GUITAR JOURNALS... FLAMENCO. DVD TABLATURE
Product Description:
This 176-page book/DVD package includes six full-length contemporary Flamenco guitar compositions by Ioannis Anastassakis, MA, best-selling Mel Bay author of the Art of Rasgueado and one of the few people to have obtained a Graduate Degree in Flamenco Guitar. Selections include Veridiana (Rumba Flamenca), Angelika (Granadinas), Maestro Serrano (Tangos), as well as 3 more solos based on the Flamenco forms of the Farucca, the Soleares and the Malaguena. Presented in standard notation and tablature, with extensive performance notes for each selection. DVD duration 64 min.
Format: Book+DVD
Series: Guitar Journals
It is no secret that interest in the flamenco guitar has grown very rapidly during the last 50 years. Flamenco guitar technique has evolved to extremely high standards, the compositions have matured beyond even the most optimistic expectations and the number of artists performing solo flamenco guitar music has risen to unprecedented heights; even the number of new flamenco guitar recordings has quadrupled in the last 5 years alone! There is, however, still one problem plaguing this continuous and multi-faceted progress: lack of performance repertoire. When compared to its classical guitar counterpart, flamenco guitar repertoire is found lacking indeed. Very few editions of performance pieces exist, most of them decades-old compositions that do not take into account the progress that has taken place in both the performance techniques and the compositional forms of flamenco guitar.
My intention with this collection of pieces is to tread the fme line between traditional flamenco guitar, firmly rooted in the inherited musical elements and the contemporary influences that have brought new levels of excitement to the music. All the compositions presented in this collection are based on traditional flamenco guitar forms. All of them, however, include additional elements from other musical cultures and styles. These compositions are meant to be performed live. I have performed most of them at least 200 times during the course of my flamenco guitar recitals and in just about every performance scenario from impromptu guitar gatherings to heavily publicized recitals, when teaching flamenco masterclasses or just playing for friends. The level of difficulty is usually upper intermediate with some parts drifting purposefully into advanced territory. Do not let that discourage you! I hope you have as much fun working with the compositions in this book as I had composing and recording them. Moreover, if you do enjoy them, do not hesitate and let me know. And while you are at it, check out. Finally, if you are interested in the subjects of flamenco and classical guitar, check out my Art of Rasgueado book, as well as my upcoming Art of Tremolo, Treasures of Flamenco Guitar and Flamenco Guitar Studies books, all published by Mel Bay Publications.
Companion CD Recording: All of the compositions in the book are recorded on the companion CD at performance speed. In addition, several of the key parts in each composition are recorded again at slow speed, in order to offer a more complete understanding of each phrase. Finally, I have included video files on the companion DVD that demonstrate the most difficult parts, as well as flamenco-specific techniques within these compositions. Fingering Notes: In order to simplify the visual complexity of the music, I have opted to avoid repeating obvious left-hand fingerings, especially in the case of basic major and minor chords played in open position and/or phrases repeated many times throughout the composition (eg. The basic rasgueado pattern in Soleares). This was done intentionally in an effort to give the music an uncluttered look, since there is a fair amount of rhythmic complexity as well as a large assortment of right hand techniques that need to be meticulously transcribed in the notation and tablature. As a personal fingering choice, I tend to use my left hand 4th finger (little finger) for a lot of phrases where most guitarists would use their 3rd (ring) fmger instead. I have found that with proper training, the little finger becomes even stronger than the ring finger, so I tend to use it a lot, sometimes to the point of favoring it. Still, this is a personal fingering choice. Feel free to substitute the 3rd finger in these instances. Keep in mind that a lot of flamenco falsetas (music phrases) are based on chord shapes that are held for either the complete duration or a significant segment of the phrase. This is especially prevalent in tremolo-based and arpeggio-based phrases. Try to identify these phrase segments and keep the maximum number of chord notes ringing while performing them. Depending on their specific context, trills are sometimes notated as appogiaturas and are sometimes given appropriate rhythmic value. The most basic, as well as the most usual, golpe is played with the ring finger hitting the golpeador of the flamenco guitar, right below the 1st string close to the bridge. However, there are two other special golpes used in the following compositions, which are explained in each piece's performance notes. The most distinctive techniques of the flamenco guitar are the various Rasgueados. These characteristic strumming techniques playa key part in creating the unique sound of the flamenco guitar. I have intentionally decided to use a very large variety of rasgueados, more than you would probably find in the actual playing of even an advanced flamenco guitar performer, in order to demonstrate a representative sample of the variety of flamenco rasgueado technique. If you are interested in learning more about the various rasgueado techniques used in flamenco, their history proper performance and context, I suggest you check out my instructional book The Art of Rasgueado, published by Mel Bay Publications.
