"The roots of Flamenco have evolved in southern Spain from many sources: Morocco, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Greece and other parts of the Near and Far East. How exactly they came together as flamenco is a subject of great debate and obscurity, though most authorities believe the roots of the music were brought to Spain by gypsies arriving in the fifteenth century. In the following century, it was fused with elements of Arab and Jewish music in the Andalusian mountains, where Jews, Muslims and "pagan" gypsies had taken refuge from forced conversions and clearances effected by the Catholic royalty and Church." (World Music - the Rough Guide)
This is an exciting time for flamenco, since in the last two decades it has relaxed the rigidity of its traditions by seeking out new sounds to incorporate. Pasión reflects this synergy with a melding of different traditional flamenco polyrhythms and melodies.
Loren Elliott.