Andrés Vadin Trio and Dancer Lakshmi Basile Brought Flamenco without Borders to SOhO

Tucked in between Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season, on a quiet Sunday night, the stage at SOhO exploded with the virtuoso music of the Andrés Vadin Trio and the fiery footwork of award-winning dancer Lakshmi Basile. 

The Andrés Vadin Trio, led by Latin Grammy–nominated guitarist Andrés Vadin, featuring Grammy-winning percussionist Diego Álvarez, bassist Yosmel Montejo, and the indomitable flamenco singer Pepele Mendez, blended traditional and contemporary flamenco with Cuban, Arabic, and jazz modalities in a fascinating concert. They were joined by world-renowned dancer Lakshmi “La Chimi” Basile. 

Álvarez played an interesting drum set that consisted of western drums and cymbals that he mostly played with his hands, and a cajón, which he often played with one hand while playing one of the drums with the other. On Instagram, Álvarez describes his playing: “Then it happens that my hands begin to fly and I stop thinking that it is happening….”  There were many times during the concert when Basile’s lightning-fast footwork matched the flying hands of Álvarez in spectacular synchronicity.

The performers took the audience on a magic carpet ride through many cultures. At times, the music had a contemporary Brazilian flair; at times, it was distinctly Cuban. In one piece, I detected the tunings of an Arabic maqam that was familiar to me from my years of performing with the UCSB Middle East Ensemble. At other times, the musicians played in a style that I might describe as flamenco jazz for the way they passed around the riffs. 

Between excursions to other Latin countries, the Trio always returned to the flamenco home base, with palos of tangos, alegrías, and bulerías, highlighted by Mendez singing the traditional cante jondo (deep song), sometimes blended with a modern mellow beat. 

One of the highlights of the evening was when, after an elaborate guitar introduction by Vadin, Mendez began singing the popular song “Tiri ti tran tran tran,” and the audience went wild as Basile entered the stage and danced alegrías with a large red mantón (shawl). 

Flamenco truly has no borders. Originally the exclusive domain of Spain, world-class flamenco performers today can hail from anywhere. Andres Vadin, from Havana, is well-known to the Santa Barbara community. In addition to being a world-renowned guitarist, composer, and music educator, he plays at Noches de Ronda and other venues during Fiesta and numerous gigs during the year, and is a visiting scholar and teacher at the Music Academy of the West.  

Through the vibrant Latin music scene of Los Angeles, Vadin attracted Venezuelan-born Diego Alvarez and Yosmel Montejo, bassist and composer, also from Cuba. Born in Venezuela, Alvarez spent 16 years developing his career in Spain with luminaries of the flamenco world. Alvarez is also familiar to Santa Barbara flamenco enthusiasts for his numerous appearances with ¡Flamenco! Santa Barbara at Fiesta and other performances. 

And the danseuse extraordinaire, Lakshmi Basile, known as “La Chimi,” is originally from San Diego, with more than 20 years of professional experience in Spain.  She was among the first foreign artists to win the prestigious Concurso de las Minas de La Unión. She is internationally acclaimed for her performance of the pure Gitano style from Andalucía. When she is not traveling for performances, Basile lives and teaches flamenco in San Diego, where she holds monthly Peñas Flamencas Carmen Amaya.

A quote from Basile’s website summarizes the idea of Flamenco Without Borders: “Who better to tell the story, of many stories, than individuals all coming from different birth homes and yet using the same language to express a common struggle and success. Through the art of flamenco, we share the emotional and social ties with a homeland … or no homeland.”

Don’t miss the next opportunities to experience the universal language of flamenco at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. On December 14, Flamenco Santa Barbara is sponsoring a Zambomba, a traditional Christmas celebration from Jerez de la Frontera, featuring some of our favorite local performers, including María Bermudez and Pepele Mendez. Vadin, Alvarez, and Mendez will also perform in concert with dancer Talia Vestal at Flamenco Íntimo on December 17 at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. 

See flamencosb.org/shows-%26-workshops for information and to purchase tickets.