Lole y Manuel
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Spain |
| Products | Flamenco music, albums |
Lole y Manuel constituted a Spanish Romani (gitano) musical partnership, comprised of vocalist Dolores Montoya Rodríguez (born 1954) and guitarist Manuel Molina Jiménez (1948–2015). Their work from 1972 to 1993 transformed flamenco by appealing to listeners beyond the conventional flamenco audience. They are recognized as trailblazers of the "New flamenco" genre.
Both spouses and artistic collaborators, they hailed from Romani families with rich cultural traditions. Manuel was the offspring of guitarist Manuel Molina Acosta, known as "El Encajero," while Lole descended from flamenco singer and dancer Antonia Rodríguez Moreno ("La Negra") and dancer Juan Montoya. Their lineage continues through their daughter, singer Alba Molina.
Their initial album, Nuevo Día, produced by flamenco expert Ricardo Pachón, merged classic flamenco elements with Molina’s poetic songwriting and varied musical inspirations. This record is distinguished by Lole Montoya’s expressive vocal delivery coupled with Manuel’s unique guitar technique.
Lole y Manuel’s compositions have been featured in cinema, including Gonzalo García Pelayo’s "Manuela," Carlos Saura’s "Flamenco," Mary Lambert’s "Siesta," and Alexis Morante’s 2018 Netflix documentary Camarón: Flamenco y Revolución. Their 1975 song "Tu Mirá" is especially noted for its intense vocals and arrangement, earning a place on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino’s film Kill Bill: Volume 2.
Recently, Lole has collaborated with Jerez de la Frontera guitarist Diego Del Morao on a new recording project.
Manuel Molina died on May 19, 2015, at the age of 67 in San Juan de Aznalfarache, Spain.
Discography
- Nuevo Día/El Origen De Una Leyenda (1975)
- Pasaje del Agua (1976)
- Lole y Manuel (1977)
- Al Alba Con Alegría (1980). Includes contributions from Imán, Califato Independiente.
- Casta (1984)
- Lole y Manuel Cantan a Manuel de Falla (1992)
- Alba Molina (1994)
- Una Voz y Una Guitarra. Live performance recorded at Teatro Monumental de Madrid (1995).