Tomasa la Macanita

Tomasa Guerrero Carrasco was born in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, in 1968, and began singing at a very young age. Her father, La Macanita, was a notable performer and it is because of him that she became known as Tomasa La Macanita. Her performance debut was with Manuel Morao's show, España-Jerez, and through appearing on the show she was introduced to many of the performance practices of traditional flamenco song and dance. Manuel Morao's show was a kind of breeding ground for musical stars of Spain, including Manolito Parrilla and Manuela Carpio, and this was her introduction to the life of a performer. Her sensual delivery of traditional songs made her a widely sought-after collaborator and her first release in the United States, Con El Alma, was issued in 1995 by Ethnic. ~ Nate Cavalieri