I just came back home from a magical concert tour of the heart of Spain – Andalusia. This tour launched a new collaboration with the Gypsy Flamenco artists of Jerez. I brought with me a quartet of the Yuval Ron Ensemble ( Maya Haddi – vocals, Norik Manoukian – woodwinds, Jamie Papish – percussion, and myself on Oud) to perform with Jose Caraoscura, a Gypsy singer and percussionist from the Parillia family of Jerez – one of the important families in Flamenco – his two guitarists Christobal and Esekel, Carmen Amador – voice and dance – and our producer Mhijea, who combined Belly dance and Flamenco. As I wrote in one of the newsletters that preceded the tour: “Life is more than internet and books”….indeed on this tour we had the delight and fortune to have a body and soul experience which will always be part of us. Being there, I felt sometime as if I am on the set of one of my favorite gypsy films, but it was the uncut version, the real version!
I will never forget the dinner and jam session at Carmen Amador’s house, the night at the Cave and the evening at the Parillia family. I trust that these sounds and sights will inform and inspire my ensemble and me in the years to come, and surely will effect our life and work.
To read a full report on the tour with photos, commentary and music please copy the following link and paste it into your browser:
http://lonemountain-art.com/Spain/
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