Flamenco Connections

Flamenco Connections

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Presented by Catalina Maria Johnson, this lecture and performance brings together renowned Chicago musicians to explore the connections and parallels between Indian and Pakistani musical traditions and flamenco, as flamenco’s origins may be related to the music of gypsies that travelled from India to Spain in the mid 1400s.

Carlo Basile is a classical and Spanish guitarist and founder of renowned ensemble Las Guitarras de España, which has been selected to present an official showcase at SXSW 2012. Patricia Ortega is a vocalist and composer and co-founder of Urban Flamenco Arts Project, whose work was featured in Las Guitarras de España latest CD, Tantas Cosas. Carlo and Patricia will share the stage with Saraswathi Ranganathan, master Veena player of the acclaimed Ensembles of Ragas and Satya, a vocalist and composer from Bombay, India trained in South Indian Classical music. This musical conversation is moderated by Catalina Maria Johnson, music writer, and host  and producer of public radio program Beat Latino.

This event is part of the Chicago Flamenco Festival 2012, presented by the Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with Arte y Vida Chicago, Old Town School of Folk Music, the Flamenco Arts Center, and the Ensemble Español Center for Spanish Dance & Music in residence at Northeastern Illinois University.

This festival has been made possible by Baker & McKenzie LLP and Hilton Garden Inn Chicago. Media sponsors are Hoy, Chicago Tribune, RedEye, ChicagoPOINTS, Extra Bilingual Newspaper and Lawndale News.

Recorded Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.