Camarón de la Isla

El Camarón de la Isla (December 5,1950, San Fernando, Spain – July 2, 1992, Badalona, Spain) was the stage name of flamenco gipsy singer José Monje Cruz who is sometimes also credited as "José Monge Cruz".

His uncle José nicknamed him Camarón (Spanish for "Shrimp") because he was blonde and fair skinned. At the age of eight he began to sing at inns and bus stops with Rancapino to earn money. At sixteen he won first prize at the Festival del Cante Jondo in Mairena de Alcor. El Camarón then went to Madrid with Miguel de los Reyes and in 1968 became a resident artist at the Tablao Torres Bermejas where he remained for twelve years.

There he met Paco de Lucía with whom he recorded nine albums between 1969 and 1977. The two toured extensively together during this period. As Paco de Lucía became more occupied with solo concert commitments, "El Camarón" worked with one of Paco's students, Tomatito.

In 1976 at the age of 25, Camarón married Dolores Montoya, a Gypsy girl from La Línea de la Concepción whom he nicknamed "La Chispa" (The Spark). At the time "La Chispa" was only 16. The couple went on to have four children.

Many consider "El Camarón" to be the single most popular and influential flamenco "cantaor" (singer) of the modern period. Although his work brought criticism from some traditionalists, he was one of the first to feature an electric bass in his songs. This was a turning point in the history of Flamenco music that helped distinguish Nuevo Flamenco.

In 1992 José Monge Crúz died of lung cancer. It was estimated that more than 100,000 people attended his funeral.

In 2005 director Jaime Chávarri brought out the biopic "Camarón" in Spain starring Óscar Jaenada as Camarón and Verónica Sánchez - star of popular Spanish TV series "Los Serrano" - as "La Chispa". The film, produced in consultation with Camarón's widow, was subsequently nominated for several Goya Awards.

In 2006, Isaki Lacuesta directed La Leyenda del Tiempo (The Legend of Time), in which a Japanese woman visits the place of Camarón's birth to learn to sing exactly like him.

Partial discography

"with Paco de Lucía"
# "Al Verte las Flores Lloran" (1969)
# "Cada Vez que Nos Miramos" (1970)
# "Son Tus Ojos Dos Estrellas" (1971)
# "Canastera" (1972)
# "Caminito de Totana" (1973)
# "Soy Caminante" (1974)
# "Arte y Majestad" (1975)
# "Rosa María" (1976)
# "Castillo de Arena" (1977)
# "Camaron en la Venta de Vargas"(2006)

"with Paco de Lucía & Tomatito"
# "Como el Agua" (1981)
# "Calle Real" (1983)
# "Viviré" (1984)
# "Potro de Rabia y Miel" (1992)

"with Tomatito"

# "Te lo Dice Camarón" (1986)
# "Flamenco Vivo" (1987)
# "Camarón Nuestro" (1994)
# "Paris 1987" (1999)

"Other"

# "La Leyenda del Tiempo" (1979)
##Released as a solo album
# "Soy Gitano" (1989)
##Released with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with guest appearances by Tomatito

The titles given for the first five albums with Paco de Lucía are those in popular usage, being the titles of the first tracks. Formally, "all" of them are titled "El Camarón de la Isla con la colaboración especial de Paco de Lucía" with the exception of "Canastera".

External links

* [http://www.camarondelaisla.org/index-english.htm Camarón de la Isla web]
* [http://www.terra.es/personal5/camaronleyenda/camaron.htm Discography, photos, lyrics etc.]
* [http://www.esflamenco.com/bio/en11461.html Camarón de la Isla biography and discography]
* [http://www.falseta.com/forum/ Flamenco Forum]

Persondata
NAME=Monje Crúz, José
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=El Camarón de la Isla
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Flamenco singer
DATE OF BIRTH=1950-12-05
PLACE OF BIRTH=Cádiz, Spain
DATE OF DEATH=1992-07-02
PLACE OF DEATH=Barcelona, Spain