After seeing Spanish Flamenco featured in films from Baz Lurman’s Strictly Ballroom in 1992 to Salsa in the 2021 film In The Heights the world of Spanish dance has always for me ranked high in excitement and commitment.
Having released his debut album, Shifting Sands, (SMH’s album of the week), Aria nominated Flamenco Guitarist Damian Wright brings his passion and talent to the IPAC theatre in Wollongong in a breathtaking, artful presentation of Spanish emotion and romance that promised and delivered a night to remember! BANDALUZIA has headlined the International Gypsy Music Festival in Sydney, the Global Carnival and was on Musica Viva’s national touring program in 2023.
The show stars Damian Wright ably supported by violinist Yuhki Mayne and percussionist James Hauptman with superb Flamenco dancers, Rosalie Cocchiaro and Jessica Statham performing solo and in unison. The superb rhythms and inspired fretwork from Mr Wright, (or should I say Master Wright?), held the audience spellbound.
The violin playing from Mayne, featured and supporting, was wonderful and the beat supplied by Hauptman was impeccable. Indeed i was not aware that a simple box drum was capable of the variation of sounds elicited.
When the two beautiful dancers entered and began that wonderful contrapuntal clapping then fixed the audience with a look somewhere between a gaze and a glare we were well and truly in the palms of their twirling clicking hands.
Truly, an enjoyable and memorable show!
