Enrique Jiménez Ramirez, known as Enrique de Melchor, was born in Marchena in 1951. However he only lived there until he was twelve when he went to Madrid where his father was the resident guitarist in Manolo Caracol's flamenco tablao, called Los Canasteros. It was in this very same tablao that Enrique would get his first lucky break at the age of just fifteen and this is also where he learned the secrets to the art of accompanying flamenco "cante" (singing).
Not long after, he made his first record with the singer Antonio Mairena, and at the age of just eighteen he was awarded the Premio Nacional de la Cátedra de Flamenco de Jerez.
Enrique de Melchor accompanied Cameron de la Isla during a stint at the tablao Torres Bermejas in Madrid, and since he has worked with many of today's great "cantaores" (flamenco singers) including, Fosforito, El Turronero, José Mercé, and José Menese. He has continued his father's legacy, and although he has inherited his father's natural gift for the guitar, his style is more complicated, much fuller and cleaner than the simple "jondo" touch of Melchor de Marchena. Like his father, Enrique is also capable of adapting his guitar to suit the voice of the singer. And also like his father, he is one of the most respected guitarists of his time. However unlike his elder, Enrique also embarks on long world tours as a soloist.
He has appeared on many records as an accompanist and on many more as a soloist, with many other masters of the guitar such as Paco de Lucia on his CD "Arcos de las Rosas" (Rose Arches).
He recorded one excellent record with the jerezano singer, José Mercé, by the name of "Caminos Reales de Cante" (Royal Paths of Song), on which he performs many of the styles that his father preferred like the siguiriya, fandangos, and soleares. Read more on flamencoworld.
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