Flamenco-Jazz Crosscurrents: A Musical Case Study of Intercultural Collaboration | David Chiriboga, Wendy Clinard, & Dr. Brian Stark

Monday, March 27, 6 pm

Instituto Cervantes of Chicago

Free and open to the public

In this presentation, jazz saxophonist Dr. Brian Stark will outline the interaction of cultural forces during the evolution of the flamenco-jazz style, with a special emphasis on jazz musician Miles Davis’s perception of the similarities between his experience as a Black American and that of the Spanish Roma people who originated flamenco. Flamenco guitarist David Chiriboga will provide further insights from his extensive flamenco training in the Andalusia region of Spain. Wendy Clinard will discuss her experience learning and teaching this Spanish style of dance. All three will then present a performance that combines traditional elements of both flamenco and jazz styles in a contemporary context. The performance will be followed by a question-and-answer session in which the performers will discuss the challenges and rewards of blending two distinct musical traditions. The process of musical improvisation will be presented as a model by which communication can occur across cultures, demanding confidence in each participant's expertise matched with a radical openness to in-the-moment discovery.