We cannot say enough how wonderful Diego and Carlos were at our July 5th wedding! We had family in town from Spain for the celebration and they were so touched by the gesture, and more importantly thought their music was fantastic. Diego was incredibly professional, and accomodating, and together they truly made our wedding magical. I'm sure someone in our family will be hiring him soon for their next party! Best, Samantha & Ignacio Navascues
WINNER OF GIGMASTER-THE BASH "TOP GUITAR DUO" FOR 6 CONSECUTIVE YEARS!!!!
The Spanish Guitar Duo has performed classical, flamenco, Latin jazz, and fusion music for hundreds of private & public events including house concerts, weddings, corporate events, flamenco school assemblies, and public concerts for over 20 years. Uniqueness, elegance, and artistry are at the heart of the Spanish Guitar Duo and are what has made this duo winner of The Bash/Gigmaster's "TOP GUITAR DUO" for 6 straight years.
The Duo features Diego Alonso (guitar) and Carlo Basile (guitar) as well as optional guest percussionists, flamenco dancers, violinists, bassists, and more from the renown ensemble, Las Guitarras de España. The Spanish Guitar Duo has traveled to over 15 countries to perform, teach, and collaborate with artists from across the globe and continues to actively travel for performances. Other instrumentation is also available depending on our event's needs.
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BIOGRAPHIES
Diego Alonso: Guitarist
Diego Alonso graduated with highest honors in flamenco guitar performance from the Fundación Cristina Heeren in Seville, Spain where he lived and performed professionally for 3 years. He specializes in flamenco, flamenco jazz, classical, Latin, and Latin jazz guitar music and has appeared on ABC, Chicagoing, NBC, NPR, RTVE (Spanish TV station), Actualidad (Spanish Radio), PBS, CBS and more. Diego also has a Masters Degree in Flamencology and, as an expert lecturer on Flamenco history, music, and dance, travels across the country to give lectures and presentations on the topic.
Over the past 17 years Diego Alonso has performed and taught in over 15 countries and has participated in hundreds of highly acclaimed festivals and stages including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Gran Teatro de Huelva (Spain), Chicago Flamenco Music Festival, Ciclo Flamenco Otoño (Spain), Instituto Cervantes Stockholm (Sweden), Polski Teatr (Poland), Chicago World Music Festival, American Spanish Dance Festival, Pabst Theater (WI), City Winery, (Chicago), Instituto Cervantes Chicago, and many more.
He has shared the stage with a long list of prominent musicians from all genres of music including Miguel Vargas (flamenco dance), Kinan Abou-Afach (cello and composition), Ale el Cano (flamenco voice), Rocío Márquez (flamenco voice), Chihsuan Yang (violin), Ronnie Malley (oud and vocals), Darwin Noguera (jazz piano), Victor Garcia (jazz trumpet), Alberto Sellés (flamenco dance), Alfonso Cid (flamenco vocals), Las Guitarras de España (world music), Spanish Guitar Duo (Carlo Basile), Chiara Mangiameli (flamenco dance), Alfonso Ponticelli (gypsy jazz), Alvaro Gonzalez (flamenco vocals), Fulcrum Point New Music Project (contemporary classical), and a long etcetera.
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Carlo Basile: Guitarist
Carlo Basile has a Masters Degree in Classical Guitar Performance from NEIU. He studied for 7 years with Anne Waller (head of the Northwestern University guitar program). Basile also travelled to Spain a number of times to study flamenco in Andalusia with guitarists Luis Ruiz, Jose Luis Rodriguez, and Flavio Rodriguez. Additionally, Basile has visited over 30 countries to perform, teach, and study ethnic music.
Basile has taught Spanish guitar workshops in places such as Chang Mai (Thailand), Cebu (Philippines), and Hanoi (Vietnam). He has performed and collaborated with noted artists such as Kinan Abou-afach (Syria), Morikeba Kouyate (Senegal), Sara Ranganathan (India), and Flavio Rodriguez (Spain/Brazil).
Over the past 12 years, Basile has worked with Las Guitarras de España, a Spanish guitar-influenced world music ensemble which he founded. The ensemble has released 5 CDs to critical acclaim and has performed throughout the US for concerts, universities and major festivals such as SXSW. The Chicago Tribune has recently dubbed the ensemble's new work as “brilliant.” Basile's guitar work has been featured in various commercial radio and television spots. Most recently, Basile has composed and performed music for theater including Steppenwolf and Lookingglass Theaters. Basile was the featured musician in the Lookingglass Theater production of “Rick Bayless in Cascabel.” In that work, Basile was referred to as a “masterful guitarist” by a review in the Chicago Sun-Times.
