Atlanta Flamenco Festival Blends Genres Through Music And Dance

October 15th, 2019

From left, Lisa Vash Herman, Lois Reitzes, Jesús Hernández and Tim Ferguson are shown. They discussed the Atlanta Flamenco Festival, which is being held in venues all across Atlanta through Nov. 2.

Summer Evans

The Atlanta Flamenco Festival brings world-renowned flamenco artists to venues all over Atlanta through Nov. 2.

Flamenco is a combination of Spanish, Latin American and African musical and dance influences.

“City Lights” host Lois Reitzes spoke with Atlanta Flamenco board member and singer Lisa Vash Herman, along with pianist Jesús Hernández and bassist Tim Ferguson– two of the artists in the band New Bojaira.

The New Bojaira band will perform at the Red Light Cafe on Oct. 15. (Photo credit: Erik Voss)

The band blends jazz with flamenco rhythms in order to create a powerful energy on stage. They will be performing at the Red Light Cafe on Oct. 15.

Flamenco artist Rosalía has also become a popular name due to her combination of flamenco with hip-hop music. The blending of several different genres makes her music both universal and inclusive.

“I think that she’s keeping it relevant and continuing that multiculturalism that we’ve seen with these flamenco artists at the festival. These bands are continuing to create more contemporary versions [of flamenco music] by keeping it relevant and extending it to today’s youth,” Herman said.