Artists: MICHEL CAMILO & TOMATITO

Title: SPAIN FOREVER

Release Date: October 7, 2016
Produced by Michel Camilo
Executive Producer: Sandra Camilo
Recorded by Salom Limn at Casa Limn, Madrid, Spain on July 10-12 and November 15-19
, 2015
Mixed by Salom Limn and Caco Refojo at PKO Studios, Madrid
Mastered by Caco Refojo at PKO Studios
Liner Notes: Javier Limn
Photos: Fernando Berenjeno
Graphic Design by Francesc Freixes
Genres: Jazz, Latin Jazz, Flamenco, Fusion
Length: 48:51
Label: Universal Music Spain S.L. (0602547813961)

***Commentary from http://www.michelcamilo.com/albums/spainforever.html:

http://vevo.ly/vRV3Tf

Michel Camilo & Tomatito have been gathering each other for more than 30 years i
n an almost predestined way. They first met back in 1984 at Madrids Sports Hall d
ressing rooms, during the citys Jazz Festival. Michel was the pianist of Paquito
D'Riveras Quintet while Tomtit was guest artist of Puerto Rican percussionist Ray
Barretto. They came across each other but yet did not hang out. Then they met a
gain in 1990, when Michel was producing Ketamas album Pagente con alma (Philips, 1
991). At that time, they were working on different projects but Tomatito recalls
feeling really intrigued by the sounds he heard from the adjacent recording stu
dio.
It was at the 1998 Barcelona International Jazz Festival and thanks to their inv
itation to collaborate that both artists finally performed two songs together at
the Palau de la Msica which were later featured in their celebrated first album,
Spain (Lola Records, 2000): Chick Coreas "Spain" and the Mexican standard by Con
suelito Velzquez, "Bsame mucho".
Their amazing performance was both hailed by critics and public who enthusiastic
ally shared their enjoyment, cementing both artists willingness to take the chal
lenge of embarking on a project together.
As one of the most praised contemporary music duos tells us, the beginning was n
ot easy. Guitar and piano had not traditionally merged in fruitful alliances due
to the preconception that these instruments sonorities would not jell. Michel Ca
milo & Tomatito overcame that prejudice with absolute respect for each others sou
nd and instrument, eventually creating a new canon. Aroused by each others perfor
mance, each others search of spaces and their mutual delicacy in building harmoni
es, they both agreed to record Spain selecting the finest repertoire which serve
d as the perfect tip on what their next installment artscape would take them: La
tin sounds, Jazz, Flamenco and Cinema were the 4 cornerstones of such a seminal
record.
The resultant international tour in support of the album was a stunning audience
and critical success on each and every stage of the 5 continents they performed
, becoming also the catalyst for its natural follow up, Spain Again (Emarcy / Un
iversal, 2006). Michel Camilo & Tomatito tested their future repertoire by intro
ducing new songs in their live performances every night without prior notice. Su
bsequently, Spain Again features, after the public granted a warming welcome, an
Astor Piazzolas rendition (with a long suite dedicated to the Argentinian compos
er), an homage to the finest Latin songs ("El da que me quieras"), as well as to
the Classic Jazz standards ("Stella by Starlight") and obviously a wink to the r
esponsible for much of it all, Chick Corea ("La fiesta"). As they had done previ
ously, also this time around Michel Camilo & Tomatito started working on testing
their repertoire live for their next release (the latest stage of their saga).
In Spain Forever (Universal Music Spain, 2016) there is a relevant aesthetic qua
lity that differs from their previous works. There is a calmer tone to it that r
adiates from the deeper knowledge of a long time relationship. The duos language
is wiser, there are more silences, more pauses and there is respect for the indi
vidual space but also the aim for more complexity in the shared grounds. Almost
20 years have passed and Spain Forever keeps good track of it like a rear view m
irror snapshot of the two starring characters. Michel Camilo & Tomtito open the
new album with a personal homage paid to one of their favourite artists, Brazili
an guitarist and composer Egberto Gismonti, making a lyrical version of his clas
sic "Agua e vinho". The next tribute to the late double bass player Charlie Hade
n takes the form of an intimate rendition of his "Our Spanish Love Song". And th
en the Spain Again link is settled with a dramatically beautiful cover of the no
torious Astor Piazzollas milonga "Oblivion" with an almost orchestral arrangement
. Erik Saties "Gnossienne no 1" opens the repertoire to the Mediterranean Sea in
an Arabic style of melodic originality as minimalistic as impressionistic.
When revisiting Cinema Paradisos musical themes, Camilo and Tomatito chose an atm
ospheric sea mood with the aim to bring the Mediterranean lights palette and col
ors into the score. As a search of their personal imprint, their version is an i
mprovisation of the famous love song full of spaces and freedom (with original m
usic by Ennio Morricone). One of the album surprises is the track "Nuages" by ja
zz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Tomatito is a self confessed admirer and Michel i
s an early jazz piano or stride piano connoisseur (Scott Joplin, but also the la
ter versions done by Art Tatum or Oscar Peterson) making a smart and rhythmic si
gnature version of a classic jazz manouche. "Manh de Carnaval" (Luiz Bonf / Antnio
Maria) is the central theme of the famous film Black Orpheus (Marcel Camus, 1959
): Camilo and Tomatito departed from Paco de Lucia s notorious version (along wi
th John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola) and carried it from there towards a more mel
ancholic land, rich of harmonies inspired by the romantic day after Rio de Janei
ros Carnival- music and photography. About you" is an original lullaby penned by M
ichel Camilo that proves to fit perfectly on a carnivals tail- a quiet chilling s
pace, a track where Tomatito shows his skills as a flamenco master on classical
guitar. Then the ending number for the 3rd installment, which is a tribute to on
e of the saga forerunners: "Armando s Rumba", an original by Chick Corea dedicat
ed to his father, which the duo kicks in stillness till a sudden mid-stream burs
t of rhythm and fire exploding uncompromisingly while blending Flamenco & Latin
Jazz as a perfect ending to the 3rd chapter of the Spain trilogy... But, who kno
ws?
We cant but wait that Michel Camilo & Tomatito shall want to try yet a new repert
oire before worldwide audiences in this brand new tour so that the seeds for the
ir future new work would bloom at the right time. The door is still open.

