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Chuscales, Flamenco guitar

Described as “one of the best flamenco puro players in North America” by guitar luminary Jesse Cook, José Luis Valle Fajardo, better known as Chuscales, was raised in the Gitano tradition. He has influenced and taught many of today’s hottest flamenco guitarists, including Ottmar Liebert, Jesse Cook, Miguel de la Bastide, among others.

In Caló, the language of the Spanish Gypsies, Chusco means the crunchy end of a loaf of bread. Chuscales, or Chusco for short, refers to a person who is a "guitar-cruncher." Chuscales, or Chusco for short, is a guitarist with consummate skill and deep understanding.

A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in the tradition of the Gypsies in a family well known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows, with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families who lived in those caves. I wish you could see it, to see the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was the best time in all my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, with my father, my grandfather, and my friends."

Chuscales began guitar lessons at age 6 under the tutelage of Joaquín Fajardo, one of the many masters in the region where Segovia and other greats have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales sought the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to teach the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, Chuscales began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that provides him with a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances.

Chuscales has recorded under the Narada label, exposing listeners to his vibrant musical heritage and stunning guitar virtuosity. His deep understanding of these traditions and consummate skill have made Chusco one of the greatest performers of new flamenco.

José Luis Reynolds, charango

José Luis Reynolds has received numerous awards and critical acclaim in Bolivia as a charango virtuoso. He also plays the guitar and Andean flutes. Born in La Paz, Bolivia, he has dedicated himself to music since the age of 13 after his uncle gave him a guitar. Soon thereafter, he joined his first folk music band, Kollasuyo, at the age of 15, followed by Melodía, based in Oruro and with which he recorded his first album at 18. After moving to Cochabamba, he joined Arawi, with which he toured throughout Bolivia. He recorded a last production with this group before joining Karumanta Jamuyku in 1991. Now forming part of the Oscar Reynolds Trio, José Luis performs with the ensemble throughout the Bay Area.

Enrique Coria, guitar

“My passion for the guitar began when I was just six years old," recalls Enrique Coria. "My father, Raymundo, placed a toy guitar in my hands and began teaching me to love it. I grew up listening to my grandfather, Jesús Elías, sing old waltzes and Argentine milongas, and yearning to draw sound from the strings of his guitar." Given a guitar at age 10, Enrique studied the fundamental chords that he would practice for hours from a musician friend of his father's in Dique Los Molinos, a small village in the center of Argentina, where he grew up. Moving to the city of Cordoba at the age of 15 to pursue a career as a guitarist, Enrique immediately began performing contemporary Argentine folk music with different bands at clubs and festivals. He then moved to Buenos Aires to work with the popular group Los Rundunes and the Argentine singer Hernan Figueroa Reyes, who introduced Enrique to many great performers of the region, including classical guitar master Jorge Martinez Zarate.

During the past 40 years, Enrique has played on over 400 recordings with popular groups from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, and the United States. He joined the David Grisman Quintet in 1994. "I first heard the David Grisman Quintet in Boulder, Colorado, when I opened for them playing Andean music with Sukay. Later on, I was playing music from Argentina and Brazil one day in David's studio when David invited me to make my first solo CD. When I was invited shortly after that to join the Quintet, I couldn't believe I was to occupy the position of guitarists such as Tony Rice, Mark O'Connor, John Carlini, Mike Marshall, John Sholle, and Rick Montgomery." With much of Coria’s professional career centering on his luminary role in the David Grisman Quintet, his name automatically lures the interest of jam-band enthusiasts and roots fans (Grisman’s “Dawg” music combines bluegrass, swing, jazz, Latin, and gypsy melodies). His seamless technique has accompanied him on over 400 albums with popular groups from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Uruguay—most of which include noted compositions from the early 20^th century, which mix European classical styles with Latin American folk rhythms.