"Carlo Basile, a masterful guitarist, filled the room with gorgeous melodies" (Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times). "One of the guitar virtuosos on this planet!" (Rick Kogan, WBEZ).
The Spanish Guitar Duo has performed classical, flamenco, Latin jazz, and fusion music for hundreds of private & public events including house concerts, weddings, corporate events, flamenco school assemblies, and public concerts for over 20 years. Uniqueness, elegance, and artistry are at the heart of the Spanish Guitar Duo and are what has made this duo winner of The Bash/Gigmaster's "TOP GUITAR DUO" for 6 straight years.
The Duo features Diego Alonso (guitar) and Carlo Basile (guitar) as well as optional guest percussionists, flamenco dancers, violinists, bassists, and more from the renown ensemble, Las Guitarras de España. The Spanish Guitar Duo has traveled to over 15 countries to perform, teach, and collaborate with artists from across the globe and continues to actively travel for performances. Other instrumentation is also available depending on our event's needs.
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BIOGRAPHIES
Diego Alonso: Guitarist
Diego Alonso graduated with highest honors in flamenco guitar performance from the Fundación Cristina Heeren in Seville, Spain where he lived and performed professionally for 3 years. He specializes in flamenco, flamenco jazz, classical, Latin, and Latin jazz guitar music and has appeared on ABC, Chicagoing, NBC, NPR, RTVE (Spanish TV station), Actualidad (Spanish Radio), PBS, CBS and more. Diego also has a Masters Degree in Flamencology and, as an expert lecturer on Flamenco history, music, and dance, travels across the country to give lectures and presentations on the topic.
Over the past 17 years Diego Alonso has performed and taught in over 15 countries and has participated in hundreds of highly acclaimed festivals and stages including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Gran Teatro de Huelva (Spain), Chicago Flamenco Music Festival, Ciclo Flamenco Otoño (Spain), Instituto Cervantes Stockholm (Sweden), Polski Teatr (Poland), Chicago World Music Festival, American Spanish Dance Festival, Pabst Theater (WI), City Winery, (Chicago), Instituto Cervantes Chicago, and many more.
He has shared the stage with a long list of prominent musicians from all genres of music including Miguel Vargas (flamenco dance), Kinan Abou-Afach (cello and composition), Ale el Cano (flamenco voice), Rocío Márquez (flamenco voice), Chihsuan Yang (violin), Ronnie Malley (oud and vocals), Darwin Noguera (jazz piano), Victor Garcia (jazz trumpet), Alberto Sellés (flamenco dance), Alfonso Cid (flamenco vocals), Las Guitarras de España (world music), Spanish Guitar Duo (Carlo Basile), Chiara Mangiameli (flamenco dance), Alfonso Ponticelli (gypsy jazz), Alvaro Gonzalez (flamenco vocals), Fulcrum Point New Music Project (contemporary classical), and a long etcetera.
////
Carlo Basile: Guitarist
Carlo Basile has a Masters Degree in Classical Guitar Performance from NEIU. He studied for 7 years with Anne Waller (head of the Northwestern University guitar program). Basile also travelled to Spain a number of times to study flamenco in Andalusia with guitarists Luis Ruiz, Jose Luis Rodriguez, and Flavio Rodriguez. Additionally, Basile has visited over 30 countries to perform, teach, and study ethnic music.
Basile has taught Spanish guitar workshops in places such as Chang Mai (Thailand), Cebu (Philippines), and Hanoi (Vietnam). He has performed and collaborated with noted artists such as Kinan Abou-afach (Syria), Morikeba Kouyate (Senegal), Sara Ranganathan (India), and Flavio Rodriguez (Spain/Brazil).
Over the past 12 years, Basile has worked with Las Guitarras de España, a Spanish guitar-influenced world music ensemble which he founded. The ensemble has released 5 CDs to critical acclaim and has performed throughout the US for concerts, universities and major festivals such as SXSW. The Chicago Tribune has recently dubbed the ensemble's new work as “brilliant.” Basile's guitar work has been featured in various commercial radio and television spots. Most recently, Basile has composed and performed music for theater including Steppenwolf and Lookingglass Theaters. Basile was the featured musician in the Lookingglass Theater production of “Rick Bayless in Cascabel.” In that work, Basile was referred to as a “masterful guitarist” by a review in the Chicago Sun-Times.
"Carlo Basile, a masterful guitarist, filled the room with gorgeous melodies" (Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times). "One of the guitar virtuosos on this planet!" (Rick Kogan, WBEZ).
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