The once-mighty Muslim kingdoms of al-Andalus were in a state of slow but steady decline, while the Catholic powers of central and northern Spain steadily pushed south (See Aramco World, January-February 1993). Though some scholars believe the word flamenco means "Flemish," others think it is a corruption of the colloquial Arabic felag mangu, meaning "fugitive peasant" and derived from a root meaning "to flee." The term came into use in the 14th century, and was first applied to the Andalusian Gypsies themselves, who were called either gitanos or flamencos.įlamenco music dates back to the Middle Ages, a time of turmoil in the Iberian peninsula. And what they have produced as a result is a fusion of Spanish and Arab traditions that is both interesting and inspirational. What they have found are pervasive Arab influences, touching everything from the style of performance to the very rhythms and scales of the songs themselves. Other performers have turned inward, searching for the obscure origins of flamenco, in hope of inspiration. Paco de Lucia and Madrid's Ketama have garnered critical praise-and the wrath of purists-with their jazz-influenced recordings, while the Gipsy Kings have wedded pop to flamenco to win fans worldwide. In recent years, however, some performers have moved beyond both the geographical and the stylistic boundaries of traditional flamenco to incorporate a variety of new styles into their work. Flamenco music was born, and still lives, among the scenic green hills of Andalusia in southern Spain.
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