Charo promotional photo 1979 showcasing her holding a classical guitar, highlighting her musical talent beyond her cuchi-cuchi persona.
Charo, a name synonymous with vibrant stage presence, comedic timing, and the iconic “cuchi-cuchi,” often finds her profound musical talent overshadowed by her dazzling persona. While audiences across television and Las Vegas stages have reveled in her captivating entertainment, a dedicated and highly skilled musician lies beneath the surface, one who has passionately pursued flamenco and classical guitar for decades. Guitar aficionados, particularly readers of Guitar Player magazine during the 70s and 80s, were privy to this facet of Charo, consistently recognizing her prowess by voting her as a winner in the “Flamenco” category of their annual Readers Poll. This recognition underscores a significant aspect of Charo’s career often missed: her deep commitment to the Charo Guitar.
In 1979, Charo unveiled her album Ole! Ole!, a testament to her musical exploration and daring creativity. The album featured a distinctive rendition of Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez,” infused—to the shock of classical music traditionalists—with a disco rhythm. This bold move showcased not only her technical skill but also her innovative approach to bridging different musical worlds. Intrigued by this fusion and Charo’s recognized guitar expertise, a Guitar Player editor reached out for an interview, seeking to delve into the musicianship of the artist behind the glitz and glamour. The subsequent conversation, transcribed verbatim, revealed Charo’s genuine appreciation for the opportunity to discuss her dedication to music and, specifically, her deep relationship with the charo guitar.
Early Encounters with the Guitar and Flamenco Roots
Charo’s journey with the charo guitar began in her childhood. Gifted her first guitar around the age of eight or nine by her grandmother, she fondly recalls it as a small, inexpensive instrument, which she still cherishes. However, her formal training commenced at thirteen, marking the start of serious dedication to mastering the instrument. From the outset, flamenco captivated her musical spirit. She immersed herself in the intricate techniques of Spanish flamenco guitar, characterized by its six strings and fingerstyle playing, a method that became deeply ingrained in her approach. Interestingly, this fingerstyle mastery even extended to her banjo playing, a testament to her unique adaptation of flamenco techniques across different instruments. She recounted an anecdote of performing with banjo virtuoso Roy Clark, surprising him with her fingerstyle speed that rivaled his pick-based techniques, further highlighting her distinctive charo guitar style.
Despite early performances in school plays from a young age, where she played guitar and sang in Christmas nativity productions, Charo’s serious pursuit of the charo guitar was unwavering. These early experiences, though not professional concerts, sparked recognition of her talent, notably from a newspaper writer who foresaw her potential. This early encouragement fueled her passion and solidified her commitment to honing her skills.
Immersion in Flamenco and Guidance from Unsung Masters
Charo’s dedication to the charo guitar extended beyond formal lessons. She emphasized the invaluable experience gained from immersing herself in the authentic world of flamenco performance. In Madrid, at the age of fifteen, she frequented caces, flamenco nightclubs catering to tourists. These venues, while commercial, served as crucial learning grounds. Playing without pay, in exchange for meals, Charo absorbed the nuances of flamenco from seasoned Gypsy guitarists, whom she considers the most authentic and insightful teachers. She meticulously observed their techniques – clapping rhythms, rasgeado strumming patterns – learning directly from the source of flamenco tradition.
Even as her fame grew in America, Charo remained committed to these flamenco roots. During vacations back in Spain, she would return to the caces, shedding her celebrity persona to rejoin these musicians, playing and learning alongside them. This continuous engagement with the grassroots flamenco scene underscores her profound respect for the tradition and her unwavering dedication to refining her charo guitar skills through authentic immersion. She recognized the caces, despite their tourist focus, as rich repositories of flamenco knowledge, valuing the practical wisdom passed down through generations of Gypsy performers.
Formal Education and Master Classes with Guitar Legends
While deeply influenced by Gypsy flamenco players, Charo also sought formal instruction from renowned classical guitar educators. She studied with teachers from the lineage of Francisco Tárrega, a pivotal figure in classical guitar. Furthermore, she had the opportunity to attend masterclasses led by iconic Spanish guitarists, including Narciso Yepes and Andrés Segovia. Charo deeply admired Yepes, regarding him as perhaps the greatest guitarist born in Spain, praising his emotionally resonant playing style. She distinguished Yepes from Segovia, acknowledging Segovia’s legendary status but emphasizing Yepes’ profound emotional depth.
From Yepes, Charo specifically learned about tremolo technique, a hallmark of classical and flamenco guitar, involving rapid repetition of a melody note creating a sustained sound. She clarified that while she attended general lectures and masterclasses by Yepes and Segovia, private lessons with these masters were financially beyond reach. These masterclasses, however, provided invaluable insights and guidance. Charo highlighted the demanding nature of these sessions, where students needed to be highly prepared to absorb the often-general, yet profound, instructions from these guitar legends. She supplemented these experiences with diligent study of their books and recordings, further enriching her understanding of the charo guitar repertoire and technique. Her formal musical education also included learning to read music in school, providing a foundational skill for her diverse musical pursuits.
The Guitar as Confidante and Artistic Outlet
For Charo, the charo guitar transcends being merely an instrument; it is a confidante and a vital means of artistic expression. She emphasizes the guitar’s role in revealing a deeper, more serious side of her musicianship, contrasting with her public image often dominated by disco and comedic performances. The guitar becomes her voice to connect with audiences who appreciate music beyond the superficial, allowing her to demonstrate her respect for them through the demanding art of guitar playing. She recognizes the guitar as a challenging instrument, requiring immense dedication and skill, and it is through this challenge that she finds profound emotional release and connection.
