The flamenco guitarist Pepe Habichuela has died in Madrid. News of his passing has appeared in various international outlets, including EFE/Reuters.
His passing marks the end of a long career rooted deeply in traditional Spanish flamenco, but one that was equally marked by a curiosity about other musical worlds. For many UK jazz listeners, the most familiar point of entry to his music was his work with the Wolverhampton born bassist Dave Holland.
I remember catching their performance together at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival back in May 2010, just around the time their collaborative album Hands was released.
Beyond his late career jazz excursions, Habichuela was a vital pillar of the gitano musical tradition. Born into the Carmona dynasty in Granada, he was known in Spain as an elite accompanist, providing the rhythmic bedrock for flamenco royalty. In the 1970s, his collaborations with singer Enrique Morente helped carefully push flamenco into more contemporary territory without losing its core identity.
