Met an amazing 15-year-old flamenco guitar player last night...

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John O.

Posts: 1723
Joined: Dec. 16 2005
From: Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany

Met an amazing 15-year-old flamenco ...

...Christian Steffens or "Christiano Gitano" is his name. Grew up in a Sinti musician family, started playing age 6, lives pretty close to me. His parents told me he was in Leverkusen at the PDL concert and wanted to meet him and was told no. So he started playing his guitar, Rafael Cortes came in and watched him shortly, left and then PDL came in to meet him.

Weird for me was that he was looking for a teacher and he came in to the flamenco school and totally took me by suprise. After seeing how good he was I was asked to play something for him, his sister and parents - as a teacher. I'm sure they didn't mean to put me under such pressure, but I can tell you it was NOT COOL! I was really nervous and couldn't play well at all. I actually said I was nervous and he asked oddly "WHY?" Kind of embarrassing. It'd have been okay if it were only him, the whole group in that small room with me not even warmed up was really too much though...

I do hope to see him again though because after I loosened up and showed some ability accompanying it was really fun - then I could show him some solo stuff too. It's extremely rare to meet someone at that level here in Germany, especially at that age. Who knows, maybe we could collaborate on something (I'd play rhythm

) Not to mention there ARE some things I could teach him, all the palos and some more complex chord structures, and he's at that age where he just soaks it all up. I told his parents he needs to go to Spain - SOON.

Anyways, I had to share that. I admit it's tough having such experiences without giving in to negative thoughts. I felt a sudden feeling of ugency (I'm 31) and started asking myself "Am I even any good? Would I have any chance out in the German flamenco scene among the pros or is it too late for me?" It's actually that thinking that keeps me practising, though.

Anyways, look out for this kid in about 10 years...

_____________________________

Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2008 19:02:50

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

I would love to see this boy playing. Maybe if you should meet him again, you could make a video or something.

p.s. I know exactly what you mean. I am 32 and also started very late with Flamenco. And i am not half as good as you are. I have no illusions. The max. i could achieve would be playing in some Restaurants/Bars/Cafes in the future (if i practice hard).
But i see this whole flamenco thing as a hobby and not a profession, so its easier for me to accept these facts.

However the good news is that Germany is not Spain and there is still some chance left for people like me.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 1:31:34

duende

Posts: 3053
Joined: Dec. 15 2003
From: Sweden

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

im also 32. but the pressure of age its only in my head realy. What i dont like is the fact that i never get a chance to play for dance or cante, its a big issue for me

_____________________________

This is hard stuff!
Don't give up...
And don't make it a race.
Enjoy the ray of sunshine that comes with every new step in knowledge.

RON

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 4:51:34

John O.

Posts: 1723
Joined: Dec. 16 2005
From: Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to Arash)

Henrik I thought you did some accompanying for some reason. Is there really nothing up there where you are? You're right about the age thing though. Wrong to let it get me down...

quote:

The max. i could achieve would be playing in some Restaurants/Bars/Cafes in the future (if i practice hard).
But i see this whole flamenco thing as a hobby and not a profession, so its easier for me to accept these facts.

I'd be happy with a part time job and some gigs in cafés and restaurants. Even at my level I have my doubts doing this. It's like this:

I have a 9 hour job so no money problems, so I can spend loads and loads of money on trips to Spain, workshops, CDs etc. But I have no time to practise and in the evening I'm beat and can only accompany half-@ssed, which I do at a flamenco school a few times a week. If I practise one tough song it's all I can do and am then even worse at accompanying. Accompanying earns me some money - takes a lot of preparation and learning choreographies, so not a lot of time to practise technique or interesting solo things. Then Christian Steffens comes along and I have nothing to play for him at that moment

So I need more time, right? Let's assume I don't get popular internationally or nation-wide

but I quit the job anyways - have no money for lessons, trips to Spain, a new coat etc., have to take every gig I can get and have to prepare for each one. So still no time for practise + poor = unhappy + constant worry = no inspiration.

I'm one of the best in the area - wow, huh? Yup, there's hardly any gigs either. If I go up to the Ruhrpott or down to Freiburg though it's too crouded to get the foot in the door at all.

I'm not necessarily b@tching here - just writing thoughts that a lot of people here have probably already had. More for myself, I guess. I somehow have to overcome my fear and do what I know I have to do. It's just not happening somehow.

Back to the subject. Christian Steffens is great. I'll ask if I can make a vid of him if I see him again. His bulerías technique is amazing, his p-a-i rasgueado sounds like a f'ing machine gun...

