Tomatito

One of the best guitarists associated with the nuevo flamenco generation, Tomatito (born José Fernández Torres in Almería, Spain in 1958) grew up in a family of prestigious flamenco lineage, and at only 12 he had managed to impress none other than Paco de Lucía. Still in his teens, Tomatito began to accompany famous cantaores, such as Enrique Morente and La Susi, but he attained definitive flamenco stardom as the great El Camarón de la Isla’s guitarist of choice. Tomatito became Camarón’s inseparable sidekick during the late singer’s last 18 years of life, and took part in legendary tours and recordings such as La Leyenda del Tiempo. Tomatito also developed a solo career, dazzling audiences at festivals in Spain and abroad, playing at some of the world’s most renowned venues, and winning countless accolades, as well as composing music for films and orchestra and collaborating on various projects by other artists. By 2013 he had released seven solo albums and one anthology. ~ Mariano Prunes