Featuring
Lakshmi Basile - Dancer / Director
Manuel Gutierrez - Dancer
Cristina Moguel - Dancer
Oscar Valero - Singer
Jose Tanaka - Guitar
Kambiz Pakan - Guitar
PROGRAM
Zambra de Kambiz
Tientos de Cristina
Bulerías Duo de Tanaka/Kambiz
Solea por Bulerías de Manuel
Tangos Duo de Tanaka/Kambiz
Solea de La Chimi
Intermission
Taranto de Tanaka
Alegrías compartido de Todos
Vente pa Madrid de Valero
Fin de Fiesta
Lakshmi Basile - (Dancer / Director) began performing at the age of six with her parents’ band “The Electrocarpathians”. She studied dance at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts during elementary and high school. She grew up in the flamenco community of San Diego, where her passionate artistic character began to form. After performing as a flamenco dancer in California and studying classical dance at the University of California Santa Barbara, Lakshmi travelled to Spain at the age of 20 to complete her flamenco studies. She was fortunate to be quickly embraced by artists and find work in tablaos and flamenco private events alongside great artists such as La Toná, La Familia Amaya, Pepe Torres, Joselito Méndez, Antonio Moya, La Tana, Carmen Ledesma, Antonio Rey and Manuel Molina. She was nicknamed La Chimi, which is simply her own name repronounced.
In recent years, Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi” became one of the first and only foreign artists in Spain to win a highly regarded national prize in, Concurso de las Minas de La Unión, 2011. She also won an award in another primary contest, Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba. There she surprised flamenco critics and received great praise: “un desgarrador homenaje a los románticos de lo jondo” (a heart wrenching homage to the romantics of pure flamenco), Alberto García Reyes, ABC. In fifteen years, Lakshmi consolidates her career in Seville, the cradle of flamenco. She performs daily as a soloist at the tablao “El Palacio Andaluz” in Seville, Spain. She works alongside significant artists in private events and festivals internationally, such as, Great Britain, Denmark and Uruguay. She has produced her own show in Spain, named, “Zarabanda, Lo Que Duerme en el Cuerpo de los Gitanos”, (Zarabanda, What Sleeps in the Gypsies’ Body). She is also sought after as a teacher by flamenco students in Spain. Lakshmi Basile has found her substantial artistic career as a flamenco dancer, because that is what she is in her soul and heart. “Su baile es de una alegría conquistada” (Her dance is one of conquered joy) – Félix Grande, poet and flamencologist. “La única cosa americana que tiene es su pasaporte”, (The only American thing she has is her passport) – Ángel Ojeda, former Minister of Culture of the Junta de Andalucía.
Manuel Gutierrez – (Dancer) was born in Montpellier, France, but in his veins, the blood flowing is that of Córdoba. It is at this Andalucía capital where Manuel would take his first flamenco steps with the greatest flamenco instructors to live. Flamenco would enter his life the day he was born given that it has been a family tradition for years & a lifestyle. At age 4 his father would discover they had a prodigy in their hands when he performed for the first time without any training. By the age of 8, Manuel would win his first flamenco dance award. Profound and charismatic: On stage he demonstrates his tremendous rhythmic formations, vigorous & sensible way of dancing. Manuel began his successful career in prestigious Spanish tablaos such as, Casa Patas, Palacio del Flamenco & Cordobes. He continues to tour with artists such as Juan Carmona, Chispa Negra, Chicuelo, Esperanza Fernández, Duquende. He would also collaborate with Luis Winsberg, Qawwali Flamenco, Kevan Chemerani, Eric Fernández & Souad Masse. His love for music doesn’t end with dancing; Manuel’s other artistic talents include composing & percussion.
Cristina Moguel - (Dancer) is a native Angelina born and raised here in Los Ángeles. Cristina studied dance here in Los Ángeles with Liliana Torsiello De León and soon moved to Spain to study with many flamenco artists in Madrid. She has worked with the Carlota Santana Flamenco Vivo company (New York), the Metropolitan Opera “Carmen” , Passion y Arte flamenco company in (Philadelphia), and with Compania Esencia Flamenca-directed by Antonio Rodríguez in various parts of Mexico. Currently she performs with Flamenco Flavor dance group (New York), Flamencos de Tulum (Mexico), and has started her own dance Project called Urban Flamenka here in Los Ángeles. She is honered and thrilled to be joining Flamenco al Fresco at the Fountain.
José Tanaka - (Guitarist) was born in Kyoto Japan, and raised by family steeped in the Flamenco arts (his father & his uncle both are Flamenco guitarists & his mother is a Flamenco dancer).
He has a natural Flamenco musical ability & edge, which raised him above other artists. The Spanish name José was given to him by his parents to further strengthen his ties to natural Flamenco. Tanaka has been performing since childhood.
Tanaka ventured away from Flamenco and began playing the electric guitar at age 13 and by 16 was already composing and performing his original music regularly in various clubs in Kyoto, Japan with his rock band.After graduating from high school Tanaka came to the United States to study Jazz, Blues, Latin and Rock styles and theory at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California and continued to perform with various bands throughout greater Los Angeles.
After being a guitar instructor for few years, at the age of 24 Tanaka rediscovered his passion for Flamenco and pursued further study in Seville and Madrid, Spain where he polished his technique studying with the Masters and developed and honed his soniquete (groove) and aire (feel) playing the guitar everyday amongst the gypsies. Tanaka continues to go back to Spain frequently to get inspired.
