April 21 2012

SF Jazz Spring Season is in full bloom, so you will be reading a lot about the music I'm seeing.  A disc jockey on our own local KPOO said recently that we shouldn't call it African American Classical music, or jazz, anymore, because it really has become a world music.  The great young flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo played SF Jazz for the second time last month.  Like Paco De Lucia before him, Vicente incorporates jazz harmonies, while keeping the traditional rhythms and palos of flamenco. ("One must respect the compas!")  Anouska Shankar performed with flamenco musicians Thursday night, to demonstrate the influence of the Rajasthani Gypsy diaspora (there were two major treks across Europe from India, in roughly 750AD and 1400AD) on flamenco.  It was a pity that Anoushka didn't have a guitarist worthy of her at the gig. Pepe Hebechuela plays on her new record.  Perhaps an Anouska and Vicente gig someday!