MELÓN JIMENEZ & LARA WONG TICKETS
Award-winning flutist and bansuri player, Lara Wong and flamenco guitarist, Melón Jiménez, make flamenco their universal musical language to traverse musical territories. Their music ebbs and flows with elegance and emotion, perfectly fusing the soul of flamenco with the harmonic brilliance of jazz and the rhythmic improvisations of Indian music. The groundbreaking couple first met on stage in 2018 in the flamenco jazz capital of Madrid, and ever since then, they have continued to grace audiences worldwide.
THE ARTISTS
Melón Jimenez- Guitarist
Guitarist Melón Jiménez is both devoted to the tradition of his Andalusian gypsy roots and to the innovation of the flamenco guitar. Having been born into a musically and culturally diverse family, (his mother, a German classical pianist and his father, a flamenco guitarist from Jerez), Melón developed a unique style of playing, incorporating all of the different techniques and sounds he experienced over the years. His musical versatility has led to collaborations with artists of all genres such as: Anoushka Shankar, Enrique Morente, Richard Bona, Niña Pastori, and Jorge Pardo. Melón was also a finalist in several competitions such as the Paco de Lucia Awards and the National Flamenco Competition in Cordoba. He released his second album, Ecos de Magerit, in October 2022.
Lara Wong- Flute and Bansuri
Lara Wong is a distinctive and promising voice in the world music scene. After completing her degree in classical and jazz performance at McGill University, Lara went to study flamenco in its birthplace, Andalucia. Today, she is a prominent figure in the flamenco scene and is known for adapting the Indian bansuri flute into flamenco. In 2021, Lara made history when she won the first prize award for best flamenco instrumentalist at the Festival Cante de las Minas, making her the first foreign prize winner in the festival’s 60 year history. Lara has played in festivals across Canada and Europe and has collaborated with artists like, Tino di Geraldo, Juan Andres Maya, and Pepe Rivero. In 2022, she released her first album, Rosa de los Vientos, which was produced by Melón Jiménez.
Alex Carrasco - July 27-August 24 shows
Alex Carrasco is a talented percussionist and multi-instrumentalist from Spain and France. He received a diploma in contemporary music before embarking on an extensive apprenticeship in Flamenco in Seville. He has shared the stage with many renowned flamenco and world music artists. He has participated in a diverse range of creative projects, including traditional flamenco percussion, co-arrangement for BENABAR (2018-2022), self-comp-singing in METISOLEA‘ (2004-2016, 4 albums), creations for dance shows, and keyboard playing for DUENDE (salsa-reggae, 2008-2017).
La Caramelita - August 16-24 shows
Deborah “La Caramelita” is an Indo-Canadian flamenco dancer based in France whose unique style is inspired by the sensuality of flamenco and her Indian heritage. The versatility of this young dancer has taken her around the world (Ecuador, Portugal, Canada, Spain, Malaysia, Russia, Morocco, France, Switzerland, Mexico, USA). Deborah “La Caramelita” began her flamenco journey in Vancouver, at Centro Flamenco’s professional dance program founded by Rosario Ancer and her passion led her to Andalucía where she studied with exceptional dancers such as Juana Amaya, Carmen Ledesma, Manuel Liñán, La Moneta and Miguel Ángel Heredia.