JOSÉ LUIS RODRIGUEZ
Guitarist

Jose Luis will be holding special classes at La Solea Dance Studios on November 7-9. See Classes for more details

José Luis Rodriguez, versatile musician and composer is respected as one of the most important guitarists of his generation.  His compositions emphasize the integration of elements of folk and pop music in a universal sonorous space, in which the flamenco is the backbone; combining modernity and tradition.

After years with his teacher and mentor Mario Squire, Jose Luis records his first album “Andalusí” (1986) for the Organization of American States, carrying out several concert tours in the United States.  In 1990, he was a finalist at the Giraldillo of Seville.  At this point, he took a new course and began to accompany noticeable dance figures as Carmen Linares, Naranjito de Trana, Niña de la Puebla, El Pele, La Susi, Isabel Bayón, Manolo Marín, José Mercé among others.

Between 1994 and 2004 he carried out numerous compositions for the prestigious Cristina Hoyos and subsequently for the Flamenco Ballet of Andalusia, emphasizing among them “Al compás del Tiempo”, “Yerma”, “Tierra Adentro” y “Viaje al Sur” and the soundtrack of the movie-documentary one “Despacito y a Compás”.

After his time with Cristina Hoyos, Jose Luis takes the time to concentrate on his own career and created his own production “De mis Manos”, recording an album shortly after with the same title with the record company “New Media”.

Between 2005 and 2009 composes music also for the shows of Belen Maya “Dibujos” and “Souvenir”.

In 2007, he composes music for the concert “La mujer en el Mar” for the Cuban singer Gema Corredera. The production fused both flamenco music and Afro-Cuban, which was later named “flamenco-edge” by the American Latin American press.

In 2009 he participates and composes music for the show of choreographer Juan Carlos Lérida ” Acercamiento al Toque”, a show that combines flamenco and contemporary elements with an experimental and conceptual viewpoint.

José Luis Rodriguez currentely tours with the production crew of “De mis Manos” and “La mujer en el Mar” as he is simulationeously working on two new projects “Espacios Intimos” as a guitar trio, and “Luna de New York” with jazz New York musicians and singer Tsidii Le Loka of South Africa.

JOSÉ CORTES
Singer

Jose Cortes “el Muleto ” comes from a gypsy family of southern Spain (Almería, Andalucía).
He made his debut at the age of ten years in Jerez de la Frontera, flamenco or mythical city in a competition, accompanied on guitar by the great Terremoto hijo, he will present the medal to a young aficionado cante gitano .
During his teens, he was immersed in this enchanting world of flamenco diligently alongside the great names of the song Terremoto Pansequito, Camarón de la Isla Moraito Chico, Tomatito …
With these, he will attend many private parties in which he will not fail to sing, thus submitting their trial before gaining recognition.
At age 25, on tour in Madrid he met Bruce Willis, with whom he befriends. He then offered to record an album in Los Angeles to tour “Planet Hollywood” in the world.
He sings the first part of James Brown in Beirut (Lebanon) with the group of Chico Castillo before a world tour (Morocco, Greece, Great Britain, Poland, Egypt, Tunisia, Dubai …)
It has happened many times in the U.S. and Canada with his inseparable friend, dancer and singer Manuel Gutierrez Cristo Cortés accompanied on guitar by Ricardo Diaz.
For three consecutive years, Jose Cortes sings Barrio Flamenco show in Paris at the Trianon theater with Sharon Sultan El Kuele guitars and Javier Delgado and Manuel Cerezo
With guitarist Daniel Manzanas and dancer Ana la China, it will happen many times
It is found regularly on stage with the dancers Andrés Peña and Juan Polvillo.
In Paris, he accompanies dance classes for Angelita Gómez de Jerez de la Frontera.
For two years the singer José Cortés incumbent performing guitarist Javier Calle Cerezo Cerezo produced by “Sounds of the World”
Jose Cortes el Muleto “hijo has earned a reputation as a singer pure. He excels in soleares and bulerias. His love and respect for flamenco are many

KINA MENDEZ
Singer

Kina Mendez was born into the Mendez clan of Gypsy artists of Jerez de la Frontera. Steeped in the flamenco tradition, she began singing under the influence of her aunt, legendary singer La Paquera de Jerez. Her professional career began when she joined Manuel Morao’s company and led her to work with Mario Maya and tour internationally with Salvador Tavora’s productions Carmen and Carmina Burana. Performing in festivals such as ‘La Fiesta de las Bulerias’ and ‘Las Fiestas de la Vendimia’ in Jerez de la Frontera, she has shared the stage with many reknown flamenco artists including Manuel Agujetas, El Grillo and La Macanita. Kina was a featured artist at the prestigious Festival de Jerez in 2009 and her debut recording ‘de Sevilla a Jerez’ was released in 2008. Her explosive, expressive presence on stage and her dynamic vocal range has made her a sought after performer both in Spain and the US.

