Ensemble Description

Las Guitarras de Espana Ensemble Description/Biographies

The Guitars of Spain ensemble formed in 1999, when guitarist, Carlo Basile was researching material for his Master's Degree Lecture/Recital titled "Flamenco Music and Spain's Nationalist Composers." Along with other guitarists and dancers who were studying flamenco music from Spain, Carlo put together a series of "Flamenco Night" performances (at Martyr's and then, later, at the Hothouse in Chicago) that gave everyone a chance to "practice their chops."

The "Flamenco Night" series was quite successful and lasted for a few years. It also led to collaborations with many fine musicians and dancers from the Chicago music scene such as Doug Brush (percussion), Issa Boulos (oud), David Gonzalez (vocals), Patricia Ortega-Alonso (vocals), Tomas de Utrera (guitar), Peter Baime (guitar), Julie Goldberg (guitar), Hector Fenandez (guitar), Greg Nergaard (bass), Colin Bunn (tres guitar), Wendy Clinard (dancer), Kalyan Pathak (tabla), Siri Sonty (Indian dance), Kinan Abou-afach (cello), and quite a few others.

In 2000, Carlo Basile, David Gonzalez, and Patricia Ortega-Alonso composed some new music based on Spanish classical and flamenco guitar forms. That material became the basis for the ensemble's first CD release, "Donde Esta' Paco?" Soon after, the ensemble began to receive some attention outside of the "flamenco scene." The music began to evolve into a fusion of styles that included Afro-Cuban percussion, Latin American forms, Middle Eastern grooves, and Classical Indian music as well.

In 2001, the ensemble visited Cuba to explore and study some of the traditional music of the island. Much of the music that was composed on that trip paved the way for the ensemble's second release, "Ida y Vuelta." This second CD, "Ida y Vuelta" (2002) has enjoyed world wide distribution and critical success. The music is regularly featured on NPR's "La Voz Latina" program. As well, it has sold out of it's first pressing and it continues to chalk up sales at Amazon.com and dozens of other internet sites for music purchase.

In 2003 and early 2004, members of the ensemble traveled to Spain, Morocco, India, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. The ensemble also collaborated with Shona musicians from Zimbabwe, Africa in the summer of 2003 and Rajasthani musicians from India in early 2004. All of these travels and collaborations have, of course, influenced the ensemble's approach to creating new music based on traditional forms: "We continue to seriously study traditional flamenco and other world music forms, yet as artists, we also feel a need to express in our music and dance our personal life experiences ranging from our travels to visual arts, poetry and literature, as well as our own music heritages."

In December 2004, the ensemble released it's third CD, titled "Un Respiro por El Mundo" which features a blend of styles and grooves along with guest artists from Latin, Indian, and flamenco music. In early 2005, members of the ensemble traveled to India, Senegal, Mali, and Guinea for study, performance, and inspiration.

In the fall of 2005, the ensemble, in collaboration with Clinard Dance Theatre, presented "Unraveling Rhythms" to audiences in the Chicago area. The collaboration produced 17 successful performances which were highlighted by sold out shows, guest artists from India, and international praise of the work.

Over the past year, the ensemble began to record new material and experiment a by adding the sounds of the African Kora instrument along with a larger horn section. In 2006, Las Guitarras played SRO performances for the Chicago Flamenco Festival, the Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival, and the Chicago Cultural Center. Members of the ensemble also visited Andalusia in Spain (twice) to collect more traditional flamenco materials. In early 2007, the ensemble benefitted from a week long collaboration with flamenco singer/flautist/composer Alfonso Cid which culminated in a performance for the Chicago Flamenco Festival. The sold out performance at Chicago's Hothouse recieved excellent reviews.

The release of the new work, "Cuatro por Arriba" (May 2007) is the 4th Las Guitarras CD to enjoy world wide distribution. It clearly reflects recent collaborations and studies as well as an "uptempo" mood.

