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Duende
Flamenco, composed of guitarists Kenji Bakuya and James Samimi and percussionist
Ali Nourbakhsh, began performing together as a trio in 1999. However, their
stories trace far deeper back, when their relationship with flamenco first
began.
For Kenji, the defining moment came when he first heard Paco de
Lucia’s Bulerias Almoraima. At the time, he had been studying
heavily with noted classical guitarists in Texas and instantly made
the life-altering decision to convert his studies to flamenco
guitar. After traveling throughout the United States, he finally
decided to settle down in Orange County, California where he
currently resides. Young and eager, Kenji searched for a teacher who
would continue his studies and bring him one step closer to his
dream of capturing the essence of playing traditional flamenco.
Kenji’s search led him to Mr. Theodore McKown, a protégé of Sabicas
and founding member of the Orange County Guitar Circle, who by sheer
chance was instructing another student by the name of James Samimi.
For James, the music that would change his life and touch his soul
first graced his ears in the form of Paco Peña’s Fandangos de
Huelva. Years later, Mr. McKown would be responsible for uniting the
first two links of Duende Flamenco by putting his two best students
in contact. Many years before their encounter, Paco de Lucia was
working on an innovation that would not only change the future of
Duende Flamenco, but would revolutionize flamenco music in its
entirety. Paco de Lucia was responsible for introducing a
traditional Peruvian instrument called the cajon (a unique
percussion instrument that is played while sat on) as rhythmic
accompaniment for the guitars. This novelty would have drastic
effects on the way flamenco would be played and forever imprint the
life of one young percussionist, Ali Nourbakhsh.
Ali’s introduction to flamenco came at a young age, when his teacher
decided to use an unconventional method of studying poetry by
playing a flamenco song infused with the poetry of Federico Garcia
Lorca. The sweet delicacy of the words, coupled with the dance
between the Spanish guitar and the singer, struck a chord deep in
the chambers of Ali's heart and his search began instantly.
Ali’s flamenco instruction was grounded in the heartfelt connection
with a music that spoke the language of his soul; a music of
struggle, passion, pain, survival, celebration and love. He buried
himself in gypsy culture wherever he was and found imaginative and
unorthodox ways to immerse himself in their music. Through his
natural affinity for rhythm and his long and previous history with
music, he was able to learn from others and train himself in the
rhythmic components of the art - mainly: cajon, palmas, and jaleos.
He is also very focused on capturing a fourth element, known as
cante.
An
annual cultural festival in the city of Irvine would be the nexus
where the third piece of Duende Flamenco would be added. It was here
that Ali Nourbakhsh was scheduled to play, 2 years after James and
Kenji had been performing together as a duo under the name, En
Compas. Again, by mere chance or destiny, James was attending the
festival and heard the unmistakable sound of a cajon cutting the air
with a driving rhythm. He followed the rhythm until he found Ali
sitting on top of his cajon, in front of a large audience. During a
break, the two talked and reunited (2 years earlier, they were
friends and had attended the same undergraduate university). A
common interest in traditional flamenco amongst all three sparked a
rehearsal the following week and instantly Duende Flamenco was born.
Duende Flamenco has been the selected entertainment for many
prestigious venues including The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, The
Center Club at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Marriott
Dana Point, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and the Orange County
Classical Guitar Society, among others. Duende Flamenco consists of
flamenco guitarists Kenji Bakuya and James Samimi, percussionist Ali
Nourbakhsh and dancers Suzanita, Michon and Aida. The group is
representative of a new generation of flamenco performers who bring
the appeal of flamenco to an international audience.
Duende Flamenco performs traditional flamenco, staying true to the
art, always entertaining and providing a memorable flamenco
experience. The audience is treated to the fire of the flamenco
guitar, the excitement of the percussion and rhythms of the cajon
and the beauty and passion of the dance. Performances include the
lost art of the Spanish castanets.
Every life is full of defining moments, of instances that kindle a
desire, change the future and bring paths together. Duende Flamenco
is a combination of these fateful moments that brought these artists
together. "Flamenco puro", the pure essence of flamenco, is what
these creative performers strive to bring to their audiences. With
the common goal to express and share the soulfulness of flamenco
through creative interpretations and individual talents, they strive
to bring you the pure essence, the emotion, the passion - the "duende"
of flamenco.
Check out our band
information on your top right
For booking information and pricing, call Mark Wood Entertainment
in Southern California at
949.748.6850 |
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