| Flamenco Hip Hop Fusion |
| Words: Andrew Davies-Cole | |
| Wednesday, 15 August 2007 | |
Spiegeltent There are rare occasions where entertainment serves as an education. From those first moments when guitarist Ricardo Garcia’s fingers splayed to form unfamiliar shapes and sounds on the fretboard, it was clear I was to be in for some schooling. The show, which combines the talents of said guitarist with those of a female flamenco dancer, a breakdancing B-boy and a tabla player, describes itself as a Flamenco Hip Hop Fusion. Garcia gave a brief history of Indian music’s influence on Flamenco, pointing to the significance of this third column that helped raise the roof during the performance. The show opened with Garcia alone, presenting astounding artistry on six strings. Recognisable Flamenco elements gave way to Bossa Nova and contemporary styles without clashing. All this with the effortless dexterity of someone who might simply have been revolving chiming balls in that same right hand. Flamenco dancer Leticia Jimenez has to be seen to be believed. Her face and form seemed to betray the emotions of a dancer bewitched. A story of gender and culture clash was told in dance, and B-Boy Peter Maniam drew gasps from the audience with taunting top-rock footwork and impossible routine-closing freezes. Yet the man hardly broke into a sweat. All this was punctuated in parts by the ‘language’ of the tabla, as explained to good effect by drummer Mike Black. He taught the audience the basics of the instrument in a short masterclass, and this effort at inclusion helped loosen it up for when the time came to get involved in clapping out beats. No such encouragement was needed to spark the riotous applause that accompanied the show’s end however: it seemed both aficionados and freshers such as myself were left suitably impressed. Two word verdict: Hip-Hop olé Flamenco Hip Hop Fusion Spiegeltent 13 Aug only
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