Tomatito

Tomatito
José Fernández Torres, known as Tomatito (born Fondón, 1958), is a Spanish roma flamenco guitarist and composer. Having started his career accompanying famed flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla (with Paco de Lucía), he has made a number of collaborative albums and six solo albums, two of which have won Latin Grammy Awards.
Biography
Beginnings, Camarón de la Isla
Jose Fernandez Torres grew up in a musical family, which included two guitar playing uncles: Niño Miguel, a flamenco guitarist, and Antonio, a professional guitarist.
Tomatito, who had been playing clubs in Andalucía, became a flamenco sensation when he was discovered by guitarist Paco de Lucía. He accompanied legendary flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla for two decades. With Paco and Camarón he recorded four albums, and had a 1979 hit called "La Leyenda del Tiempo". Their album Paris 87 won a Latin Grammy for best flamenco album in 2000. Their partnership continued until Camarón's death in 1992.
Later career
Tomatito's music blends traditional flamenco and jazz. On some albums, such as Barrio Negro, he experimented with Afro-Cuban and Brazilian Music. He has also worked with flamenco singers Duquende and Potito and pianist Chano Domínguez, among others. A collaboration with pianist Michel Camilo produced the albums Spain (2000), which won a Latin Grammy, and Spain Again (2006).
Tomatito has produced six solo albums. His 2005 album Aguadulce won a Latin Grammy for best flamenco album, and in 2010 he won his second solo Latin Grammy for Sonanta Suite.
His music for the film Vengo, directed by Tony Gatlif, won the César Award for Best Music Written for a Film in 2001.
On March 11, 2019, he was awarded by the Premio Flamenco Radio of Canal Sur.
Style and instruments
Tomatito incorporates elements of jazz in his style of flamenco; both, he says, "emerged as a response to discrimination, a cry of suffering, or the joy of liberation". Half of what he plays is improvised, he said. He frequently employs the Phrygian mode, and his favorite tuning is D, A, D, G, B♭, D.
He plays guitars made by Manuel Reyes, and uses (and endorses) strings by Savarez.
Discography
Solo albums
1987: Rosas del Amor
1991: Barrio Negro
1997: Guitarra Gitana
2000: Spain (with Michel Camilo)
2001: Paseo de los Castaños
2004: Aguadulce
2006: Spain Again (with Michel Camilo)
2008: Pansequito
2010: Sonanta Suite (with Josep Pons and the Orquesta Nacional de España)
2013: Soy Flamenco
2016: Spain Forever (with Michel Camilo)
2019: Rodrigo: Concierto De Aranjuez
Singles
2012: "Mi Santa" Ft Romeo
With Camarón de la Isla and Paco de Lucía
1981: "Como El Agua"
1983: "Calle Real"
1984: "Vivire"
1992: "Potro de Rabia y Miel"
With Camarón de la Isla
1979: "La Leyenda del Tiempo"
1986: "Te lo Dice Camarón"
1987: "Flamenco Vivo"
1989: "Soy Gitano"
1994: "Camarón Nuestro"
1999: Paris 1987
References
External links
Tomatito website
Tomatito – Biography, discography, video collection and bibliography.
www.deflamenco.com
1958 births
Living people
Musicians from Andalusia
Flamenco
Spanish flamenco guitarists
Spanish male guitarists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Milestone Records artists
People from Almería
Romani guitarists
Spanish Romani people
EmArcy Records artists