Juan Martin
- Genre
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
biography
Juan Martin, a native of Andalucia, is a celebrated virtuoso of the flamenco guitar who has been voted one of the top three guitarists in the world by US magazine Guitar Player,.
He performs with a highly distinctive compositional style formed from his early years in Málaga and developed through wide experience in Madrid, including association with Paco de Lucía. His interest in the Moorish roots of flamenco have led him to record Musica Alhambra and rediscover Andalusí and Sephardic music from the 12th and 13th centuries no longer performed in Spain. Reviews of his solo compositions on The Andalucian Suites and Luna Negra have compared him to the great Spanish composers Tárrega and Turina.
He was the first flamenco guitarist to record with The Royal Philharmonic and has played with artists of the calibre of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. He has performed at major International Arts Festivals including Edinburgh, Ludwigsburg, Montreux Jazz and at leading halls worldwide.
He has broadcast on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Spanish RTE and German ZDF television and in the US for CNN. His solo performance of a Rumba La Fería brought the Royal Albert Hall to its feet during BBC TV`s Joy to the World.
His book "El Arte Flamenco de la Guitarra` has opened the complex art of the flamenco guitar to the whole world and is considered to be the "bible` of flamenco guitar.
Juan Martin`s alchemy of the traditional and modern and his seductive, fiery and passionate performances make him truly El Alquimista ú Flamenco for a new era.
Expect an evening of passion, excitement and electricity - fantastico!
"An absolute dominance of the guitar` El Mundo
'A giant of the Flamenco guitar tradition` The Times
"Stunning virtuosity and spectacular live shows`
Irish Times
"Seduced us with smouldering Mediterranean passion`
The Guardian
"Martin is a fine soloist`
The Guardian
"One enthralling sequence of songs, solos and dances by his brilliant troupe` (5 stars)
The Independent
Martín spans the centuries with a mixture of the dazzling and the profound.
The Observer.
'He took the audience on a musical journey with self composed pieces that started with a haunting taranta and ended with a nostalgic rumba. In between was varitable emotional rollercoaster made up of the diverse styles of flamenco, from the joful alegrias, jazy bulerias and festive rumbato, to the quieter and darker rondena.
There was also the magic which evoked images of Andalucia in Southern Spain, the birthplace of flamenco and the musician himself. Whiffs of the Moors` influence on flamenco wafted in with the oriental-like D Damasco A Cordoba, which turned out surprisingly well without the accompaniment of the oud, the Arabic lute, which was featured on his album version. The influence of Latin America on flamenco was also introduced in pieces such as Campanitas de Plate from his latest album Latino Camino' Notes from Singapore Times
forthcoming dates
| date | venue/website link | venue phone no |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct '10 | ENSEMBLE: LONDON The Bush Hall, 310 Uxbridge Road, W12 7LJ | 0871 220 0260 |