SUDHI RAJAGOPAL
Percussionist

B. Madras, India (1979).  Sudhi began his studies in percussion at an early age with tabla maestro Zakir Hussain.  He completed his Bachelors Degree in Music at the University of Southern California.  After graduating, he began touring in the US and Europe as a sound engineer.  Sudhi began his performing career as a flamenco percussionist in 1998 with Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos under the tutorship of Jason McGuire.  In 2001 he moved to Madrid, Spain.  In 2002 Sudhi performed with the Compañia Rafaela Carrasco in the prestigious “XI Certamen Coreográfico de Flamenco,” where they won all prizes including Best Choreography and Best Musical Composition.  Sudhi received recognition as Outstanding Musician.
Since then he has collaborated with many of flamenco’s top artists, and has toured and recorded in venues throughout Europe, Asia, and the US.  He has regularly worked with artists such as Rafaela Carrasco, Belen Maya, El Nuevo Ballet Español, Antonio Rey, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Domingo Ortega, Manuel Reyes, Rafael Amargo, and many others in various tours and festivals, including three consecutive years at the Festival De Jerez in southern Spain.
Since moving back to the United States Sudhi has embarked on a variety of creative projects in the areas of music, film, and writing.  He continues to perform, compose, teach, and record in the US and abroad.

ALEX CONDE
Pianist

Spanish Pianist/Composer Alex Conde (1981) studied classical piano in Spain and France since he was eight, after graduate with honoris he moved to the United States and collaborated with artists as John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, Jamey Haddad and many other young upcoming jazz artist. He has performed his music, mix of flamenco and jazz in some of the most relevant international stages and festivals as the PanamaJazz, Atlantic Jazz Festival in Canada or Eurojazz in Mexico to name few.

He has also collaborated with flamenco artists as Nino de los Reyes, Isaac de los Reyes, Jesus Montoya, Briseyda Zarate, and the company Caminos Flamencos directed by Yaelisa Petlin. He did release his own CD last summer with collaborations from both styles, jazz and flamenco.

MANUEL GUTIERREZ

Dancer

Manuel is already amongst the most important flamenco figures for dance in the world and regularly shares the stage with the heavy weights of flamenco including Duquende (Cantaor) and guitarists Juan Carmona and Chicuelo. He regularly performs on the most prestigious stages of Europe and has a very unique style that is identified as strong, precise, and soulful.

Manuel Gutierrez Cabello was born July 31, 1983 in Montpellier (Hérault, France).  His parents, native of Cordoue (Spain), immersed him in flamenco at a young age. At 10 years of age he studied dance at the Flamenco school of Lita Piero in Monpellier. He continued to study with great dancers such as Jose Galvan, Rafael de Carmen, Javier Latorre and Juaquin Grilo. Since then, Manuel Gutierrez has performed around the world (Belgium, Canada, Spain, France, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Kazakhstan, United States…).  In 2001, he goes on tour with Alejandro Granados in California and in Canada.  He also opened for Andres Marin in Vancouver, Canada.

In 2003, he was a soloist in Vicente Pradal’s “Romancero Gitano” (by Federico Garcia Lorca). He was also a soloist in the performance “Barrio Flamenco” at the theatre Trianon in Paris in 2004. In May 2004 he performs in Guadeloupe with his friend, the singer Cristo Cortes and also with Jose Cortes “El Muleto” on a month tour throughout the United States and Canada. In July and October 2004, he performed his first show in Béziers, “Calor humano” alongside Cristo and José Cortés.

In 2006 Manuel Gutierrez was a dancer and choreographer of the show Flamen’ka. In July 2006 Manuel Gutierrez danced for Duquende in “Mi Forma de Vivir”.  Manuel continues to perform with him regularly on different stages. For a number of years he danced in Juan Carmona’s company.

In January of 2008 Manuel Gutierrez was a dancer and choreographer in the show Flamen’ka Nueva in the Casino of Paris. In May 2008, Manuel Gutierrez is a dancer and choreographer of the show Flamen’ka Nueva at the Folies Bergeres.

In September 2009 he opened his first dance school in Paris.