Las Guitarras de Espana (The Guitars of Spain) performs "Spanish guitar influenced world music and dance." The ensemble is also influenced by Latin American and Middle Eastern styles as well as American Jazz. The fusion of these styles backed by Afro-Cuban percussion forms completes the unique combination of sounds and grooves that is Las Guitarras de Espana. The current core line-up features Patricia Alonso (singer), Doug Brush (percussion) and Carlo Basile (guitar). The "extended family" includes Greg Nergaard (bass), Colin Bunn (tres guitar), Don Jacobs (clarinet), Diego Alonso (guitar), Catarina Van Epps (cello), Chiara Mangiameli (singer/flamenco dancer), Carolina Xavier (flamenco dancer), and Kassandra Kacoshis (percussion)

Biographies of the Ensemble

Patricia Alonso vocalist/composer

Patricia has Mexican/Cuban musical roots and has performed with groups ranging from the Lyric Opera Children's Choir to several original and cover bands before venturing on her solo musical path and work with Las Guitarras. Patty has displayed amazing versatility and musicality in the two Las Guitarras releases. She has the ability to create vocal phrasing on the spot in many genres including Cuban music, Rhythm and Blues, Soul, and flamenco music. Patricia's considerable contributions to the ensemble are most clearly displayed in the latest CD release of the group. Patty also continues to study traditional flamenco cante: She has worked with recently with Curro Cueto, Antonio Vargas, Vicente Griego, and Alfonso Cid. Patricia also has recently studied flamenco cante with Chiqui de Jerez in Spain. As a composer, Patricia has co-written much of the Las Guitarras catalogue with guitarist, Carlo Basile.

Carlo Basile guitarist/composer

Carlo Basile, guitarist, has a Master's Degree in Classical Guitar performance and pedagogy from Northeastern Illinois University. His Master's Degree performance was titled "Flamenco Music and Spain's Nationalist Composers." Carlo also studied classical guitar with Anne Waller at Northwestern University for 7 years. He continues to study flamenco guitar in Cordoba and Sevilla Spain with various teachers including Luis Ruiz ("Calderito"). Internationally, Carlo has travelled to and either performed, lectured, or collaborated with musicians from Rajasthan, India; Mirissa, Sri Lanka; Chang Mai, Thailand; Cebu, Philippines; Merzouga, Morocco; Camaguey and Havana, Cuba; Limassol, Cyprus; Zabalo, Ecuador and Paracho, Mexico. As a composer, Carlo has written music for Clinard Dance Theatre productions, various radio and television spots, and recently he co-wrote and performed all of the music for the Steppenwolf Theatre's production of "Sonia Flew." Carlo is the founder of Las Guitarras de Espana. He performs, composes, and produces music for the ensemble.

Douglas Brush percussionist/composer

Doug is one of the most versatile percussionists in the Chicago area. Doug trained in classical music at the American Conservatory of Music and Roosevelt University, graduating with honors. In addition to a formal music education, he has studied with percussion masters in Cuba, Spain, North India, South India, North Africa, and West Africa among other locales. His teachers include percussion legends Jesus Diaz of Cuba and Mamady Kieta of Guinea.

Doug is involved in a diverse range of projects from producing the critically acclaimed jazzy alt-country album Thorny Devil by Kristen Shout and Smoking Kitten, to performing in Chicago’s premier avant-garde chamber music, CUBE, as well as playing traditional music from all over the world (The Guitars of Spain, Holy Goat Ensemble, Rhythmunity Ensemble). He recently played for the delegates at the U.N. Headquarters in New York and at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. with an Arab classical orchestra (The Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble). Doug has extensive experience in theatre having written music and performed in many of Chicago’s major theatres. In 1997, the production ‘Blade to the Heat’ won a Jeff Award for the original Afro-Cuban inspired music he co-composed with Andy Jones. He helped design the instruments for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ and designed and built instruments for Red Moon Theatre’s ‘Drumtree’, both of which he also performed. Currently, he plays for the Chicago production of the hit Broadway musical, ‘Wicked’. Doug has also worked extensively with dance including work with South Indian dance (Siri Sonty), Irish dance (Trinity Irish Dancers) and Modern dance, including providing the music for three Randy Duncan world premieres.

As the Sara Lee Chair of the percussion department for the Merit School of Music, Doug is involved in the early training of talented teenagers from all over the Chicago area. He is an in demand private teacher in the Chicago area and teaches extensively in inner-city outreach programs for the International Music Foundation and the Ravinia Festival. In these programs, he has performed and lectured to over 100,000 Chicago public school students in the last decade. Doug also has been internationally published dozens of times in articles he has written of the jazz and blues magazine, Downbeat.

Chiara Lucia Mangiameli vocalist /dancer.