Tanaka's versatility as well as his virtuosity is rare among guitarists today; he shows impressive facility on the acoustic and electric guitars with both finger picking and plectrum technique.His Flamenco guitar styling are dictated by the situation - Tanaka is equally at home accompanying both authentic and popular flamenco styles, another quality amiss in most flamenco guitarists today.
José Tanaka has toured throughout United States, Europe, and Japan performed in many well-known places (Hollywood Bowl in LA, Olympia in Paris, Acropolis in Athens, Tarantos in Barcelona, El Flamenco in Tokyo etc.). Jose was invited as a soloist in the 2001~2002 Passion Latina Tour in France, Monte Carlo, Spain, Greece, and Germany performing alongside world famous opera singer Julia Migenes (who appeared as Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen) and collaborated with the director Scotty Morris (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s lead singer/songwriter).
Other noteworthy performances include appearances with David Williams (Guitarist from Madonna & Michael Jackson), Jonathan Moffett (drummer from Madonna & Michael Jackson), Joey Heredia, Eddie Miller (Keyboard from Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown), Rex Salas (producer Janet Jackson, TLC, Boys II Men.etc), Charlie Peterson (Earth Wind & Fire), Duane Benjamin (Earth Wind & Fire), Antonio Vargas (Ballroom Dancing and Mission impossible 2), Curro Fernandez (Famous Singer From Sevilla), Luis Peña, Antonio Cortez "Chiquitete", Domingo Ortega, Jorge Trasante (Gypsy King), Victor Villena (Gotan Project), La Tania, Ester Ponse (Dancer From Madrid), Cristobal Osorio, Juan Trivino, Omayra Amaya (Great grandniece of Carmen Amaya), Joaquin Encinias, Juan Antonio Suarez “Canito”, World famous wind player Pedro Eustache (Yani, Shakira, Alex Acuña’s Band), Top session guitarist Ramon Stagnaro, World famous drummer Efrain Toro, Gypsy singer from south France Cristo Cortez, Lakshmi, Jesus Montoya, Susana di Palma “Zorongo Flamenco”, Yaelisa’s Camino Flamenco and all the top artists in the United States.
Growing up in Valencia, Spain, the multitalented and versatile Flamenco dancer, Choreographer, Singer, Percussionist and Guitarist Oscar Valero - (Cante) currently divides his time and artistry equally between the United States and his native Spain.
Oscar began studying flamenco and classical Spanish dance as a child. By the age of seventeen, he was performing professionally with various companies in Spain. In 1998-2000, Oscar became a soloist with the Antonio Canales Flamenco Company and was featured in the company's productions of Gitano, Torero, Bengues, Raíz a Cuerda yTacón. Oscar also performed with the María Pagés Dance Company the productions of La Tirana, Flamenco Republic, and El Perro Andaluz.
Oscar has appeared in so many festivals In Spain including among others the venerated Festival de Jerez, Festival de Cantes de las Minas (La Union), and La Bienal de Sevilla. With Antonio Canales he performed in the international festivals of Lyon (France), Bogotá (Colombia), Tel Aviv (Israel), Spoleto (Italia), and Tokyo (Japan). He accompanied María Pagés in the festivals of Boston and New York City, which featured such artists as Farruquito, Carmen Linares, and Manolo Sanlúcar. In 2006 Oscar inaugurated the Flamenco Festival in Valencia with stellar performers such as Tomatito and Eva La Yerba Buena.
In October 2009, The Joyce SoHo presented a brand new production of Valero’s Fuerza, El Swing del Flamenco, which received great reviews not only for his dancing and choreography but also for his ability to compose music for dance.
He had a great success his New York City-based Oscar Valero Dance Company presented Valero’s original creation Fuerza to sold-out audiences at the renowned Baryshnikov Arts Center, the JCC Arts Center as well as The Connelly Theater in NYC. He performs on the film Pink Panther II with Steve Martin. He also performs with the New York's Metropolitan Opera in the productions of, Carmen and La Traviatta.
Since Oscar moved to San Diego he has been performing at different venues locally on a regular basis as well as holding a workshop for professionals and semi-professional flamenco dancers. Oscar is also a part time Professor in the Dance department of UCSD University in San Diego. He continues to travel through the United States as an invited artist and choreographer. To mention a few Oscar was an invited in Irvine, California in the” New World Flamenco Festival” in Barclay Theatre in the production of “Flamenco Abierto” and also with the production "Zorro" with Zorongo Gitano in Minneapolis.
On the East Coast, Oscar has been working as a Flamenco Choreographer with the well-known choreographer Christopher Gattelli in the Broadway production “In Your Arms”, in which He was also performing as a soloist in the world premier at The Old Globe in San Diego. He also performed at the “Summer Concert on the Hudson music festival” in New York.
He was recently invited as a featured artist with Omayra Amaya Dance Company to perform at the celebrated Dauville Stage hotel in Miami, and was honored to be invited with the same production to perform in Shanghai, China.
Kambiz Pakan - (Guitarist) was born in 1971. In his childhood he listened to a relative playing the setar (traditional persian stringed instrument) which left a great impression on him and later drove him to pursue a unique sound from the guitar. In 1985 when he lived in Istanbul attended the international guitar festival. After this event he began his studies in music. He eventually moved to California and years later achieved a university degree from CSULB in ethnomusicology/flamencology with an honor. He has worked extensively as a guitarist in the USA. Years of living mainly in the cities of Granada and Jerez has given him a deep insight and perspective in the art of flamenco. Kambiz has traveled extensively in the world which also enriched his musical formation and has helped him aquire a distinct harmonic versatility and an extraordinary sensibility. He has performed on many prestigious stages in the USA, Spain, France, Portugal, Israel, India, Iran among others. He has recently moved back to southern California.