guitar music Guitarist Classical, Music, Jazz, Brazilian, Latin American, Flamenco, Estéban Bello

Spanish is the Loving Tongue -- Romantic Guitar music in the Latin Tradition

Those of us who love guitar music are most likely familiar with the
lilting, romantic quality of Spanish songs. We often find that these
melodies touch a chord deep within us, yet we remain curious to know what
the words mean. Estéban Bello's "Musical Tour of the Americas and Spain"
concert provides the perfect opportunity to finally put together those
evocative guitar melodies with the heart-melting poetry that illuminates
the soul of Spanish music. Stephen is known for making the world of Spanish
music more accessible to English-speaking audiences. Before playing a song,
he translates its lyrics into English. "Many people have remarked that the
songs were familiar, but they had always wondered what the words meant.

When I tell them the meaning of the poetry, they are deeply moved."
Stephen particularly loves taking his audiences on a geographical
and historical "musical tour." Beginning with perfectly executed classical
guitar and flamenco solo pieces, he goes on to broaden our perspective with
Latin-influenced songs from the Americas. He demonstrates the evolution of
Latin-influenced guitar tradition, how this musical sensibility and poetic
style has woven itself into the songs of indigenous languages from
Zapotecan (Mexico) to Kechua (Peru). He says, "Latin music is a great
river, carrying seeds of inspiration in its flow. The Latin inspiration has
mixed with indigenous cultures in the New World, evolving into many forms,
from lively Cuban rumbas, to contemplative Peruvian waltzes."

Estéban Bello began his professional musical career as a jazz
guitarist in his native New York City. But, he says, "One night on
television, I saw some classical Spanish guitarists. I was astonished to
see that they played without picks! I noticed they were able to play
melody, harmony and accompaniment, all at the same time. I immediately
decided to retire my pick and hire my fingers." Stephen entered Mannes
College of Music as a Classical Guitar major. By the end of his second
year, he was honored by being choaen to study with Andres Seqovia in
Sontiago de Compostela, Spain. "The enrichment I found there
led to three solo concerts at Carnegie Hall by the following year. I
continued to tour for five seasons thereafter, playing over 400 solo
recitals and orchestral works throughout the United States, Canada and
Europe."

On his concert tours, Stephen began to notice that he left frowns
and freezing weather in the East, but was greeted with smiles and sunshine
in California. He relocated to the Bay Area in 1974. With a small daughter
to raise, continuing his musical career meant seeking local work. "My first
steady restaurant job was at the Siboney Cuban restaurant and nightclub in
Berkeley. After giving what I thought was an excellent audition of pure
classical guitar, the owner said I could have the job, provided I could
learn to play and sing in Spanish by the following night. By the next
night, I had learned one song, "Guantanamera", which I played exclusively,
strolling from table to table. I kept the job by learning one new song a
day, following the requests and recommendations of the restaurant's
multi-cultural Latin audience. It was a great education for me, and my
audiences seemed to take particular enjoyment in having this New York
'gringo' evoke memories of their home cultures with sincere feeling.

The great flamenco guitarist, Paco de Lucia, once attended one of
Stephen's classical guitar concerts in New York City. They met backstage
and became friends. After the concert, they attended a party together that
turned into an all night jam session. By dawn, Stephen was hooked on
flamenco. He continues to study and add flamenco pieces to his repertoire.

Recently, he has paired up with flamenco dancer Marita de Loris, who
relocated to the Bay Area after studying and performing on the
East Coast and in Spain. Stephen feels flamenco dances add an exciting visual
element to the flamenco portion of his program, and give a lively
demonstration of how these two Spanish art forms are intertwined.
In his current concert programs, Stephen's 38 years of professional
experience are distilled into a particularly exciting paella of music from
the Americas and Spain -- demonstrating the rich and diverse traditions of
the Spanish guitar.

Marita de Loris

Flamenco dancer Marita de Loris has been in love with performing
since her stage debut ( a rumba ) at age four. She was inspired to begin
serious study of Spanish Dance after taking a class from Cruz Luna. She has
studied, taught and performed with the Ramon de los Reyes Spanish Dance
Theatre of Boston. She has appeared as a guest artist with the Plymouth
Symphony Orchestra, the Worcester Symphony Orchestra, and with the
Flamenco-jazz fusion group, Confuego. In 1986, she was the recipient of a
scholarship from the city of Seville, Spain, to study with the great
dancer, Matilde Coral. In 1988, she founded and was artistic director for
the flamenco cuadro, Fuego Flamenco, which continues to perform in the
Rhode Island area. She recently relocated to the Bay Area after a year's
sojourn in Spain, where she studied Jerez-style flamenco dance with Ana
Maria Lopez (three of whose students appear in the new Carlos Saura film
"Flamenco"). She has also been a columnist for the flamenco journal Jaleo.
Marita and guitarist Estéban Bello recently completed year-long engagements at
two local Mexican restaurants: the Azteca restaurant in Danville,
California, and the Rancho Grande restaurant in Concord, California. Recently
, they gave a concert at the Festival de la Guitarra in Paracho,
Michoacan, Mexico.

