SENTIDO FLAMENCO HK Advisor
Gerardo Alcala - Veteran guitarist
Having lived the authentic flamenco lifestyle for many years, Gerardo Alcala is one of the few foreign guitarists to be respected as a full-fledged flamenco artist by the gypsy flamencos of Andalucia. He studied with Rafael el Aguila, Parrilla de Jerez, Niño Jero, Rafael Alarcón, Eduardo de la Malena, and Pedro Bacan. He spent countless hours accompanying great gypsy singers such as Agujetas, Gitano de Bronce, El Garbanzo, El Monea, Salmonete, Chato de la Isla, El Gordo, Paco Agujetas, and many others. Gerardo has performed in Carnegie Hall, and for television, radio and film; toured extensively in the US with the Spanish dance companies of Jose Molina and Teo Morca; and performed many recitals with the legendary Anzonini del Puerto. In Spain, he had had close working relationships with the all-gypsy company of Fernanda Romero and Agujetas family. He was featured as sole accompanist in the prestigious Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid and the Dutch film Duende. As a performer, in 1990 Gerardo was honoured to become the first North American ever to be contracted to perform as a soloist in the Bienal de Sevilla, Spain’s most important flamenco festival. In 1998 he accompanied Luis Agujetas on his CD Entre tu Tierra Y La Mia. In 2000, he appeared as accompanist for Luis, Diego, and Paco Aguetas in the film El Turista Soy Yo. In 2002 he was first guitarist at Mexico’s most important tablao ‘gitanerias’ and toured in Spain and France accompanying the singer Dolores Agujetas. He has accompanied dance classes for (Spain) Matilde Coral Dance School, Manolo Marin Dance School, Ana Maria Lopez, Pepe Rios, and Enrique El Cojo; (USA) Teo Morca Dance School and Rosa Montoya; (Canada) Oscar Nieto and Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy.Gerardo is based in Vancouver, BC where he performs both as a solo guitarist and accompanist with his group Flamenco Alcala. (www.flamencoalcala.com)