_____________________________

Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 5:34:27

Ricardo

Posts: 14894
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to duende)

I just turned 33. Sometimes, when I am doing a dance rehearsal with some Spanish cantaor who does not speak english, and we are right into it where the dancer stops us and directs him as to what to sing and me what corte to do etc, a thought gets in my head:
"Man, how the HELL did I end up here doing THIS!?WTF!".

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 5:37:43

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

Yes i understand your feelings John.
Well, i also have a "normal" Job from 08:00 to 17:00 but honestly i would love to be able to make money only through music and give up my job
but its simply impossible if i am realistic. So i gave up these fantasies and i only want to share the music without beeing interested in geting
money for it , i mean i would play for free in a Cafe just to share the music and to enjoy the enjoyment of the audience and this is also good
for the Ego (in a positive way),,,,..I also have no money problems but as you said , not enough time for practicing...thats why many fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays i lock up myself in my room and play guitar.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 5:50:01

Ailsa

Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

Ricardo:

the dancer stops us and directs him as to what to sing and me what corte to do etc

Dancers also need to have manners! How can you get the best from a musician if you've just ordered him about?

I know it happens, I've seen it, but I've no patience with that attitude.

@John - I think you've got a level-headed approach. And you are aware that when your music is also your work, there are tedious aspects and pressures, just like with any job. When you finally take the plunge you'll be doing it without any false illusions.

I understand your frustration. Is a compromise possible? A job working with fewer hours to give you more time? Not sure if the work culture in Germany encourages that.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 6:14:23

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 6:55:36

kovachian

Posts: 506
Joined: Jan. 30 2008
From: Americanistan

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

Did he play at all like

LoL it's weird in a way. One part of me will proudly tip my hat off and congratulate a kid who plays so well, while the other part of me secretly falls into this inferiority complex and I start questioning myself on why I wasn't that good at so young an age. When I was 13 I was never even exposed to this kind of playing, let alone how to play it.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 8:35:42

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

This is Hossein Kamani from Iran....we had a thread about him

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=79520&appid=&p=&mpage=1&key=&tmode=&smode=&s=#79520

But he is 17 in this Vid,,,,,, which of course makes no difference to your different feelings which you mentioned and which i share

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 8:52:48

kovachian

Posts: 506
Joined: Jan. 30 2008
From: Americanistan

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

Oh, 17? Yea that makes no difference, I still feel like a chump.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 8:57:06

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

"Man, how the HELL did I end up here doing THIS!?WTF!".

LOL Ricardo,

That's funny!

Years ago I was invited to the "El Sali" dance troupe (the one Paco Pena used to play with) to their Hotel in Glasgow and I spent an afternoon with the guitarists.
The older one said to me "Hey, just keep it as a hobby man...the pay is low and the conditions are rough".
Which kinda brought me down a bit, until I saw Emilio Barrul, the lead player who was totally absorbed in his new rumba!
No matter what you do, Flamenco, once it's got into your blood, will distract you from any career you follow.
So you might as well be at the heart of it IMO!

cheers,

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 9:00:14

Mark2

Posts: 1882
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

"Man, how the HELL did I end up here doing THIS!?WTF!".

Made me laugh. When I was 21 I was playing full time in a touring show band. A few years later, I was playing in Europe with a folk singer. Then more rock bands. I caught the flamenco bug in my late 20's. One day maybe ten years ago I caught myself carrying a dancer's dress for her across a street to go to a free gig. WTF am I doing, I thought.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 11:25:02

Ricardo

Posts: 14894
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to Mark2)

quote:

One day maybe ten years ago I caught myself carrying a dancer's dress for her across a street to go to a free gig. WTF am I doing, I thought.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2008 16:54:31

rolly

Posts: 16
Joined: Jan. 5 2008

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

There is no connection between Talents and Age
when I was 16 I did the same thing with Agressive in-line skaters ..but there is a connection between extream games and arts its me.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2008 4:19:37

gato

Posts: 322
Joined: Jun. 9 2007

RE: Met an amazing 15-year-old flame... (in reply to John O.)

It's the arts! You don't get anywhere by planning! You just do it. And you don't have to do it well or be anybody.....'what you get out of it is self enrichment at what ever level of engagement. If you enrich others fine. But it's all about self expression any way, or expression of ideals with others. It's all in the message, not who or how old you are. That's why it's so popular and success oriented which frankly to me defeats the purpose. It's about the juergas! Make them happen. You don't have to be a race car driver to drive, you just get from point a to point b. If you can personally get something out of flamenco you are doing quite well, and if you still want to be 'someone' when you grow up you haven't faced the facts of life. You are fine just the way you are! Play the guitar as good as you can, and 'chin-up!'
Gary

This kid must be fantastic!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 25 2008 13:42:51