Love flamenco. For an outsider its hard to distinguish between other forms folk music. The first time I went to Spain in the 1970's I thought I was hearing flamenco in Lloret de Mar. The locals told me, no way - we play Basque music. Flamenco is Andalucia in the south, and its gypsy music. ETTTA, the separatist basque group set a bomb off on the beach the next day to emphasise the point to us dumb outsiders,.

I saw Manitas de Plata in '68 when played De Montfort Hall in Leicester, Never seen so many standing ovations. Strangely enough, he played guitar with all five fingers of his right hand, which gave him ability to play three different themes simultaneously. The only guy I ever saw do it! Most players don't use the little finger.

The thing about flamenco, its the absolute mastery of rhythmic patterns that gives the music its astonishing power. Whereas classical players aim for the integrity and value of every note, like each note is a jewel, with a perfect setting.