navigation links

flamenco guitarist - Augustín Castellón Campos known as SABICAS, gypsy flamenco guitarist

1912 - 1990 gypsy born in Pamplona (Navarra north-east of Spain) who became the grand master of flamenco guitar

back to guitar
index

more cds

From the start a child progidy, self-taught, his first concert as such when 8 years old at a military festival in his home town.

His artistic name SABICAS was an abstraction from "Habicas" or habas which are beans, a favourite food when he was younger.

By the age of 10 he was in Madrid accompanying "el Chelito" a well known "cuplé" singer at the time. He went on to play for famous singers such as la Niña de la Puebla, Pepe Pinto, Estrellita Castro and la Niña de los Peines, as well as impress the master of flamenco guitar at the time - Ramon Montoya. Around this time he recorded his first record "Soleares y Danza Mora".

At 17 years of age he made his debut in the Teatro el Dorado in Madrid, but it was in Villa Rosa during the 1920s that he matured. In the Maestranza bullring (Seville) the public gave him a lap of honour like a bullfighter after his recital in 1934. When Spain entered civil war, he headed for America with Carmen Amaya where he spent most of his life thereafter. He established himself in Mexico and then finally New York where he lived to the age of 78.

He improved flamenco guitar both technically and artistically, bringing a rich and rounded, almost classical touch to flamenco playing hitherto unknown.

CD

tourism

Fincas Rústicas         Country Properties

© flamencoshop.com 2001

Specialists In Flamenco Dancing, Flamenco Lessons, Guitar Lessons