Andreas Arnold & Manel Fortia + Special Guest at Soapbox Gallery

As an artist in a globalized world, Andreas Arnold expresses himself through a musical kaleidoscope that reflects the classical traditions of his homeland Germany, jazz from the US where he has been living for the last decade, and music from the Mediterranean, in particular the Spanish art form of flamenco. Through this unique fusion, Arnold proves that purity is not defined by any one culture or style but transpires when one finds his voice to express his personal experience in society, art, and life.While living between New York City and Andalusia, Spain, Arnold has participated in numerous productions as an instrumentalist, composer, improviser, and producer, touring on five continents. On his new album Ojos Cerrados he was accompanied among others by Carles Benavent, legendary and longtime bass player of Paco de Lucia.Arnold grew up in a family of classical musicians in southern Germany. He fell in love with Paco de Lucia as a teenager but went on to study jazz guitar at the conservatory of Amsterdam and later in NYC with Mike Stern, John Abercrombie, and Wayne Krantz before entering a period of complete dedication to the art of flamenco guitar. He is currently the musical director for internationally renowned Jordanian singer Farah Siraj as well as for the New York Flamenco Jazz Project.To date, Arnold has released three albums of original electric and acoustic music under his name. Because of his strong affinity with the Mediterranean, the Goethe Institut Paris commissioned him in 2013 to bring the multimedia performance Suite Camus to the stage. The following year he produced Dunya, the second album of Jordanian vocalist Farah Siraj as well as, A Contraluz, flutist Maria Toro’s debut album that featured the rhythm section of Jean Michel-Pilc, Ben Street and Justin Brown. His latest work Ojos Cerrados, on which he collaborated with vocalists Antonio Lizana, Carles Denia, and Alfonso Cid was recorded in Barcelona and is the vision of flamenco-jazz for an ever-evolving artist.Arnold performs Ojos Cerrados in various settings from solo guitar acts to a 6-piece ensemble featuring singers, dancers, and various instrumentalists, often providing unique encounters between artists from different cultures.Manel Fortia is an expressive and melodic bassist from Spain based in New York with a long career as a performer and improviser in jazz that has led him to play with some Grammy Awarded and Nominated musicians such as Dave Liebman, Chris Cheek, Arturo O’Farrill, Chano Dominguez, Eliot Zigmund, Emilio Solla… among many others, and played in some of the most important International Jazz Festivals. He has also led his own projects and has been recognized with multiple awards. His approach of extended techniques at double-bass and his creative experimentation combined with a huge melodic sense and deep sound has converted him in one of the most unique and original bassist of the new generation....

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As an artist in a globalized world, Andreas Arnold expresses himself through a musical kaleidoscope that reflects the classical traditions of his homeland Germany, jazz from the US where he has been living for the last decade, and music from the Mediterranean, in particular the Spanish art form of flamenco. Through this unique fusion, Arnold proves that purity is not defined by any one culture or style but transpires when one finds his voice to express his personal experience in society, art, and life.While living between New York City and Andalusia, Spain, Arnold has participated in numerous productions as an instrumentalist, composer, improviser, and producer, touring on five continents. On his new album Ojos Cerrados he was accompanied among others by Carles Benavent, legendary and longtime bass player of Paco de Lucia.Arnold grew up in a family of classical musicians in southern Germany. He fell in love with Paco de Lucia as a teenager but went on to study jazz guitar at the conservatory of Amsterdam and later in NYC with Mike Stern, John Abercrombie, and Wayne Krantz before entering a period of complete dedication to the art of flamenco guitar. He is currently the musical director for internationally renowned Jordanian singer Farah Siraj as well as for the New York Flamenco Jazz Project.To date, Arnold has released three albums of original electric and acoustic music under his name. Because of his strong affinity with the Mediterranean, the Goethe Institut Paris commissioned him in 2013 to bring the multimedia performance Suite Camus to the stage. The following year he produced Dunya, the second album of Jordanian vocalist Farah Siraj as well as, A Contraluz, flutist Maria Toro’s debut album that featured the rhythm section of Jean Michel-Pilc, Ben Street and Justin Brown. His latest work Ojos Cerrados, on which he collaborated with vocalists Antonio Lizana, Carles Denia, and Alfonso Cid was recorded in Barcelona and is the vision of flamenco-jazz for an ever-evolving artist.Arnold performs Ojos Cerrados in various settings from solo guitar acts to a 6-piece ensemble featuring singers, dancers, and various instrumentalists, often providing unique encounters between artists from different cultures.Manel Fortia is an expressive and melodic bassist from Spain based in New York with a long career as a performer and improviser in jazz that has led him to play with some Grammy Awarded and Nominated musicians such as Dave Liebman, Chris Cheek, Arturo O’Farrill, Chano Dominguez, Eliot Zigmund, Emilio Solla… among many others, and played in some of the most important International Jazz Festivals. He has also led his own projects and has been recognized with multiple awards. His approach of extended techniques at double-bass and his creative experimentation combined with a huge melodic sense and deep sound has converted him in one of the most unique and original bassist of the new generation.

Supporting Musicians: Andreas Arnold: flamenco guitar Manel Fortia: double bass+Special Guest

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