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“Seffarine’s music can melt the coldest hearts”-Chicago Reader
At a momentous first meeting at a coffee shop in Fez, Moroccan vocalist Lamiae Naki and multi-instrumentalist Nat Hulskamp composed their first song and decided to get married. Brought together by their deep knowledge of the music of both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar — Spanish flamenco and Moroccan Arabic music — they created Seffarine.
Seffarine takes its name from the ancient metalworking square in Fez, which is famous for the complex rhythms that ring out from the blacksmiths’ hammers, and where Lamiae’s family is well known as masters of the tradition. Seffarine’s music embraces and extends Morocco’s musical collision between Arabic, Iberian and West African cultures, forging vibrant original music deeply rooted in their backgrounds in flamenco guitar, oud and Arab Andalusian music. Nat and Lamiae built an international quintet bringing in all star musicians from Iran, the US and Spain, who infuse the sound with textured instrumentation and inspired improvisation. Sweeping kamancheh (Persian spike-fiddle) ornamentation plays off gritty bass grooves and explosive flamenco footwork, with Lamiae’s fluidly riveting voice at the center, sending up sheets of cascading Andalusian melodies punctuated by the catchy hooks of North African Chaabi, sung in her native Moroccan Arabic. Their sound has taken them around the world, from touring Indonesia and Europe to receiving grants to study Ottoman singing in Turkey, to recording with top flamenco musicians in Spain such as Diego del Morao and Latin Grammy Award winner Antonio Rey. They are joined by the acclaimed, fiery flamenco dancer and percussionist Manuel Gutierrez from Spain, Persian instrumentalist Bobak Salehi, and Cuban bass player Yosmel Montejo.
Artist Website: https://www.seffarine.com/
ABOUT MANUEL GUTIERREZ
Manuel Gutierrez Cabello was born in Montpellier, France after his parents had migrated to the South of France from Cordoba, Spain. From a young age he had shown a talent for dance, winning his first flamenco award at only 8 years old. He began to develop his unique style under the direction of legendary Spanish flamenco dancers José Galván and later with Joaquin Grilo and Javier Latorre.
By age twenty, Gutierrez began producing works and dancing across Europe with legendary artists including Duquende, Chicuelo, and Juan Carmona, and collaborating with top French choreographers. In 2008, Manuel was invited to choreograph the production “Flamenco Flamen’ka” which sold out the Lyric Theatre in London and and ran for five years in Great Britain and France. Guiterrez’s fame as a choreographer and producer was growing. The Telegraph in London called his work “Fiery.” Danse Magazine nicknamed him, “The Young Flamenco Prince.” Figaro Newspaper raved “The dance is strong, voluptuous, and spectacular… a profound type of Flamenco and incredibly explosive.”
Manuel was invited to teach at the top studios in Europe including L’Opéra de Paris. During this period, he worked on television and stage productions as choreographer/dancer, such as “Romancero Gitano,” “El Emigrante” and many others.
Currently residing part-time in Spain and part-time in Los Angeles, Manuel is continuing his collaborations with musicians of different genres in his quest to define himself as an explorer of dance in general and flamenco in particular.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Charlie White Theatre, Charlie White Theatre, 2243 Beacon Ave, Sidney, BC V8L 1W9, Canada,Sidney, British Columbia
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