|
Tom_from_CT -> Flamenco in Eastern Connecticut (Sep. 22 2012 19:02:12)
|
I started playing guitar when I was 18. Made the "mistake" of picking the biggest ad in the Washington DC phone book to look for a teacher, wound up studying with Sophocles Papas, one of Segovia's pupils, thinking I was going to learn how to strum folk music. So for much of my musical life I've been playing classical guitar instead! We lived in Spain off an on when I was growing up, so I heard and enjoyed occasional flamenco guitar, but only seriously started playing flamenco about 5 years ago. I retired from a career in teaching and research in microbiology in 2003, and since around 2007 I've been getting together with two other guitarists regularly. We call ourselves "CAFE Guitar" (Classical and Flamenco Enthusiasts), and we meet most Friday afternoons for a very informal jam session in which we show off what we're currently excited by, new falsetas or palos we've learned, and play a lot together. Some palos, like Sevillanas, really lend themselves to group playing... we take turns leading off, and try to improvise harmonies with the lead being played. Other palos, like Soleares, Seguiriyas, Bulerias etc, we take turns playing a few falsetas and passing the lead around. This weekly playing has been a tremendous boost to my own playing, and I practice at least an hour or two most days. I've learned a lot from flamenco transcriptions and recordings, especially fond of Juan Martin's several instruction books, which I continue to learn from. Our CAFE Guitar group loves to include other guitarists who occasionally attend our sessions... anyone passing through Eastern CT on a Friday is heartily invited to join us!
|
|
|
|
