's performance. Some guitarists really overplay, especially in siguiriyas--less is often more (and better).

2: alegrías/bulerías (a tie) When well done, best express pure joy and delight. Much depends on the specific performance, as the singer must convince us that he/she is really caught up in the moment.

3: some more, specifically tientos/tangos/taranta/saeta/serrana/fandangos/f.de huelva/la caña All very dependent on the specific performance, though I've rarely heard a saeta I didn't like. Fandangos are very variable in quality.

4: not crazy about granainas, mediagranaina, cartagenera, malagueñas, etc. though I've heard excellent versions of each.

As a rule, I (as do most aficionados, I think) prefer gitano palos to the Andaluz palos, because of their richer emotional content, but the well-executed Andaluz forms can be savored like a fine wine when one is in a relaxed and mellow mood.

One singer who does both forms amazingly well is the gitano cantaor José el de la Tomasa.

carlos

Manos Lentas wrote:Whether you are a performer or observer what is your favorite palo and why?

That is a difficult question for me to answer, because my preferences change from time-to-time and are highly dependent upon the ways in which they are performed. However, I could easily answer the reverse question about which polo I tend to enjoy least. Without any doubt that is zapateado. I rarely hear a zapateado that does much for me other than annoy me.

-Bob

Interesting and challenging question
Here is my personal list. Not to mention that I also have a tendancy to change favorites often sinc I listen to a lot of flamenco (almost two hours everyday, thanks to long time commuting) :

* La caña (and the Polo) : I have heard two cañas in my yet short flamenco life. One from Antonio Mairena (the best cantaor for the jondo repertoire imo) and another performed by Pepe Marchena. Very emotional, intense and extremely complex in matters of compas and above all singing technique. Polo is also very intense but doesn't have the lament part that makes the subtle charm of Caña.

* Soleares : one of the palos I cherish most, especially the Alcala style which is the best ever according to me. I have heard singers like Juan Talega singing that kind of Solea and, man, it's amazing! Soleares de Frijones are also very interesting.

* Petenera : my favorite one is a Petenera performed by Fosforito (do you consider him old school or modern, btw?) accompanied by Paco de Lucia. Profound letras and high level singing skills required for this palo which means that the cantaor(a) will usually show his or her "guts".

* Tientos : a 4 beat palo but the letras are so beautiful. I admire the accompaniment which, when well performed, gives the impression that it is played 3 beats.

* Solea por Buleria : love the toque of old school players for this palo, like Sabicas (early period) or Ricardo. The letra are also very intense.

* Martinete, Debla y Tona : these palos are extremely deep and the letras often very deeply rooted in Andaluzian culture which makes them even more valuable. Mairena is my favorite performer up to now for Martinetes.

I should also add to the list Seguiriyas, Tangos, Buleria (especially the one from Moron and Utrera), Serrana, some Fandangos (depends on who sings and wo plays guitar), la Saeta, and the Garrotin (Sabicas). And still so many things to discover!!! I can't imagine that flamenco is that huge

el frances, thanks for your interesting post. I was especially struck by your preference for la caña, a most beautiful palo. I am most familiar with Rafael Romero's several versions of it--Romero is such a good all-around singer, but he is very closely associated with la caña; there is an excellent version (with Perico el del Lunar) on YouTube--try to take a look at it. About a thousand years ago, I saw Vicente Escudero on stage (he was very old by this time); he had taken up singing in his final years, and performed a most beautiful la caña--I'll never forget it. He also recorded it about the same time. Chocolate also sings la caña on his CD with Niño Ricardo. I checked out Pepe Marchena's version on YouTube, and will also listen for Mairena's.

I certainly regard Fosforito as an "old school" cantaor, and a very good one, with a lot of jondo for a payo singer. I also appreciate your enthusiasm for Antonio Mairena--he's not gotten the reputation for intensity that, say, Terremoto received, but he was--when conditions were right--very good indeed. And the flamenco world owes him much for preserving the integrity of this art. I especially value the fact that he gave us, in his Antologia del Cante Flamenco y Cante Gitano the great recordings of Aurelio de Cádiz as an old man, when he had reached the peak of his skills.

Carlos

A very subjective question, and yet I also am left indifferent by the zapateado somehow. My favourite Palos are definitely the Siguiriyas and Tarantos, and the Bulerias of course. This can change though at any given time. I think I am taking a break from the Solea right now because I focus on it a lot. But I have noticed that at any given sit down or day or week, I will feel a specific palo more and be able to perform it better.

For me its Solea, without a doubt! But it depends a lot on the singer. One of the most stunning performances ever recorded is a Petenera sung by Pastora Pavon accompanied by Nino Ricardo. It's just 2 coplas, but in a few seconds she turns you inside out (I recently rediscovered it on youtube).