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Camarón de la Isla was born in San Fernando (Cádiz). He is considered one of the best flamenco singers in history.His real name is José Monje Cruz, but everyone knows him artistically as Camarón, a nickname given to him by one of his uncles and refers to a type of smal -
He began to sing occasionally at the Venta de Vargas in San Fernando. The great singers of flamenco heard him there for the first time.
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He won first prize at the Festival del Cante Jondo in Mairena del Alcor and later moved to Madrid with Miguel de los Santos.
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Camarón worked at the Torres Bermejas tablao in Madrid, where he would remain for twelve years .He participates in the movie "Casa Flora", starring Lola Flores, a great artist of the time. -
In Torres Bermejas he met Paco de Lucía,another great flamenco artist, with whom he would record nine albums.
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He publishes "La legend of time", an album that it´s an authentic revolution in the world of flamenco by including sounds typical of the world of jazz and rock.
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He performed three days in the venue "Cirque d'Hiver" in Paris with absolute success.
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He recorded "Soy gitano", the best-selling album in the history of flamenco, on which guitarist Vicente Amigo collaborated. -
He performed at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival with Tomatito. -
His last album published during Camarón's lifetime was "Potro de rabia y Miel", in which Paco de Lucía and Tomatito collaborated,too. The recording of this album was interrupted due to the diagnosis of lung cancer, caused by his serious addiction to tobacco. -
His last concert was at the Colegio Mayor San Juan Evangelista in Madrid.
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He died at the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital (Badalona, Barcelona) at the age of 41, from lung cancer.