Camarón de la Isla

Camarón de la Isla (1950-1992) was one of the most popular and influential flamenco singers of the modern period. He received the name "Camarón" because of his blond hair and "de la isla" ("the islander") for coming from San Fernando (Cádiz).

El Camarón de la Isla was the stage name of flamenco Romani (Gypsy) singer José Monje Cruz who is sometimes also credited as José Monge Cruz, born in San Fernando, Cádiz at december 5, 1950 ( died july 2, 1992, Badalona, Spain). He was the second of eight children.

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. 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, Camarón worked with one of Paco's students, Tomatito.

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

Many consider Camarón to be the single most popular and influential flamenco cantaor (singer) of the modern period. Although his work was criticized by 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 released 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.

Discography (partial)

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 and 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 entitled El Camarón de la Isla con la colaboración especial de Paco de Lucía with the exception of Canastera.

Links
Camarón de la Isla web
Lyrics
More flamenco singers