José Toral is generally considered to be a masterful flamenco guitar player.
In his solo interpretations he astonishes every 'aficionao' with his dazzling technique, with the richness of his compositions, and especially with the sincerity of his touch with what flamenco really is.
Also when accompanying an authentic flamenco 'cantaor', this touch will leave a poignant impression.
José Toral was born in Madrid in 1964. He lives partly in Spain, partly in Belgium. He set off on his autodidactic study of the flamenco guitar at the age of nine, soon followed by percussion. He worked with famous flamenco artists such as Chano Lobato, Merengue de Córdoba,
Javier Barón, Miguel Vargas, María Serrano, Carmen Ledesma, El Romano, and many others, but also with international musicians like Guo Yue, Joji Hirota, Renaud Garcia-Fons, etc.
He was strongly influenced by Indian, North-African, jazz and classical music.
In combination with his talents, skills and experience as a flamenco guitar player, he developed through various fusion projects an exquisite form of 'flamenco nuevo', with an extremely attractive, modern surface, but also with very deep roots in the genuine flamenco tradition
and in other cultures.
His latest CD, 'Almas en Exilio', is dedicated to the souls on this planet who suffer the burden of exile, whatever the reasons are. There is no doubt that the spirit of music always has been, since mankind, capable of transcending the abysses of this world.
'Almas en Exilio' consists of colorful, diverse recordings of mainly his own compositions. Flamenco can be listened to in its contemporaneous as well as in its pure form.
Jazz and Indian influences are emphatically present.
José Toral, who toured throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, likes to work very much and very closely with different musicians in various disciplines. Consequently, we find contributions by many great artists on this CD. Three singers: Roberto Chamorro 'El Roto', Miguel Flores and 'La Carbonera' deliver impressive interpretations of the 'soléa por bulerías', 'saetas', 'bulerías'
and 'rumbas'. In the titlesong we hear the skillful 'zapateado' of Sofía Yero ; in the final track Sandra Van Beirs recites a wonderful poem by Omar Khayyâm.
Three grandiose jazz musicians leave an unforgettable impression : Stefan Bracaval (flute), Serge Dacosse (electrical bass) and Bert Bernaerts (trumpet).
This CD will be a precious gem to anybody who truly loves music.