The flamenco guitar world has lost one of its most defining and innovative modern architects with the death of José Antonio Carmona Carmona, widely known as Pepe Habichuela. The legendary master died on Tuesday in Madrid at the age of 82 following a battle with a pulmonary illness, according to confirmed reports.
Born in Granada in 1944 into a prestigious dynasty of artists, Pepe Habichuela grew up ascending the steep slopes of the Sacromonte district, playing his guitar in traditional zambras to earn a living. His older brother, Juan, eventually summoned him from Madrid to take his place at the renowned tablao Torres Bermejas. That transition placed him among the elite performers of his era, cementing his reputation as both a formidable professional and a deeply respected figure within the community.
The distinctive, powerful rasgueo characteristic of the Habichuela family was born out of necessity, designed to cut through the lively atmosphere of cave zambras and tablaos. Their artistry prompted Enrique Morente to famously introduce Juan and Pepe Habichuela during a 1993 Andalusia Day concert at the San Juan Evangelista college mayor as “the symphony orchestra of the Albaicín.”
Revolutionizing the Genre with Enrique Morente
More than fifty years ago, Pepe Habichuela made the decisive choice to leave the stability of a fixed salary at a tablao to collaborate with fellow Granadian Enrique Morente. Operating in an artistic environment that largely resisted experimentation, the duo spent months working intensively behind closed doors. While his wife, Amparo Bengala, sustained the household through her work as a dancer at Torres Bermejas, Habichuela and Morente dedicated themselves to reshaping traditional parameters.
The fruit of those studio sessions emerged in 1977 with the release of two pivotal albums: Homenaje a don Antonio Chacón and Despegando. These recordings fundamentally modernized flamenco, establishing Morente and Habichuela as one of the most influential partnerships in the evolution of the genre.
International Collaboration and Creative Range
Following his early work with Morente, Pepe Habichuela forged a robust solo career. He inaugurated Nuevos Medios’ foundational flamenco catalog with the album A Mandeli, introducing the “Jóvenes Flamencos” label that later gained widespread popularity. During those recording sessions, he connected producer Mario Pacheco with a fresh generation of musicians, directly encouraging the rise of Ketama—a group featuring his son, Josemi Carmona, and his nephews that galvanized Spain’s music scene in the 1990s.
Backed by Nuevos Medios and supported closely by Josemi Carmona, Pepe Habichuela pursued a uniquely global trajectory. His cross-genre projects included recording with Indian orchestra Bollywood Strings for the 2001 album Yerbabuena, collaborating with jazz trumpeter Don Cherry—who described the guitarist’s sound as “a tree weeping”—and recording and touring extensively with jazz bassist Dave Holland.
Holland traveled to Madrid to visit Habichuela at his home in the Lucero neighborhood as the guitarist’s health declined, joining family members and friends to bid farewell to the maestro.
Public Honors and Final Performances
Recognition of Habichuela’s cultural impact extended to major institutional tributes during his lifetime. Following a three-day celebration at the Circo Price featuring musicians across diverse disciplines, and his appointment as perpetual ambassador for the Flamenco On Fire festival in Pamplona, the Spanish government honored his contributions. After receiving the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts from then-Minister of Culture Guirao, he was recently awarded the Gran Cruz de la Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio, the nation’s highest cultural distinction.
Further public celebration followed last summer at Madrid’s Noches del Botánico. Habichuela maintained his active presence on stage past the age of eighty, performing on major stages until just months before his passing.
