Gerardo Núñez
Encyclopedia
Gerardo Núñez Díaz is a Spanish
guitar
ist and composer
. His roots lie in flamenco
, but he has also ventured into fusion with other genres, especially jazz
.
(province of Cádiz) in 1961. His first teacher was Rafael [d]el Águila. At the age of fourteen he accompanied important cantaores and bailaores like Tío Gregorio el Borrico, Terremoto de Jerez, La Paquera and Mario Maya, among others. He has recorded as a concert guitarist and accompanying the voices of Turronero, Pansequito, Indio Gitano. In his triple roles of composer, concert guitarist and accompanist, he has performed in diverse theater shows, the most notable being Mario Maya
's ¡Ay Jondo! and Lorca
's Yerma
. He has also performed at numerous music festivals around the world. Afterwards, as a solo artist, Gerardo Nuñez has received excellent reviews, and he is considered one of the best prepared guitarists. He has also performed on several flamenco stages, gatherings and festivals, both at a national level and abroad: Paris, New York, Cologne, Havana, Munich. He has also been part of a guitar quartet, with which he has travelled all over the world, and has played alongside guitarists of international renown like Erico Raba, Alex de Grassi
and Briam Gare. Additionally he has collaborated with bassist Eberhard Weber
and accordionist Richard Galliano
.
As a composer, his music is complex and rich, but it allows him to demonstrate his playing ability, as he is a great guitarist. He has composed a large number of pieces for one of his best artistic partners, Carmen Cortés. He also made a version of El Amor Brujo, for four guitars, and he has even attempted fusion with other kinds of music, especially jazz, but without ever leaving out flamenco as its foundation.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. His roots lie in flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
, but he has also ventured into fusion with other genres, especially jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
.
Career
Núñez was born in Jerez de la FronteraJerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is a municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, situated midway between the sea and the mountains. , the city, the largest in the province, had 208,896 inhabitants; it is the fifth largest in Andalusia...
(province of Cádiz) in 1961. His first teacher was Rafael [d]el Águila. At the age of fourteen he accompanied important cantaores and bailaores like Tío Gregorio el Borrico, Terremoto de Jerez, La Paquera and Mario Maya, among others. He has recorded as a concert guitarist and accompanying the voices of Turronero, Pansequito, Indio Gitano. In his triple roles of composer, concert guitarist and accompanist, he has performed in diverse theater shows, the most notable being Mario Maya
Mario Maya
Mario Maya was one of the Spain's most innovative and influential flamenco dancers. He was born in Córdoba in 1937, but grew up in the Sacromonte of Granada...
's ¡Ay Jondo! and Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
's Yerma
Yerma
Yerma is a play by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca. It was written in 1934, and first performed that same year. Lorca describes the play as "a tragic poem."-Plot:...
. He has also performed at numerous music festivals around the world. Afterwards, as a solo artist, Gerardo Nuñez has received excellent reviews, and he is considered one of the best prepared guitarists. He has also performed on several flamenco stages, gatherings and festivals, both at a national level and abroad: Paris, New York, Cologne, Havana, Munich. He has also been part of a guitar quartet, with which he has travelled all over the world, and has played alongside guitarists of international renown like Erico Raba, Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi is an American Grammy Award-nominated fingerstyle guitarist.-Early life and influences:Though born in Yokosuka, Japan, de Grassi grew up in San Francisco, California, where his grandfather played violin for the San Francisco Symphony and his father was a classical pianist...
and Briam Gare. Additionally he has collaborated with bassist Eberhard Weber
Eberhard Weber
Eberhard Weber is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, Weber is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing...
and accordionist Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano is a French accordionist.-Biography:He was drawn to music at an early age, starting with the accordion at 4, influenced by his father Lucien, an accordionist originally from Italy, living in Nice.After a long and intense period of study Richard Galliano (born December 12, 1950,...
.
As a composer, his music is complex and rich, but it allows him to demonstrate his playing ability, as he is a great guitarist. He has composed a large number of pieces for one of his best artistic partners, Carmen Cortés. He also made a version of El Amor Brujo, for four guitars, and he has even attempted fusion with other kinds of music, especially jazz, but without ever leaving out flamenco as its foundation.
Discography
- El Gallo Azul (Flamencos Accidentales, GASA, 1987)
- Flamencos en Nueva York (Spain: GASA/Europe and USA: Verabra Records, 1989)
- Flamencos en Nueva York (DRO East West, 1989). Midline CD compilation featuring tracks from El Gallo Azul and Flamencos en Nueva York.
- Jucal (El Gallo Azul, 1994)
- Jucal (Alula Records, 1997). Longer international version, featuring additional 15 minutes of music.
- Salomé (Art-Danza, 1998). Soundtrack from the "Salomé" dance show.
- Calima (Alula Records, 1998)
- Jazzpaña II (Act 9284-2, 2000)
- Cruce de Caminos, with Perico Sambeat (Resistencia RESCD 115, 2001)
- Pasajes Passages, with Perico Sambeat (Resistencia, 2002)
- Un Ramito de Locura, with Carmen LinaresCarmen LinaresCarmen Linares is the stage name of Carmen Pacheco Rodríguez. Born in 1951 in Linares, Jaén Province, she is known as one of the finest flamenco singers in Spain.She came to Madrid with her family in 1965...
(Mercury, 2002) - La Nueva Escuela de la Guitarra Flamenca (ACT/Karonte, 2003)
- Andando el Tiempo (ACT, 2004)