Pinceladas Escandalosas
by Lakshmi “La Chimi” Basile

Crashing down the doors for the inaugural performance of Flamenco Al Fresco comes Fountain-favorite and Flamenco icon Lakshmi “La Chimi” Basile. Together, along with her pals FlamencoFlavor straight from the NYC Flamenco scene, she’s gonna burn down this parking lot and remind you why you wake up in the morning. This is gonna be a breathtaking show that’ll get your blood pumping and your collar soaked in sweat.

The entire evening is presented as a tribute to the late titan of Flamenco, Jesús Montoya, El Genio Gitano. If you would like to support the Jesús Montoya Memorial Fund, please click here and help the foundation to further Jesus' legacy for Flamenco and The Arts in America.

Lakshmi “La Chimi” Basile — Bailora & Director
Antonio De Jerez — Cante
Reyes Barrios — Cante
José Tanaka — Guitarrista
Kambiz Pakan — Guitarrista
special guests David Castellano, Laura Castellano and Cristina Moguel of “FlamencoFlavor.”

PROGRAM

Alegrías - Company
Tema - Reyes Barrios
Tientos - Cristina Moguel
Ramito de Violetas - David Castellano
Solea - Laura Castellano
Intermission
La Negra Tomasa-FlamencoFlavor
Dedicación a Jesús Montoya
Siguerilla - Lakshmi Basile
Gran Fin De Fiesta

Lakshmi Basile - (Dancer / Director) began performing at the age of six with her parents’ band “The Electrocarpathians”. She studied dance at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts during elementary and high school. She grew up in the flamenco community of San Diego, where her passionate artistic character began to form. After performing as a flamenco dancer in California and studying classical dance at the University of California Santa Barbara, Lakshmi travelled to Spain at the age of 20 to complete her flamenco studies. She was fortunate to be quickly embraced by artists and find work in tablaos and flamenco private events alongside great artists such as La Toná, La Familia Amaya, Pepe Torres, Joselito Méndez, Antonio Moya, La Tana, Carmen Ledesma, Antonio Rey and Manuel Molina. She was nicknamed La Chimi, which is simply her own name repronounced.

In recent years, Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi” became one of the first and only foreign artists in Spain to win a highly regarded national prize in, Concurso de las Minas de La Unión, 2011. She also won an award in another primary contest, Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba. There she surprised flamenco critics and received great praise: “un desgarrador homenaje a los románticos de lo jondo” (a heart wrenching homage to the romantics of pure flamenco), Alberto García Reyes, ABC. In fifteen years, Lakshmi consolidates her career in Seville, the cradle of flamenco. She performs daily as a soloist at the tablao “El Palacio Andaluz” in Seville, Spain. She works alongside significant artists in private events and festivals internationally, such as, Great Britain, Denmark and Uruguay. She has produced her own show in Spain, named, “Zarabanda, Lo Que Duerme en el Cuerpo de los Gitanos”, (Zarabanda, What Sleeps in the Gypsies’ Body). She is also sought after as a teacher by flamenco students in Spain. Lakshmi Basile has found her substantial artistic career as a flamenco dancer, because that is what she is in her soul and heart. “Su baile es de una alegría conquistada” (Her dance is one of conquered joy) – Félix Grande, poet and flamencologist. “La única cosa americana que tiene es su pasaporte”, (The only American thing she has is her passport) – Ángel Ojeda, former Minister of Culture of the Junta de Andalucía.

Antonio De Jerez – (Singer) is among the most highly regarded flamenco singers currently in the U.S. Born in Jerez de La Frontera, Spain to a father who was a well-known singer and a mother who was a dancer, Antonio has been singing and dancing since childhood. He performed extensively throughout Spain and in 1977 moved to the U.S. Since then, he has sung for many companies including the Jose Molina Ballet, Rosa Montoya Ballet Espanol, The Boston Flamenco Ballet, plus the companies of Carmen Mora, Luisa Triana, La Tania, Yaelisa and Domingo Ortega, among others. He is artistic director of Canela Pura. Like many cantaores, Antonio is also a poet and frequently writes letras for the cantes he sings.

José Tanaka - (Guitarist) was born in Kyoto Japan, and raised by family steeped in the Flamenco arts (his father & his uncle both are Flamenco guitarists & his mother is a Flamenco dancer).

He has a natural Flamenco musical ability & edge, which raised him above other artists. The Spanish name José was given to him by his parents to further strengthen his ties to natural Flamenco. Tanaka has been performing since childhood.

