Carlos de Jacoba (Motril , 1983)
Carlos de Jacoba is a flamenco musician, guitarist and composer, born September 2nd, 1983 in the heart of a gypsy family in Motril, a town of Granada. His playing is a convergence of the tradition, wisdom and passion that marks authentic gypsy playing with the modern, fresh and romantic; product of the influence of the greatest masters, Camarón and Paco de Lucía.
First years
The oldest of two brothers, in his childhood he was surrounded by flamenco. On the one hand, at home his father Antonio, an aficionado of the “cante”, passed on his knowledge and passion for this art form. On the other hand, out on the streets of his neighborhood Huerta Carrasco, Carlos would fall in love with the sounds of the guitar. These first years would leave a permanent mark on his understanding of flamenco.
At the age of 11 he was gifted his first guitar and he began to receive classes from Manuel Carvajal Ramos, who from the beginning, discovered in him exceptional qualities for playing flamenco. A few years later he would run into Eugenio Bermúdez, who became his grand maestro. It was with him that Carlos would not only develop his identity as a flamenco artist, but he would also acquire a sensibility and intuition necessary for accompanying the “cante”. This stage of his life flowed between classes and parties, simultaneously refining his technique as well as his artistry.
His first contract came to him when he turned 16, performing a small tour through Holland with other musicians from his hometown, Motril. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to the city of Algeciras (Cádiz). It was at that moment when his artistic restlessness would drive him to Madrid, where neither the elegance of his playing nor his carisma would pass unnoticed. Immediately integrated among the most vanguard of the flamenco world he connected with musicians like el Piraña, el Paquete, and Juan Antonio Salazar.
Adulthood
From then on Carlos de Jacoba was frequently solicited by the most important figures of the flamenco panorama such as Diego el Cigala, who he would accompany in the album “Picasso en mis ojos”; Estrella Morente and Duquende among others.
The same could be said for accompanying dance, working for dancers of such scale as Antonio Canales and Farruquito. In 2014 his experience would lead him to produce David de Jacoba’s first album (his brother and Paco de Lucia’s singer during the last years of his life). “Jubileo” would be recognized as the best new album of cante flamenco that year.
Unrelenting in his search for new sounds on the horizon, Carlos considers himself a flamenco nonconformist who strives to not only break the mold but also create his own. This drive opens him to other types of music such as jazz and Argentinian tango, collaborating with prestigious renowned international artists such as Larry Coryell, Alain Pérez, Jerry González and Bobby Mcferrin. In 2018 he would be chosen by the composer and musician Diego Amador to form a part of the show “Camarón, sueños de un niño eterno”.