Toshi Onizuka was born in Tokyo, Japan. At twenty years old, he began playing guitar. Inspired by the music of Al DiMeola, Paco De Lucia, and Django Reinhardt, Toshi sought to develop his own sound. Toshi realized that in order to achieve this, he would need to teach himself. He quickly became consumed with the guitar and devoted himself completely to developing his technique. In 1993 he moved to Seville, Spain where he lived for five years. Based in Seville, Toshi immersed himself in the Spanish music scene, playing with as many musicians as he could, traveling to different parts of the the country as well as Morocco. Two of those years Toshi spent performing and touring with the internationally acclaimed Flamenco fusion group Pata Negra. While in Spain, Toshi developed a fascination with rhythm which can be heard in his playing today. In 1997 he released his first solo CD, Toshi, an effort that featured musicians from Spain and Brazil and included all original songs written and produced by Toshi. Toshi has appeared on the recordings of various artists including the internationally acclaimed singer Gino Vanelli. He has collaborated with a variety of artists including Lawson Fusao Inada, Oregon’s 2006-2008 Poet Laureate. Toshi has become known for his keen improvisational skills and his distinctive sound that uniquely combines flat picking with dynamic percussive sounds made on the surface of his guitar. Toshi’s music isn't easily categorized and can't be limited to a specific genre; he prefers to think of it as a truly international sound that knows no borders and has no boundaries. Toshi currently resides in Portland, Oregon where he performs nightly with local talent such as Israel Annoh, Damian Erskine, Mariano Deorbegoso among others, at various local venues. www.toshionizuka.com
Danny Romero executes his knowledge of classical, flamenco, and Latin jazz music with competence and finesse. His impassioned and delicate playing evokes an honesty which allows the listener to connect immediately with his music. Danny first picked up the guitar when he was a toddler after being introduced to music by his father, Daniel Romero and his uncle, Tomi Romero, and hasn’t put it down since. By the age of seven, Danny was playing the music of Santana, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix. In his late teens, he began his professional career, writing music and performing for both Tiger’s Heart Theatre and Miracle Theatre(in Portland, OR. He has played a number of prestigious events including the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Oregon Symphony, and for Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Danny has performed nationally and internationally with such esteemed artists and groups as Pepe and the Bottle Blondes, Toshi Onizuka, David Franzen, and Tarik and Julia Banzi of Al-Andalus.
PORTLAND-BASED ARTISTS
LAURA Onizuka has trained in Sevilla, Madrid, and Jerez, Spain with artists such as: La Truco, Miguel Cañas, Matilde Coral, Manuel Liñan, Marcos Flores, Inmaculada Ortega, Angeles Gabaldón, Ricardo López, María López, Felipe Mato, and María Bermúdez. She is known for her strong technical skills, attention to detail, and passion as both a performer and instructor. Her students have described her as:
“Phenomenal, inspiring, calm, patient, and amazing."
“Laura is one of the most languid, gracious, and curvy flamenco dancers I have ever seen since Inma Ortega.”
Laura has performed with renown flamenco artist, Ricardo López. She also performs throughout the Portland area with artists such as Tarik and Julia Banzi of Al-Andalus, Ricardo Diaz, Vicente Griego, Toshi Onizuka, Greg Wolfe, Danny Romero, Reinhardt Melz, and Diana Bright. She holds a Master of Arts in Education and is skilled in teaching both adults and children. Laura believes in the importance of continuing her own flamenco education and continually expanding her knowledge of flamenco as an art form to share with others. View video.
Diana Bright has been a flamenco aficionado for 6 years. Her focus has been the power and the complexity of the cante and how it interplays with the baile and the guitarra. Diana's teachers have included great singers and dancers of Jerez de la Frontera such as; David Lagos, Ana de los Reyes, Miguel Resendo, Domingo Ortega, and Maria Bermudez. Also, Encarna Enillo from Cadiz, El Veneno and Rafael Campallo from Sevilla, and Fabiola Perez from Utrera. Some of her greatest flamenco influences continue to be the guitarists that accompany her singing.
Greg Wolfe’s performing career spans over twenty-five years and includes solo concerts, radio and television appearances, dance and song accompaniment, and recording sessions. Mr. Wolfe has toured extensively throughout North America with: Teo Morca, Ensemble Español, Lola Montes Dance Company, Zorongo Flamenco, and others. Internationally he has performed in Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Germany, and as an accompanist performed with some of Spain’s best dancers, such as: Manolete, Manolo Marin, and Jose Galvan, as well as singers such as: Agujetas and Manolo Leiva. In 1983 he presented and directed his first flamenco theatre production, for which he conceived the choreographic themes and performed his original music. Since then he has produced several flamenco concerts featuring his original compositions, and received commissions to create music and perform with several dance companies and theatre groups. He has also been the recipient of grants from the government of Spain, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Arts Midwest. From 1987 to 1993 he was music director, composer, and principal guitarist for Zorongo Flamenco, a recognized theatre-flamenco company that produced such works as ‘Gernika’ and ‘Flor’ which debuted in New York at the Joyce Theatre. Wolfe is also principal guitarist and composer for the American~Spanish Dance Festival, held in Chicago annually. One of the music groups that Wolfe founded was ‘Machete’, a flamenco-fusion, playing his compositions and arrangements, and in 1993 released his first album entitled, Cry of the Wolfe: Flamenco Music for the 21st Century, which highlights his ability to blend a variety of influences and musical styles. In 2001, Wolfe returned to Spain to revisit Sevilla and Jerez de la Frontera, known as the “cradle” of pure flamenco style. He spent 2003-2004 living and performing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and currently resides, teaches, and performs in Portland, OR.
Lillie Last’s interest in flamenco was sparked by a poster publicizing a fiesta. After a decade of study, she continues to develop her skills as a dancer in an art form that is complex musically and culturally. Lillie’s strength is improvisation, allowing her to connect with the singers and musicians honestly and sincerely. She travels to Spain regularly to gain inspiration from artists such as: Pastora Galvan, Manuel Linan, Adela Campallo, Chiqui de Jerez, Ricardo Lopez, Maria Bermudez and Felipe Mato.
Mark Ferguson was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He began studying the flamenco guitar in 1995. He has spent two years in Spain learning how to accompany flamenco song and dance. Mark spent one year as resident flamenco guitarist at the University of New Mexico and has toured with the Second Company of María Benítez. Mark has entertained audiences throughout the United States, Mexico and Korea.
Mark has studied with many maestros, among them being: Pascual de Lorca, Flecha, David Serva, Chuscales, Juan Maya “Marote”, Jason McGuire, Jesús Álvarez, Niño Jero and others.
