Flamenco Santa Barbara presents Noches de Bohemia & Friends, a one-of-a-kind show featuring Latin Grammy Award–winning flamenco group Navajita Plateá, made up of vocalist Idelfonso de los Reyes (“Pelé”) and guitarist Francisco Carrasco (“Curro”). The duo, who has made some of the best-selling modern flamenco songs of all time, will be taking the stage at the Lobero Theatre on Friday, November 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Navajita Plateá will be joined by celebrated flamenco dancers María Bermúdez, Timo Nuñez, and Manuel Gutiérrez.
Pelé and Curro both originally come from proud gypsy* family dynasties in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Over their past three decades together, they have become celebrated widely for their unique style, which blends traditional flamenco music with blues, rock, Latin, and hip-hop elements, earning them their place as top-selling contemporary flamenco artists.
Guest dancer Bermúdez, who also serves as artistic director for the show, describes the performance as “an unprecedented event: Gypsy flamenco bands are everywhere in Spain, but outside of Europe, and especially in the U.S., it’s very rare to see these bands, but gypsy flamenco is often compared to the blues of the American South; it’s the outcry of a people. It’s emotional and entertaining all at the same time. It’s very familiar to American audiences due to their American influences. The true affinity is with the cultural background of both Spanish Gypsy and American Black Southern culture.”
This show is being put on by Flamenco Santa Barbara (flamencosb.org), a local nonprofit dedicated to celebrating and expanding access to authentic flamenco music and dance. In addition to offering shows, the organization also provides music and dance education, as well as student scholarships. To purchase tickets for Noches de Bohemia & Friends, visit lobero.org.
*This word is commonly used in Spanish flamenco culture and is the preferred terminology of the subjects of the article.
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