A native Italian, Chiara Mangiameli has been performing nationwide in theaters such as the Goodman, and the Lincoln Center in NYC, since graduating from the Theater School at De Paul University’s conservatory program in 1994. Her flamenco studies began in Chicago with Michelle Nascimento “La Caoba,” and brought her to Seville to study extensively with dancers Carmen Gamero, Yolanda Heredia, and singer Emilio Cabello among others. Her collaborations with local musicians and artists include Alfonso Ponticelli and his group Swing Gitan, with whom she has appeared at Chicago’s legendary Green Mill for its first ever Flamenco Night. She has also performed along side guitarist Jose Cortes “Pansekyto” as a guest singer in the Ensemble Español’s 30th anniversary tour in Poland.
Chiara began collaborating as a singer and dancer with Carlo Basile and Las Guitarras in 2005. The group’s latest CD "Cuatro por Arriba", marks her recording debut.

Wendy Clinard dancer

"Clinard is in complete control of every part of her body. Her fingertips
are positioned just so, her hair and even her eyelashes seem to move in sync
with her swoops and stomps. She is intense, her brow furrowed; a sensual
seriousness envelopes her." (Chicago Reader)

Wendy Clinard graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago as a painter. As a visual artist she was exposed to Flamenco Dance. This led to over a decade of study and performance as a Flamenco dancer. She has studied and performed with many well respected masters of Spanish dance: in Spain, at the Amor de Dios Academy and in Sevilla with Torombo, Juana Amaya, Hiniesta Cortez, and in Chicago with master teacher Edo, and many visiting artists. She currently performs traditional Flamenco repertoire with Las Guitarras de España locally and throughout the United States. She has been invited to choreographers workshops and forums at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts and the Birmingham Royal Ballet in England.

Ms. Clinard teaches and has taught for Salt Creek Ballet, Chicago Multicultural Dance Center, Columbia College, and Gallery 37. She also has
been a guest artist for various studios nationally and internationally.

"Wendy Clinard with her powerful yet graceful movements remained the most
memorable part of the show." (Chicago Tribune)

Colin Bunn tres guitar/composer

Colin Bunn’s guitar sound comes from all over the world. He began his guitar
studies at age 14 in Madrid, Spain and continued to add new dimensions to
his style while living and studying in Mexico, Spain, Chile, and Cambodia.
He completed his formal training at Northwestern University earning his
Bachelor of Music in Classical Guitar.

As a classical guitarist he has been featured as a soloist with the Elgin
Symphony, in the Newberry Library’s Festival of the Arts, and at the Taste
of Chicago. His guitar playing can also be heard in radio and television
jingles and has been showcased in the
Chicago theater productions of “Always Patsy Cline” (Apollo Theater) and
“Hair” (Athenaeum). He has recorded two full length CDs of original guitar
music, Asleep in a Riverbed and Tierra del Fuego, both of which are
available from HotCross records. He has also recorded and toured the United
States and Europe with a variety of musical artists including Andrew Bird’s
Bowl of Fire (Palm Pictures) and Kevin O’Donnell’s Quality 6 (Delmark.)

Though his training is classical, his playing spans a wide spectrum of
musical styles. From free jazz to flamenco, he is currently a member of the
jazz ensemble, the Treehouse Project (482music), the flamenco influenced Las
Guitarras de España (Sweet pickle music), and leads his own latin band, Los
Hombres Perdidos.

Diego Alonso guitarist

Diego Alonso (Diego-Alonso Audette-Aste) studied flamenco guitar with
Fernando Moreno, Jose Luis Balao, Manuel Lozano "El Carbonero" (Jerez de
la Frontera, Cádiz), and José "Pansequito Hijo" Cortés (Puerto de Santa
María, Cádiz), and studies jazz theory with David Bloom (Bloom School of
Jazz, Chicago). Fernando Moreno, José Cortés, and David Bloom have been
Diego's most influential teacher, helping him secure a strong technical
and theoretical foundation in guitar. In 2000, Diego began performing
with Chicago-based group, "Las Guitarras de España" and was featured as
a guest artist on the group's albums, "Un Respiro por el Mundo" and
"Cuatro por Arriba." Diego has performed in theaters, clubs, and
festivals both as featured performer and as a guest of several flamenco
ensembles. He currently collaborates regularly with Chiara Mangiameli,
Carlo Basile, Kassandra Kocoshis, and Las Guitarras de España and has
shared the stage with a variety of accomplished musicians and companies
including José Cortés (Pansequito Hijo), Alfonso Cid, Vicente Griego,
Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Soleo Flamenco Dance Company,
Clinard Dance Theater, Patricia Alonso, David Chiriboga, Greg Nergaard,
Dawin Noguera, Colin Bunn, Victor Garcia, Javier Saume, Don Jacobs,
Alfonso Ponticelli, and many others.