JUAN SIDDI
Dancer

JUAN SIDDI was born in Frankfurt, Germany of immigrant parents.  His Mother was from Barcelona, Spain. Her family originated from Granada and migrated to Barcelona.  Thereafter, she migrated to Germany where she met her husband from Italy.  Flamenco music was part of daily life in their home, and through their ties with a “peña”, (a group dedicated to Spanish culture), Juan was immersed in the flamenco culture and began dancing and performing when he was very young.
Recognized today as a young, powerful and passionate flamenco dancer, Juan Siddi has toured internationally for the past 12 years with companies such as:  Compañia Flamenca Alhama & Noches de Amor Productions,  Music Ensemble of Benares in “Kathak Meets Flamenco,”  Rafael Cortés, Maria Benitez “Teatro Flamenco”, La Tania, Chuscales and Theatre Flamenco San Francisco. Juan has danced on stages around the world such as:  Jahrhundert Halle, Frankfurt; Tränenpalast, Berlin; Metropol Theater, Vienna; Moods, Zurich; Ordway Center, St. Paul, MN; Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA; Joyce Theater, New York City, NY; M.I.T.-Kresge Auditorium, Boston, MA; Brava Theater, Cowell Theater and the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA; at International Festivals such as: Festival Flamenco in Krakow, Poland; Festival Musicale del Mediterraneo, Genoa, Italy; Bienal de Arte Flamenco, Sevilla, Spain; Carnavale di Venezia, San Marco Plaza, Venice, Italy.

In 2007, he was the principal male dancer and co-choreographer for Maria Benitez’s production “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,” under the direction of Merrill Brockway (Director of PBS’ Dance in America). That same year, Juan began his Flamenco Theatre Company. The company has already spread their wings with tours throughout Germany, the US and the Middle East and has been featured in highly regarded venues such as: the 7th Annual Cultural Festival, Doha, Qatar, on the Arabian Television Network Al Jazeera and the Aspen District Theater, Aspen, CO. Recognized for his remarkable artistry, Maria Benitez passed the torch to Juan in 2008. Thereafter the Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company was selected to be the sole presentation for the acclaimed flamenco summer seasons in Santa Fe, NM. Juan was recently nominated for the 2009 Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Performance with Carola Zertuche (31st Ethnic Dance Festival San Francisco, CA). Their performance was called one of the most “most memorable” performances by VOICE OF DANCE critic, Alan Ulrich.

CRISTINA HALL

Dancer

Cristina was born in San Francisco, California in 1981.Cristina began her artistic formation in Seville, Spain, where she studied with acclaimed flamenco artists such as Eva Yerbabuena, Israel Galvan, Antonio Canales, and Andrés Marín amongst many others. Since then she has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Andrés Peña, Rafael Amargo, Domingo Ortega, Manuel de la Malena, Pastora Galván in Verde directed by Carola Zertuche amongst others.  In 2004 she participated in the show “Torero Al-lucinogeno” in the “Teatro Central” of Seville with the company of Israel Galvan. In 2005 she traveled to Canada to realize a tour in cities like Toronto,

Calgary, and Vancouver, the last of which she performed in the “Tercer Festival Anual de Flamenco” where she received great reviews from the press.

In 2006 she performed as a soloist in “El Mes de Danza” of Sevilla, where she participated in the “II Encuentro Internacional de la Mujer en el Teatro” with the show “La Otra Mirada”. In 2007 she performed in various well-known flamenco peñas in Sevilla during the “Peñas de Guardia” circuit, also performing in various dance competitions where she placed as a finalist. In 2008 she performed at the “Teatro Chapí”of Villena (Alicante) in the show of renowned singer Raúl Micó’s “Callejón de las Moradas,” a show that will now be touring throughout Europe due to its great success. Cristina performs and teaches regularly in Spain and throughout other countries such as: France, Italy, Canada, Belgium, and the United States. She currently is preparing her own show “El Sonido del Silencio” which will be touring throughout Canada this fall.

Tregar Otton
Violinist

Tregar Otton, born in the Marshall Islands and raised in South Texas and California, began his studies on the violin at the age of four. At 15, he was the youngest member to join the Berkeley Symphony under Maestro Kent Nagano. While continuing to play classical music, Tregar specializes in performing and arranging music from Cuba and Spain. He was founder of, and is the director, arranger, composer and violinist of Orquesta la Moderna Tradición, an Orquesta dedicated to performing various styles of Cuban dance music – Danzón, Cha Cha Cha, Guaracha, etc.  Tregar has been a part of the Bay Area Latin music scene since the 1980’s, playing principally with Potaje (from 1994 – present), a Flamenco – Latin American ensemble headed by Chus Alonzo, and Los Cenzontles (from 1999 – 2008), a Mexican-American ensemble.

JESSE WOLFF
Cellist

Jesse Wolff (cellist) has studied classical cello with David Cowley, Richard Kapuscinski, and
Irene Sharp and flamenco guitar with Jorge Liceaga. He also plays
flamenco cajon, latin percussion, and cuban tres in a number of
ensembles including Potingue, a flamenco-latin ensemble under the
direction of Chus Alonso. Jesse has performed with Carola Zertuche and
her company in a number of presentations including De la Bahía at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. This is his second season with Theatre Flamenco