Global Spanish Guitar Duo/Flamenco/Americana Flamenco Duo from Chicago, IL

WINNER OF GIGMASTER-THE BASH "TOP GUITAR DUO" FOR 6 CONSECUTIVE YEARS!!!! The Spanish Guitar Duo has performed classical, flamenco, Latin jazz, as well as Indian, Arabic and Americana 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 LA session guitarist, Fran Banish. Optional guests are available such as 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. //// BIOGRAPHIES 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). Carlo currently performs and tours with the Surabhi Ensemble, a global fusion project featuring music and dance from the cultures of Spanish flamenco, Indian, Arabic and West African. Over the past 20 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. 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). Fran Banish: Guitarist Fran Banish is a Chicago born, formerly LA based Blues-Rock guitar legend. After receiving radio play in Chicago in the late 80's with the progressive pop-rock band Security, he toured and recorded internationally, earning a Gold Record award playing lead guitar and co-writing on Duncan Sheik’s 1996 debut for Atlantic Records. Fran also did guitar session work for TV, films, and radio. He's done stage and session work with Keb’ Mo’, Rami Jaffe of The Wallflowers and The Foo Fighters,  Dan Lavery of Tonic and The Fray, Berry Oakley Jr., Chris Stills (son of Stephen of CSN&Y), and Kofi Baker (son of Cream's Ginger Baker) among others.  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. ////