For more info: www.diegoalonso.com

Kassandra Kocoshis percussionist

Kassandra Kocoshis (Muncie, Indiana) has been playing percussion since the age of eleven. In 2006 she received her Bachelors of Music in Percussion Performance from DePaul University under the instruction of members from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. During college, she also studied with members of the world-renown percussion group, NEXUS. Kassandra has played with DePaul University's major ensembles, the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, marimba soloist with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Concertante di Chicago, Sacred Winds Ensemble, the Aspen Opera Theater, and with hip hop artist, Kanye West.

In 2004, Kassandra found flamenco. Since then, she has studied with flamenco percussionist Francisco Orozco Fernandez "El Yiyi" and has taken workshops with Timo Lozano and Oscar Valero. Kassandra has performed with various Spanish artists including Jose Cortes "Pansequito Hijo", Paco Fonta, Antonio Gabarra Jiménez, Carmela Greco, Cristian Lozano, and Paloma Gomez. She has also performed with many Chicago flamenco musicians including Diego Alonso, Chiara Mangiameli, Carlo Basile, Patricia Alonso, Alfonso Ponticelli, David Chiriboga, Jim Collinsworth, Michelle Nascimento, Las Guitarras de España, Ensemble Español, and others. In 2006, she was featured as one of 6 flamenco women in the Chicago tribune's article "Flamenco: A way of life." Kassandra also contributed as a guest artist on Las Guitarras de España's 2007 album, "Cuatro por Arriba" and as the percussionist in Wendy Clinard's production of "Jondo Portraits." She is currently working on a trio project with Diego Alonso and Chiara Mangiameli.

Greg Nergaard acoustic/electric bass

When it comes to playing bass, Greg Nergaard is all about laying it down. From tight, syncopated and articulate finger-funk to low-down, sonorous earth tones, Greg is a musician who believes in the groove and in the ability of a good rhythm section to heal what ails you. His experience outside of Las Guitarras de Espana ranges wide — from punk, jazz and Latin to funk, rock and hip-hop. He is a well-respected bassist in a town known for producing great bassists. Greg grew up in a family of musicians and was exposed to a wide variety of music early on. He played in the school band, sang in choir and endured strictly enforced (and now greatly appreciated) piano lessons as a child. Nothing really convinced him to be a musician until he was 18, when he saved money from a summer job and purchased an electric bass. It changed his perspective on music almost immediately. Greg's education took place at Beloit College as a vocalist and eventually at American Conservatory, where he began to study bass seriously. Greg also spent over a year working and living in the Middle East and North Africa. Greg has also spent some time in Sevilla, Spain studying flamenco rhythms and grooves some of which can be heard in the latsest Las Guitarras' work.

Donald Jacobs clarinet

Clarinet and saxophone teacher and performer for over 25 years.
Don has performed World music since 1983 with Terran Doehrer in the Jewish
Klezmer revival band M'chaiya (1983-present), Jutta & the Hi-Dukes
(Balkan, eastern-European and Scandinavian, 1990-present) and
Razzematazz, a swing group (since 2002). He have played with Las Guitarras
de Espana since the spring of 2003. He has also studied with Chicagoans Rich
Corpolongo for jazz improv, Jim Stoynoff for Greek music, Kurt Bjorling
for Klezmer, and George Silfies of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for
classical music.

Carolina Xavier flamenco dancer

Carolina's flamenco studies began in Chicago with
Wendy Clinard at the Clinard Dance Theatre in 2002
after moving from Brazil. Carolina attended flamenco studies technique,
training, and choreography thought by Wendy Clinard and she also
has attended workshops given by visiting artists from Spain.
With a Brazilian "party personality," Carolina identifies
with the "chico forms" (such as tangos, guajiras, and bulerias) in flamenco

and she finds a way to be playful and have fun with the complex art form.
Currently Carolina collaborates and performs with "Las Guitarras
de Espana" and she studies classical ballet with The
Boitsov Ballet. Carolina is also a member and one of the teachers of
the Flamenco Arts Center. She currently teaches flamenco to the students of the

"After School Matters" program at Kelly HS in Chicago.

