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Diego el Cigala

September 30, 2019 by New York Latin Culture Magazine

Diego el Cigala (artist/NYCB Theatre)

Diego el Cigala is a Romani Spanish flamenco singer who is famous for blending flamenco with other Latin musics. Cigala has a distinctive smoky voice and a unique phrasing.

El Cigala is best known for his work with Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés on Lágrimas Negras (Black Tears, 2003) with Paquito D’Rivera and produced by Javier Limón and Fernando Trueba (Calle 54).

Flamenco guitar and African rhythm are the Spanish/Cuban roots of what we call Latin music today. Latin musics blend naturally with flamenco because it is just a return to roots. Rumba is Afro-Cuban music. Tango is Italian-Argentine music with an Afro-Uruguayan root. Both rumba and tango blend beautifully with flamenco.


Theatre at Westbury

Friday, November 22, 2019 ~ El Cigala plays the Theatre at Westbury in Westbury, Nassau County, Long Island at 8pm. From $49


Diego el Cigala

Ramón Jiménez Salazar was born in Madrid, Spain on December 27, 1968. His father was a flamenco performer.

His nickname “El Cigala” means cicada. He is said to have received the nickname for his powerful voice, like the insect’s.

When he was twelve years old, Salazar won a flamenco competition and a prize on a Spanish TV show that launched his career.

After supporting many renowned flamenco artists, El Cigala went solo in 1997 with Undebel. He recorded a few albums including a live album at Madrid’s Teatro Real.

Lágrimas negras won the 2014 Latin Grammy for Traditional Tropical Album.

Picasso en mis ojos won the 2006 Latin Grammy for Best Flamenco Album.

Cigala & Tango won the 2011 Latin Grammy for Best Tango Album.

Romance de la Luna Tucumana won the 2013 Latin Grammy for Best Tango Album.

Cigala’s latest is Indestructible. He takes on the salsa.


El Cigala at Carnegie Hall

May 8, 2015 ~ El Cigala brings his Latin Grammy winning album Romance de la luna Tucuman tour to Carnegie Hall in Midtown, Manhattan at 8pm.

I was really blown away by this concert. The relationship between a colonizer and its former colonies can be challenging. We love our Hispanic heritage, but hate what the colonizers did to us.

El Cigala, the Spaniard, sings of the Americas only with love. The people love him. They didn’t want to let him leave the stage. I’ve never seen anyone connect so powerfully with an audience at Carnegie Hall stage. ¡Bravo!


To learn more about El Cigala, visit www.elcigala.com

Filed Under: flamenco, LATIN MUSIC, Romani, Spaniards, Theatre at Westbury

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