Tanaka ventured away from Flamenco and began playing the electric guitar at age 13 and by 16 was already composing and performing his original music regularly in various clubs in Kyoto, Japan with his rock band.After graduating from high school Tanaka came to the United States to study Jazz, Blues, Latin and Rock styles and theory at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California and continued to perform with various bands throughout greater Los Angeles.

After being a guitar instructor for few years, at the age of 24 Tanaka rediscovered his passion for Flamenco and pursued further study in Seville and Madrid, Spain where he polished his technique studying with the Masters and developed and honed his soniquete (groove) and aire (feel) playing the guitar everyday amongst the gypsies. Tanaka continues to go back to Spain frequently to get inspired.

Tanaka's versatility as well as his virtuosity is rare among guitarists today; he shows impressive facility on the acoustic and electric guitars with both finger picking and plectrum technique.His Flamenco guitar styling are dictated by the situation - Tanaka is equally at home accompanying both authentic and popular flamenco styles, another quality amiss in most flamenco guitarists today.

José Tanaka has toured throughout United States, Europe, and Japan performed in many well-known places (Hollywood Bowl in LA, Olympia in Paris, Acropolis in Athens, Tarantos in Barcelona, El Flamenco in Tokyo etc.). Jose was invited as a soloist in the 2001~2002 Passion Latina Tour in France, Monte Carlo, Spain, Greece, and Germany performing alongside world famous opera singer Julia Migenes (who appeared as Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen) and collaborated with the director Scotty Morris (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s lead singer/songwriter).

Other noteworthy performances include appearances with David Williams (Guitarist from Madonna & Michael Jackson), Jonathan Moffett (drummer from Madonna & Michael Jackson), Joey Heredia, Eddie Miller (Keyboard from Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown), Rex Salas (producer Janet Jackson, TLC, Boys II Men.etc), Charlie Peterson (Earth Wind & Fire), Duane Benjamin (Earth Wind & Fire), Antonio Vargas (Ballroom Dancing and Mission impossible 2), Curro Fernandez (Famous Singer From Sevilla), Luis Peña, Antonio Cortez "Chiquitete", Domingo Ortega, Jorge Trasante (Gypsy King), Victor Villena (Gotan Project), La Tania, Ester Ponse (Dancer From Madrid), Cristobal Osorio, Juan Trivino, Omayra Amaya (Great grandniece of Carmen Amaya), Joaquin Encinias, Juan Antonio Suarez “Canito”, World famous wind player Pedro Eustache (Yani, Shakira, Alex Acuña’s Band), Top session guitarist Ramon Stagnaro, World famous drummer Efrain Toro, Gypsy singer from south France Cristo Cortez, Lakshmi, Jesus Montoya, Susana di Palma “Zorongo Flamenco”, Yaelisa’s Camino Flamenco and all the top artists in the United States.

Kambiz Pakan - (Guitarist) was born in 1971. In his childhood he listened to a relative playing the setar (traditional persian stringed instrument) which left a great impression on him and later drove him to pursue a unique sound from the guitar. In 1985 when he lived in Istanbul attended the international guitar festival. After this event he began his studies in  music. He eventually moved to California and years later achieved a university degree from CSULB in ethnomusicology/flamencology with an honor. He has worked extensively as a guitarist in the USA. Years of living mainly in the cities of Granada and Jerez has given him a deep insight and perspective in the art of flamenco. Kambiz has traveled extensively in the world which also enriched his musical formation and has helped him aquire a distinct harmonic versatility and an extraordinary sensibility. He has performed on many prestigious stages in the USA, Spain, France, Portugal, Israel, India, Iran among others. He has recently moved back to southern California.

Flamenco Flavor - (Special Guests) brings audiences a sizzling show with a fresh look and sound.  A fiery fiesta with an urban twist, the 3 Flamenco Flavor girls ignite the room with exciting Spanish rhythms and sensual Latin choreography, danced to the ardent voice and soulful guitar of singer/guitarist David M Castellano. 

The group formed 2 years ago in the NY tri-state area when Laura, Monica, Cristina, and David, each a prominent and experienced flamenco artist in their own right, came together with a vision for a new take on a flamenco show.

Their vision became reality as fans of classic Latin sounds and contemporary movements recognized the exciting young group, and soon Flamenco Flavor was performing for enthusiastic audiences throughout the US and Latin America.  Custom costumes, rhythmic Latin sounds, and an electric look quickly established Flamenco Flavor as the exciting and cutting-edge flamenco-fusion group with unparalleled audience appeal.

FlamencoFlavor combines Spanish ardor and Latin passion and delivers the new urban Spain directly to you!