Ricardo Garcia (musician)

For the German guitarist, see Ricardo Garcia (German musician).

Ricardo Garcia is a Spanish guitarist, leader of the group Flamenco Flow, who is known for his interpretations of Flamenco blended with other musical forms.

Birth and education

Garcia was born in Andalusia. His family moved to France when he was a young child, during the Franco era. His family was musical, and he was taught to play guitar by his uncle Antonio when he was very young. He learned to accompany his mother, the singer Maria del Carmen.[1] Garcia appeared in his first concert at the age of nine, and since then he performed alone or with his aunt and uncle in all parts of France. In 1988 he was selected to represent France on a cultural tour of Uruguay and Argentina sponsored by the Casa de America Latina. Garcia studied flamenco under Merengue de Cordoba, Paco Serrano and Jose Antonio Rodrigues Munoz between the ages of 15 and 18, while also studying classical guitar. During this period, he fronted a Pat Metheny jazz concert in Paris.[2]

Performing artist

Garcia worked in Malawi, Africa for eight years, coming into contact with musicians with very different musical backgrounds. He learned to incorporate African and Indian elements in his repertoire. He worked closely with Aaron Sangala and Tione Mwera, and collaborated with sitar player Bimal Lohd in several concerts. Ricardo was the founder of the group Kalulu with Aaron Sangala and Bashir Sacranie. While in Malawi, he often performed solo or with others at the French Cultural centre, The British Council and the University of Malawi.[2] He married Julie Gunn, a language educator from the United Kingdom, when they were both living in Malawi.[3]

Garcia returned to Europe in 1999 and settled in Barcelona. He mostly performs in Spain, France and in Scotland, where he played in the Edinburgh Festival for six years running. He has also performed in many other countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. He toured to Montreal and Vancouver in 2005, and performed in many locations in the USA.[2] From May 8–19, 2006, Garcia was Artist-in-Residence with his group Flamenco Flow at the State Theater, New Brunswick, New Jersey.[1]

Musical style

Garcia's performances incorporate flamenco styles that range from free-flowing Alegrías and tangos to the emotive tientos and soleas.[4] Talking of a 2009 performance with Spanish guitarist Eduardo Niebla and India tabla-player Dharmesh Parmar, a critic noted that he contributed Arabic influences to the performances.[5] His ensemble of musicians and dancers also incorporates elements from Indian, African, South American and Caribbean music. Their work shows modern influences such as jazz, Latin jazz, bossa nova, and salsa. According to the Only magazine, he has forged "a unique and devastatingly original, awe-inspiring sound".[1] At the 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Garcia created a unique blend of Flamenco and Hip-Hop.[6]

Partial discography

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ricardo Garcia's Flamenco Flow". The State Theatre. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  2. 1 2 3 "Ricardo Garcia Flamenco/World guitarist and composer". Ricardo Garcia. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  3. ↑ "Ricardo Garcia's Flamenco Flow" (PDF). The State Theater. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  4. ↑ "New Ricardo Garcia Flamenco show sponsored by Cactus". Cactus Worldwide Inc. 9 September 2008. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  5. ↑ Glyn Pursglove (7 November 2009). "The Eduardo Niebla Experience". MusicWeb International. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  6. ↑ "Edinburgh Fringe 2010: Review – Flamenco Hip Hop". The New Current. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 2011-03-06.

External links

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