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fotos: Borja Luque

Simon el Rubio is an unusual person. Both a dancer and guitarist, he grew up in the theatrical environment of his parents, both Royal Ballet dancers. As a boy he studied violin and piano and then graduated onto flamenco guitar to suit more his bohemian temperament.

Musically his early years were spent absorbing the musical traditions in various countries where he lived - Iran, Czechoslovakia, England, Germany, Italy, Morocco and Spain, while assimilating traditional school studies. But even free lessons as a boy with a lead violinist from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra could not deflect him from the flamenco guitar. The thumbnail gave him away. Eventually (while also studying flamenco dance) he pursued fairly piecemeal studies with various top guitarists including Paco Peña, Mario Escudero, Serranito, Manolo Sanlucar, Vicente Amigo, Paco Serrano and others. He subsequently spent long periods in the Peña Flamenca de Estepona (Málaga), where he intensified both playing and dancing abilities. This was his formation ground with grassroots singers and other guitarists (such as Jose Fernandez, Javier Jimeno, Gaspar Rodriguez, Daniel Casares...) He used to work out falsetas for his guitarist to play for his dancing.... and so in this way his dance group was originally formed. It also gave him a very thorough understanding of flamenco.

He plays very precise and rhythmical guitar with much staccato style (like Morón but also Jerez in flavour) and has excellent improvisational compás.

Flamencovino modern instrumental flamenco rumba bolero group

with singer Salmonete (Jerez)

with singer Juan de Marquez

with Gonzalo de Jerez and Paquito de Jerez

with Jaime Villar de Jerez

with guitar maestro Manolo Sanlucar

2008

Maestro Simon. Ya hacia tiempo que no pasaba un rato tan flamenco, y con tanta perfeccion. Y debes saber que todo estuvo fundamentado por tu acoplada y embrujada “bajañí”, fue inmenso...genial

Domingo Rosado

in the Pena Flamenca La Zua (Jerez de la Frontera)

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