Tomatito

Born José Fernández Torres in Almería, Spain, in 1958, Tomatito rose among the leading guitarists of the nuevo flamenco generation after growing up in a family steeped in established flamenco tradition. His playing drew the notice of Paco de Lucía by the time he turned twelve. While still a teenager he began supporting well-known cantaores such as Enrique Morente and La Susi, yet his lasting stature within flamenco was secured as the favored guitarist of the celebrated El Camarón de la Isla. He remained the singer’s constant partner through the final eighteen years of Camarón’s life and contributed to landmark tours and recordings including La Leyenda del Tiempo. Tomatito simultaneously built an independent career that took him before festival crowds throughout Spain and overseas, onto stages at celebrated international halls, and into a string of honors, while he also wrote scores for films and orchestral settings and took part in projects initiated by other musicians. By 2013 the catalog of his own work comprised seven solo albums together with one anthology.