South Spanish folk music, characterized by complex rhythms, ingenious guitar playing and gripping vocals. No flamenco lover will be satisfied with the above definition and they are right. More than a combination of music and dance, flamenco is an art form so deeply rooted in Spanish culture that it is difficult for outsiders to understand. Flamenco originated from a fusion of gypsy music, Sephardic Jews and Arabs, who had settled in the hills of the southern Spanish province of Andalusia. Although flamenco is closely intertwined with gypsy culture (Spanish: gitanos), it is now played by an equally large number of non-gypsies. Flamenco manifests itself in three forms: dance, song and guitar playing. The artists strive to reach 'duende', a kind of ecstasy in which the artist takes the audience with him or her. For most Spaniards, Camarón de la Isla (1950-1992) is indisputably the best flamenco singer the country has known. He was accompanied by guitar greats Paco de Lucia and later Tomatito. From the second half of the twentieth century onwards, flamenco often forms the basis for experiments with other musical styles. Ketama, Paco de Lucia and Ojos de Brujo managed to add extra dimensions to the old tradition. In Barcelona a simpler variant arose: the rumba Catalana. The Gipsy Kings made this form known worldwide.