Renown Andalusian flamenco guitarist Juan Martin promises a cultural experience when he returns to the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, Nov. 10.
Martin has performed for kings, queens, collaborated with jazz greats like Herbie Hancock and Mile Davis, rock guitarist Jeff Beck and even performed at painter Pablo Picasso’s 90th birthday when he was only 16.
He is also a best selling author, having written a book about flamenco guitar styles called El Arte Flamenco de la Guitarra.
In addition to Martin’s hot flamenco guitar, he will be bringing his dance ensemble to Fort Macleod including female singer Amparo Heredia, dancers Raquel de Lun and Miguel Infante and jazz musicians — percussionist Chris Karan and flautist/ clarinetist Paul Fawkus.
“Raquel is a very beautiful woman. Her name means she of the moon, and Amparo is a wonderful gypsy singer,” Martin enthused from Vancouver, the first date of his latest Canadian tour. He raved about all of the performers involved, noting the singers and dancers come from his home province of Málaga.
“ People love the variety of the show,” he said. He starts by performing solo, then each performer has their solo spot before they all perform together at the end.
“We had an incredible tour in Europe. We played Seville in Spain. It was very encouraging,” he said adding they recently played Beijing and Shanghai in China as well.
But he is more than just a flamenco guitarist.
“I play a lot of different styles of guitar. It’s not just flamenco, it is jazz as well,” he said adding he has recorded in Abbey Road Studios as well as performed with and recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London.
His playing already had earned him accolades at a young age, but when the call came to play for Pablo Picasso, he was not only nervous, but honoured as well.
“I got the call when I was 16. and Picasso wanted me to improvise music about his paintings,” Martin said. The music from that show eventually lead to a hit record , “The Picasso Portraits,” 10 years later which was a best seller in 20 countries. He has had a lot of career highlights.
“Playing with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock at Montreaux was a highlight,” he said.
“Miles was a pretty complex character,” he said, adding while he had a reputation for being difficult at times, he was always good to Martin.
“That was incredible to be able to play with people like that,” he said.
Growing up in the south of Spain, he was exposed to a wide variety of influences.
“Flamenco is the music of the south of Spain. You’d hear it and learn to play it,” he said adding it is just like pop or rock music for American and Canadian musicians.
“I’d learned a lot from real gypsies,” he said adding he’d go to bigger cities like Madrid and learn more.
“Flamenco music is really upbeat and fast, but what is also really important, is it also has a lot of soul and emotion,” he said.
“I find if you play well with soul people respond to it as much as people like the speed of it.”
He is looking forward to the show.
“ If you go, you are going to get a lot of culture in just one evening,” he said.
The show begins at 8 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod. Admission is $38 or a group rate of $34 for a group of 10 or more people.