Contributing Artists:

Alfonso Cid vocalist/flautist

Alfonso was born and raised in Seville, the heartland of Flamenco music. His mother, an amateur singer from Triana, a Flamenco enclave in Seville, and his grandfather, an aficionado of Flamenco were his earliest influences. Alfonso's love for Flamenco intensified in his teens after the death of his grandfather. This experience allowed him to realize the depth and beauty of this Andalusian tradition, and the importance of preserving this Art form for future generations. He also had the opportunity of attending the activities of one the most significant Flamenco clubs in Andalusia, the Peña Flamenca Torres-Macarena since 1987, where he was introduced by his very good friend Sergio Iglesias son of the president of that institution at that time.
Alfonso enrolled at the Seville Conservatory in 1990 to study flute and music theory. For the following 5 years he received a classical training.

Since his arrival in New York in 1997, Alfonso has played with Flamenco artists, such as: Pilar Rioja, Andrea Del Conte, Nelida Tirado, Sara Erde, La Conja, José Junco, Oscar Valero, Carmen Romero, Edwin Aparicio, to name a few. Flamenco guitarists: Chuscales, Arturo Martínez, Pedro Cortés, Carlos Rubio, Roberto Castellón, Carlos Revollar, Miguel de la Bastide. He has performed in the following venues: Town Hall with the World Music Institute, London's Royal Albert Hall with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Sala Covarrubias in Mexico City, Carnegie Hall ( Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall) , Joyce Theater, The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Symphony Space, Merkin Concert Hall, Caramoor music festival, La Mama Experimental Theatre Club, The Spanish Theatre Repertory, Thalia Spanish Theatre, The Theater for the New City, El Taller Latino Americano and many of the flamenco tablaos throughout the tri-state area. Alfonso's participation in Educational Programs for Schools and Colleges as well as numerous dance and music festivals has given him the opportunity to travel throughout North America, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Morikeba Kouyate kora

Morikeba Kouyate is known throughout West Africa for his electrifying performances and virtuosity with the traditional African stringed instrument, the Kora. He was born and raised into a family of Griots, or Jalis, in Bounkiling Senegal. He began his training at the age of eight and was performing professionally by the age of fourteen. He became successful and well-known for his expert storytelling and Kora playing. As a result of his success, Morikeba was given the opportunity to have his own radio program in Dakar. His show was aired throughout Senegal and several other African countries. He also made numerous appearances on Senegalese television. Morikeba Kouyate has played before African royalty and the Presidents of several countries, including Senegal and The Gambia.

Kalyan Pathak percussionist

Kalyan Pathak is a composer, musician, drummer and a percussion player of a
multi cultural experience covering a very vast base.

Raised in a musical family in Ahmedabad, India, he began his formal training
in Classical North Indian Tabla at the age of 9, and continued this rigorous
regimen until he was 15. Soon thereafter, his passion for rhythm led him to
broaden his musical horizons, and he spent 5 years in Bombay under the
tutelage of Ranjit Barot, devoting himself to western drumset, while
concurrently doing session work in the Bombay studio scene.

Kalyan came to Chicago in the early nineties, and in addition to receiving a
B.Mus. degree in Jazz studies with honors, he went on to study African,
Afro-Cuban, Latin and Middle Eastern genres of percussion.

Since moving to the U.S., Kalyan has become one of the busiest tabla
virtuoso and multi-ethnic percussionists in the country.

Apart from numerous collaborations and recording projects, Kalyan has
performed with the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra, toured and performed in
Europe and Brazil, and he plays regularly with Fareed Haque, the Chicago
guitarist of world repute.

Notable recent projects include, composing and performing original score
live on stage with Fareed Haque, for production of "Homeland Security", a
play with reputed Contemporary American Theater Festival, and DVD and CD
releases with the "Fareed Haque Group" in the year 2004.

Leading his own group, Jayho Jazzmata, Kalyan has been performing his
compositions blending jazz, blues with Indian ragas and folk influences.

Kalyan and Jayho Jazzmata have released a cd on Zilka Records. Please visit
www.kalyanpathak.com to learn more about Kalyan Pathak.

Shona musicians from Zimbabwe in July 2003.