12 At the Center of Santa Barbara’s Cultural Conversation | www.VoiceSB.com September 13, 2019 Flamenco guitarist Andres Vadin brings Influencias to the Lobero Theatre By Jessica Haro / Special to VOICE The Flamenco Arts N 2000, THE FLAMENCO ARTS FESTIVAL OPENED with a concert by Festival celebrates its Cañadú. The ensemble’s modern take on flamenco music was like nothing the 20th anniversary from Santa Barbara flamenco community had ever heard. That was a time when September 26-29, Iflamenco music was difficult to obtain in the United States. Imported CDs were sold out of the trunks of cars, and friends traded cassette tapes that were 2019. Coinciding with copies-of-copies of a CD a friend bought on a trip to Spain. Such a time must seem National Hispanic unimaginable to young flamenco fans who grew up streaming flamenco music Heritage Month, online and discovering new artists on YouTube. It is fitting, then, that this year’s festival will open on September 26th with the Festival presents Influencias, a concert by The Andres Vadin Project that Vadin describes as world-class artists “flamenco guitar the way I see it nowadays.” from Spain and the Vadin was born in Havana, Cuba, and studied guitar at the Guillermo Tomas U.S. and for four days and Amadeo Roldan Conservatory of Music from age eleven through 18. The curriculum focused on classical music, but included pieces from other countries, these artists perform, such as Argentine tango and teach, and lecture. Venezuelan music. This year’s festivities “Cuba is a place that is very Back in 2000 the FAF presented Courtesy Photo include two live cultural, so you have influences a flamenco music group called Andres Vadin, guitarist-composer, will perform on Thursday, September 26th from everywhere,” Vadin says. concerts, an award Vadin discovered flamenco Cañadú. They were the first music Diego Álvarez (percussion) is from Venezuela, Ioannis Goudelis (piano accordion) presentation, a flash during secondary school group to perform for the FAF and is from Greece, and Yosmel Montejo (bass) is a fellow Cuban. mob, dance and through a Paco de Lucia they were unknown in the U.S. at “Flamenco guitar – even if you’re not playing a certain palo [traditional branch album, and after graduation he of flamenco], but you’re playing with the language of flamenco, that kind of music workshops, the time. But to this day people still took it upon himself to learn phrasing will mix perfectly with these other cultures,” Vadin explains. “It can easily and an after party flamenco guitar. “I was playing talk about that show and the music mix with Cuban music or with some Arab influence or with jazz. So that’s what the to celebrate. With its only classical guitar and I was that brought the audience to their concert is about.” beautiful coastline, interested in doing something feet. This will be another one of Featured pieces include a traditional Cuban bolero that Vadin arranged as else – something where I could a modern flamenco rumba, and a ballad that doesn’t conform to a traditional those unforgettable moments. paseos, Spanish explore the guitar more,” he flamenco structure, but is written in the language of flamenco guitar. Influencias is legacy, and passion explains. “In classical guitar – Vibiana Pizano, President & Founder sure to challenge anyone whose idea of flamenco guitar begins and ends with the for the performing they don’t use the same music of Sabicas. “The music changes,” says Vadin. “Everything changes.” arts, there is no better technique that they use in flamenco guitar. It’s a completely different language.” The Flamenco Arts Festival has been instrumental in keeping Santa Barbara place for a flamenco He began using that language to compose much earlier than he’d anticipated. from falling behind in the evolving world of modern flamenco by bringing festival than Santa One of his first jobs was for the Havana-based flamenco company Aires. innovative artists to local stages and Barbara, the Early on in his tenure with the group they needed someone who could offering master classes with flamenco’s compose music, and Vadin’s conservatory education made him the leading dancers and musicians. Now in American Riviera. Visit perfect candidate. “At that time I didn’t have the technique really because its 20th anniversary season, the Flamenco www.flamencoarts.org I’d just come from playing classical, so it was hard work,” Vadin admits. Arts Festival is poised to continue that for details. Today, flamenco is the primary language Vadin uses as a guitarist. legacy beginning with the opening night “You can express so many emotions,” Vadin says of flamenco. performance of Influencias. The festival will “It has the wild part from the street and the gypsies, but you continue with the inaugural presentation also have an intellectual component. The technique is unique, of the Alberto Pizano Award for the Arts to and combining all those techniques allows you to explore the Luisa Triana, a full schedule of workshops virtuosity of the instrument.” for dancers and musicians of all levels, and Vadin now lives in Los Angeles, and the music of Influencias the U.S. premiere of Eduardo Guerrero’s reflects the influences that move has had on his music. Faro. “Living in LA gives you the opportunity to collaborate with The Andres Vadin Project will perform musicians from many different cultures, and also gives you Influencias at the Lobero Theater on an opportunity to express your art in front of many different Thursday, September 26th at 7:30pm. audiences,” says Vadin. “I’ve had the opportunity to play with Ticketholders are invited to the opening people from Iran, Armenia, France, and Spain of course, and night reception on the Lobero Esplanade they always bring their own culture, their own style.” Will Austin at 6pm with wine tasting courtesy of Santa All of the artists featured in The Andres Vadin Project are Barbara Winery. Vadin will be also teaching people he met in Los Angeles, though all of them come from Photo by an introductory flamenco guitar workshop Courtesy Photo Jose Cortes, featured singer for the somewhere else. Vocalists Jose Cortes and Manuel Gutierrez are Manuel Gutierrez, featured dancer for the on Friday, September 27th from 7 to 8:30pm. Andres Vadin Project from Spain and both spent part of their childhood in France. Andres Vadin Project For details, see www.flamencoarts.org. Photo by Sari Makki.