Charo describes turning to the charo guitar as a therapeutic practice. In moments of stress, headache, or negativity, playing the guitar becomes her solace, a way to transmute negative emotions into creative energy. This intimate relationship with the instrument underscores its central role in her life, not just as a performance tool but as an emotional anchor and a channel for authentic self-expression.
Repertoire, Innovation, and the “Concierto de Aranjuez”
Charo’s repertoire for the charo guitar is diverse, encompassing classical masterpieces and flamenco favorites. She mentions a fondness for “Concierto para Aranjuez,” a piece she notes is not widely known in the United States, yet deeply cherished by guitar aficionados globally. Her decision to record a disco-infused version of this classical concerto demonstrates her innovative spirit and desire to broaden its appeal, particularly to younger audiences. She likens this fusion to disguising vitamins in chocolate, aiming to introduce classical music in an accessible and engaging format without compromising the integrity of the original composition. She proudly notes that her disco “Concierto de Aranjuez” became a hit in Spain and other international markets, validating her approach to musical crossover.
Her live performances in the United States often feature pieces by Villa Lobos and Tárrega, alongside her signature flamenco rendition of “Malagueña en Granada,” a piece that consistently elicits enthusiastic audience responses. She observes a difference in audience reception between the US and Europe. European audiences, she believes, appreciate technical skill even in unfamiliar pieces, while US audiences respond more intensely to recognizable melodies and familiar compositions. Despite these nuances, she acknowledges the universal appreciation for skilled guitar playing in the United States. “Recuerdos de la Alhambra,” another tremolo-based piece in her repertoire, also garners strong applause, yet “Malagueña en Granada” remains her guaranteed crowd-pleaser, a testament to its enduring popularity and her dynamic flamenco interpretation on the charo guitar.
Rigorous Practice and the Quest for Tone
Charo’s commitment to the charo guitar is reflected in her disciplined practice routine. She dedicates approximately three hours daily to practice, increasing to four or five hours when preparing for performances. She emphasizes the demanding nature of the guitar, noting that even a week of inactivity can lead to a noticeable decline in finger dexterity. Her practice regimen prioritizes consistency, maintaining a daily routine even when not actively performing. To ensure focused practice, she seeks quiet spaces within her home, or employs a practice technique of dampening the strings with cloth to minimize noise when practicing in shared environments.
Scales form the cornerstone of her practice sessions, a fundamental exercise for building technique and finger strength. She details her right-hand finger techniques for picado (scales and melody runs), utilizing the index and middle fingers, and for tremolo, employing thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. Charo’s dedication extends to her choice of equipment. She favors Ramirez guitars, crafted from palo santo wood, describing one particular Ramirez as having an exceptional bass tone, the finest she has ever encountered. She also owns a Goya guitar, but her Ramirez instruments are her primary performance tools. She uses Savarez strings, changing them frequently, every two to three days, due to her demanding playing style. Charo personally attends to her guitars, highlighting her deep connection to these instruments. She travels with them, protects them from temperature changes, and tunes them herself, even embracing modern tuning devices from Japan, while acknowledging the ear as the ultimate tuning tool. Above all, she seeks “great tone” in a guitar, valuing the sonic qualities of the instrument as paramount.
Concert Aspirations and Enduring Passion
Charo expresses a desire to expand her musical career to include full-scale concerts with symphonies, envisioning performances in major US cities like New York and Philadelphia. She has prior experience performing with orchestras in Madrid, but her aspiration is to present “Charo in Concert,” showcasing her charo guitar skills in a dedicated classical and flamenco program. This ambition represents a significant future goal, potentially realized in the 1980s or beyond. She reiterates her appreciation for the interview’s focus on her musicianship, as she often finds media attention directed towards her comedic persona rather than her serious musical pursuits.
Music, Charo concludes, is profoundly important to her, a constant source of solace and joy. It is her refuge in challenging times, a means of emotional regulation and creative fulfillment.
Advice for Aspiring Female Guitarists
Drawing from her extensive experience with the charo guitar, Charo offers advice to young women aspiring to careers in flamenco or classical guitar. She emphasizes the necessity of patience, defining success as “50-50 talent and 50 perspiration and patience.” Consistent, dedicated practice, even when repetitive and tiring, is crucial. She recommends aspiring flamenco guitarists to immerse themselves in the Spanish flamenco culture, specifically in regions like Granada, Andalucia, and Malaga. She advocates learning directly from authentic Gypsy flamenco players, valuing their traditional knowledge over solely relying on formal academic instruction. She believes that firsthand experience within the flamenco community is indispensable for developing true flamenco guitar mastery.
Currently, Charo is exploring the works of Villa Lobos, aiming to create a medley for her envisioned symphony concert program, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to expanding her repertoire and pushing her artistic boundaries with the charo guitar.
Charo’s heartfelt gratitude for an interview focused on her musicality underscores a persistent challenge in her career – being recognized for her serious musicianship beyond her entertainer image. This conversation serves as a valuable insight into the dedication, passion, and skill of Charo, the guitarist, revealing the profound depth behind the “cuchi-cuchi” persona and highlighting her lifelong devotion to the charo guitar.
(This article is based on a 1979 interview with Charo. For the latest information on Charo’s concerts and activities, please visit her official website: Charo Cuchi-Cuchi)
