Flamenco World Fusion

Phone: 312-733-WINE
Tickets at: http://www.citywinery.com/chicago/

Spanish Guitar Duo w/ guests Antonio Mesa Fernandez and Sarawathi Ranganathan 

The Spanish Guitar Duo features Diego Alonso (guitar) and Carlo Basile (guitar) as well as other members of the renown ensemble, Las Guitarras de España. Along with Diego and Carlo, Bob Garrett (percussion), Greg Nergaard (bass), and Chihsuan Yang (violin and Chinese Erhu) form the core group. The ensemble features original, instrumental Spanish guitar based material as well as some traditional flamenco, classical and fusion pieces sometimes incorporating vocals and dance. Spanish "flamenco-jazz" saxophonist, flutist, and vocalist, Antonio Mesa Fernandez joins the ensemble along with virtuoso Indian veena artist, Sarawathi Ranganathan in collaborative works featuring elements of flamenco, Spanish classical, Indian, and jazz styles. Flamenco dancer, Maricela Tapia will perform traditional and classical pieces with the ensemble.

King of Soul - Acoustic Otis Redding  

Many of the great "rhythm and blues" clubs on the Southside of Chicago are a thing of the past...but there are still a few places that feature true "soul" music. And you might think it's a long way from the streets of Chicago to the flamenco clubs and peñas in the winding streets of Sevilla or Jerez, Spain. But it turns out that those places have some things in common…These are establishments were true aficionados come to appreciate the local art form with all of it's rich traditions. People also come to have fun and there is usually an "overly dramatic" MC to announce the performers. Finally, and most importantly, in both places, it's really all about the singers (or in flamenco, the "cantaors") telling a story with emotion, vibrato, skillful phrasing and at times, pure abandon. The expressiveness present in American soul and Spanish flamenco singing is undeniable. Otis Redding was often called the "King of Soul." The story of Otis Redding began on September 9th, 1941 where he was born in Dawson, Georgia. Between then and the time of his tragic death--- just 26 years later, Otis Redding wrote some of the most memorable and enduring Soul/R&B songs ever recorded. It therefore seems fitting to present some of his amazing catalog with a Spanish guitar accompaniment and some new arrangements featuring the rhythms of Andalusia. Vocalist, Gerald McClendon interprets the classical Otis Redding soul material with members of Las Guitarras de España providing the acoustic Spanish guitar accompaniment.