***TRACKLISTING:
01. gua E Vinho (Egberto Gismonti) 5:57
02. Our Spanish Love Song (Charlie Haden) 4:37
03. Oblivion (Astor Piazzola) 6:12
04. Gnoissienne No. 1 (Erik Satie) 5:59
05. Cinema Paradiso (Ennio Morricone) 3:12
06. Love Theme Cinema Paradiso (Ennio Morricone) 4:23
07. Nuages (Django Reindhart) 6:17
08. Manh de Carnaval (Black Orpheus) (Luiz Bonf) 5:55
09. About You (Michel Camilo) 2:36
10. Armandos Rhumba (Chick Corea) 3:43

***Musicians:
Michel Camilo: Piano
Tomatito: Flamenco Guitar

***Review from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/13/michel-camilo-tomat

ito-spain-forever-review-decca-flamenco:
Michel Camilo/Tomatito: Spain Forever review mercurial piano-flamenco duo

(Decca)
John Fordham
Thursday 13 October 2016
Anyone who has every witnessed the torrential solo performances of Dominican Rep
ublic piano maestro Michel Camilo might assume there wouldnt be much room on stag
e for an equal partner, but his partnership with flamenco guitarist Tomatito has
been compatibly maturing for almost 20 years. On their third album, they wind d
iscreetly around each other on romantic themes such as the octave-pinging Agua y
Vinho, and dance gracefully together on willowy Spanish love songs. But more me
morable moments come on the slow strut of Erik Saties Gnoissiene No 1, two beauti
fully paced Morricone pieces from Cinema Paradiso, and Django Reinhardts signatur
e theme, Nuages, which is imaginatively unfolded in soft guitar chords and slowl
y striding piano swing. Chick Coreas Armandos Rhumba prances like a troupe of danc
ing exclamation marks, and releases mercurial improvisations from both participa
nts. At times, these two virtuosi sound almost too comfortable together, but the
ir obvious pleasure in their work admirably compensates for it.

***Review from http://www.latinolife.co.uk/articles/michel-camilo-tomatito-%E2%8

0%98spain-forever%E2%80%99-decca:
Michel Camilo & Tomatito Spain Forever (Decca)
Music
Reviews
Dominican pianist Michel Camilo and Spanish guitarist Tomatito, have become one
of the great musical pairings of the century. Back in 2000, after being friends
for years, the two maestros recorded the seminal album Spain, which won the Jazz c
ategory in the first ever Latin Grammy awards. In 2006 they were at it again wit
h Spain Again. It has taken them 10 years to come together to complete the trilogy
; at last the long-awaited Spain Forever arrives. Camilo s flawless technique and
rhythm alongside with Tomatitos virtuosity come together once again to deliver if
maybe not their masterpiece, without doubt a beautiful work of art.
by: Jose Luis Seijas