Bay Area Flamenco Presents: Entre Amigos

$30 GA / $50 Premium

Featuring David Serva, Kina Mendez, Lakshmi “La Chimi”, Jose Cortés and Andres Vadin

ARTIST BIOS

David Serva is a Bay Area Native who has lived and worked in Spain as a professional flamenco guitarist for most of his life. Serva has created a singular style based on the artistic legacy of his maestro, Gypsy guitarist Diego del Gastor (1908-1973), one of the most important flamenco artists of the 20th century. David began playing clubs in Madrid and Marbella in the early 70s, while pursuing a career internationally as a soloist. He has accompanied such historical figures of flamenco as Juan Talega, Manolito de Maria, La Perla de Cadiz, Anzonini del Puerto, Fernanda de Utrera, Manuel Agujetas, Miguel Funi, Manolete, Mario Maya, and Blanca del Rey, as well as younger figures such as Soledad Barrios and Pepe Torres de Moron. He has played in Flamenco nightclubs and festivals all over Spain and has participated in the Bienal del Arte Flamenco de Sevilla with Gypsy flamenco artists from the towns of Moron and Lebrija. He has made several recordings with with the Agujetas family as well as with Antonio Vizarraga and Rafael Jimenez “El Falo”. David was also the stage guitarist for original production of the Broadway musical, Man of La Mancha and was lead guitarist for several years for the acclaimed company “Noche Flamenca.” In 2013, David was a featured artist at the Bay Area Flamenco Festival, honored for his over 50 years as a professional flamenco artist.

Singer Kina Mendez was born into the Mendez clan of Gypsy artists of Jerez de la Frontera. Her expressive stage presence and dynamic voice have made her a sought after performer in both Spain and the U.S. Steeped in the flamenco tradition, she began singing under the influence of her aunt, legendary singer La Paquera de Jerez. Her professional career began when she joined Manuel Morao’s company in her teens. She then went on to work with Mario Maya and tour internationally with Salvador Tavora’s productions Carmen and Carmina Burana. Performing in festivals such as ‘La Fiesta de la Buleria’ and ‘La Fiesta de la Vendimia’ in Jerez de la Frontera, she has shared the stage with many renown flamenco artists including Manuel Agujetas, El Grilo and La Macanita. Her debut recording “De Sevilla a Jerez” was released in 2009 and she was a featured artist at the prestigious XIV Festival de Jerez in 2010 in “Los Conciertos de Palacio.” Later that year she came to the U.S. for performances presented by Bay Area Flamenco and soon returned spend several years performing with the best U.S. based flamenco artists from coast to coast. During that period, Bay Area Flamenco presented Kina on numerous occasions including the 2011 Festival Flamenco Gitano performance by Diego del Morao and the Zambomba GItana de Jerez in 2013.

Lakshmi “La Chimi” has lived in, Spain since 2002 and has solidly established her career in Sevilla, an essential cradle place of flamenco. Studying with prominent Gypsy artists such as Los Farruco, Angelita Vargas, Juana Amaya, Yolanda Heredia and Concha Vargas, she was given the nickname “La Chimi” (her own name re-pronounced). In recent years she has had the opportunity to share the stage with such luminaries as Manuel Molina, Remedios Amaya, Jose Mendez, Antonio Moya, La Herminia, Carmen Ledesma, Antonio Rey and La Toná. In 2011 Lakshmi made history, being the first non-Spanish artist to win an award for flamenco dance at the prestigious Concurso de las Minas de La Unión. She was later granted another important award at the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba.

José Cortés Fernández was born in the south of France into a Gypsy family from Almería, Spain. He was immersed in the world of flamenco with such foundational artists as Terremoto, Pansequito, Camarón de la Isla, Moraíto Chico and Tomatito. He has shared the stage with an array of premier flamenco artists including Antonio Carmona of Ketama, Belen López, Alfonso Losa, Sergio Arranda, Juan Ogalla, among others. In 2010 he moved to the U.S. and performs regularly nationwide, including with companies “Caminos Flamencos” and “Theatre Flamenco” of San Francisco, Fanny Ara, Manuel Gutierrez, Juan Siddi Flamenco of Santa Fe and many others