	An Evening of Classical Guitar

	I H. Villa Lobos Etude No. 7 Prelude No. 3 Prelude No. 4 Etude No. 11
	II Maurice Ravel Pavanne Pour Une Infante Defunte
	III Niccolo Paganini Grand Sonata Allegro risoluto Romanza Andantino Variato
	IV J.-S. Bach Ciaconna
	*Intermission*
	V Manuel M. Ponce Gigue
	VI Jan Nepomucen de Bobrowicz Grandes Variations on a Duo from Don Giovanni by Mozart
	VII Joaquin Rodrigo Invocation et Danse Hommage a Manuel de Falla
	VIII Sebastiao Tapajos Ganga

	An Evening with Estéban Bello Guitarist, Vocalist

	Manha do Carnaval Instrumental, Brazilian Jazz		Luis Bonfa
	Contigo Aprendi Vocal, Bolero (Mexico)		Armando Manzanero
	Fugue from The First Violin Partida in G Minor; transcription: Estéban Bello Instrumental, Classical		J. S. Bach
	My One and Only Love Vocal, Jazz		Lyrics by Robert Mellin, Music by Guy Wood
	Alegrias Instrumental, Flamenco		Victor Monje Serranito
	O Bebado e a Equilibrista Vocal, Samba (Brazil)		Joao Bosco
	Grandes Variations on a Duo from Don Giovanni by Mozart Instrumental, Classical		Jan Nepomucen de Bobrowicz
	Canto del Agua Vocal, Joropo (Venezuela)		Traditional
	Flama en la Oscuridad (Bulerias) Instrumental, Flamenco		Estéban Bello
	Intermission
	Fuente y Caudal (Tarantas) Instrumental, Flamenco		Paco de Lucia
	Eu Se Que Voce Amar Vocal, Bossa Nova (Brazil)		Joao Gilberto
	Stolen Moments Instrumental, Jazz		Oliver Nelson
	Gigue Instrumental, Classical		Manuel M. Ponce
	Luna Azul (Soleares) Instrumental, Flamenco		Estéban Bello
	Inolvidable Vocal, Bolero (Mexico)		Traditional
	Ganga Instrumental, Afro-Samba		Sebastiao Tapajos
	Willow Tree Vocal, Folk-Rock		Mickey Newberry
	Asturias Leyenda Instrumental, Classical		Isaac Albeniz

	An Evening of Flamenco Guitar

	I Fuente y Caudal (Tarantas) Paco de Lucia
	II Aires de Triana (Bulerias) Sabicas
	III Alegrias Victor Monje Serranito
	IV Homenaje a Ramon Montoya (Rondeña) Mario Escudero
	V Luna Azul (Soleares) Estéban Bello
	VI Peteneras Paco Peña Manolo Sanlucar
	VII Piropos de Abril (Sevillanas)
	Intermission
	VIII Falseta al Bordon (Granadinas) Mario Escudero
	IX Zapateado Esteban de Sanlucar X Celosa (Solea por Bulerias) Paco de Lucia
	XI Mario Escudero Para Amina (Guajiras)
	XII Sabicas Punta y Tacon (Farruca)
	XIII Moraito Rompeserones (Tangos)
	XIV Estéban Bello Flama en la Oscuridad (Bulerias)

	A Musical Tour of the Americas

	E1 Arriero Va (Zamba)		Argentina
	La Rosa y el Clavel (Cueca)		Chile
	¿Que Sera de Ti? (Guarani)		Paraguay
	O Bebado e a Equilibrista (Samba)		Brazil
	Alma, Corazon y Vida (Valse)		Peru
	Contigo Aprendi (Bolero)		Mexico
	Canto del Agua (Joropo)		Venezuela
	Intermission
	Eu Se Que Voce Amar (Bossa Nova)		Brazil
	Los Hermanos (Milonga)		Argentina
	Lejos de Ti (Pasillo)		Ecuador
	E1 Jinete (Guapango)		Mexico
	Felicidade (Samba)		Brazil
	Espumas (Pasillo Colombiano)		Colombia
	Inolvidable (Bolero)		Mexico
	Willow Tree		United States