Born on the Greek island of Crete, Ioannis Anastassakis studied at the Greek National
Conservatory and the Nakas Conservatory in Athens. He completed his bachelor's degree at the
American College of Greece, and subsequently studied at the distinguished Musicians Institute
in Las Angeles (GIT), where he was hired as an instructor after graduating in the top 1% of his
class. He continued his studies, specializing in solo flamenco guitar under the tutelage of Juan
Serrano at California State University, completing an MA in Guitar Performance and graduating
Magna cum Laude. Currently (2005), he is working towards a Doctorate in Education, with an
emphasis in Music in the UK.
Ioannis studied for several years with Juan Serrano. In addition, he has studied with Flamenco
guitar legends Manolo Sanlucar, Juan Martin, Paco Serrano, Jose Antonio Rodriguez and Manolo Franco.
Ioannis' list of teachers of electric guitar are no less impressive; the list reads like a "Who's
Who" of contemporary electric guitar legends including: Steve Vai (Whitesnake), Vinnie Moore (UFO), Marty Friedman (Megadeth), John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Frank Gambale (Chick Corea), Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), Brett Garsed, Joey Tafolla, Scott Henderson, Mike Stern, Jean Marc Belkadi, Darren Householder, Tommy Tedesco, Ted Greene, Ron Echete, Sid Jacobs and Joe Diorio.
Ioannis has also performed and/or recorded in various settings with band members from
Whitesnake, Dio, Deep Purple, Ozzy Osbourne Band, Elton John Band, Santana, Celine Dion, Sara Vaughan, Tito Puente, Julio Iglesias, Tower of Power, Chick Corea Electric Band, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai Band, Badlands, Tribal Tech, Natalie Cole, Joe Cocker, Cher, Blood Sweat & Tears, Nina Hagen and others.
Ioannis has presented over 300 solo recitals in Europe and the United States and has been a
guest lecturer at several American colleges and universities including: The University of Southern
California, California State University Northridge, California State University Fresno, California
State University Fullerton, Musicians Institute, Fresno City College, and the American College of
Greece. In addition, he has won classical and flamenco guitar competitions and has been featured
a dozen times on American television programs.
In December 2000, he was the first guitarist ever to present a solo guitar recital at the Greek
National Opera House.
Ioannis' first solo flamenco guitar CD, Flamenco Live at Ioannina, was released by MP3.com
in August 2000 and immediately entered the company's flamenco category Top 10 chart, eventually
reaching the #1 spot worldwide in October 2002. The CD was re-mastered and re-released by
Wild Rose Angel Productions in 2003.
Ioannis' second and third solo flamenco guitar CDs, Traditional Flamenco Guitar Selections,
Vol.J & Vol.2 are scheduled for release by Wild Rose Angel Productions in 2006 and 2007
respectively.
Ioannis' instructional materials are published and distributed worldwide by Mel Bay
Publications. His first instructional book The Art of Rasgueado, achieved best-seller status within
months of its initial publication date. He is also a regular columnist in Mel Bay's Guitar
Sessions® magazine.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Acknowledgements
General Performance Notes
Notation Legend
A mi madre (Soleares) - About the Composition
A mi madre (Soleares) - Performance Notes
A mi madre (Soleares)
Recuerdos de Cordoba (Farruca) - About the Composition
Recuerdos de Cordoba (Farruca) - Performance Notes
Recuerdos de Cordoba (Farruca)
Angelika (Granadinas) - About the Composition
Angelika (Granadinas) - Performance Notes
Angelika (Granadinas)
Veridiana (Rumba) - About the Composition
Veridiana (Rumba) - Performance Notes
Veridian (Rumba)
Maestro Serrano (Tangos) - About the Composition
Maestro Serrano (Tangos) - Performance Notes
Maestro Serrano (Tangos)
Variations on Malaguefia (Malaguena) - About the Composition
Variations on Malaguefia (Malaguena) - Performance Notes
Variations on Malaguefia (Malaguena)
About the Author
DVD CONTENTS
This DVD contains specific sections from the songs chosen by the author to teach in greater detail. Each section is played at speed and then played again at a slower pace to offer greater instruction and insight into each piece. The audio tracks are located on the DVD. You can access them by selecting "Audio Only selections" from the main menu of the DVD.
Song Title: Composer/Source:
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Performance notes
Notation legend
A Mi Madre - Ioannis Anastassakis
Angelika - Ioannis Anastassakis
Flamenco Variations on Malaguena - Ioannis Anastassakis
Maestro Serrano - Ioannis Anastassakis
Recuerdos De Cordoba - Ioannis Anastassakis
Veridiana - Ioannis Anastassakis
Italiano
English
