Sundays at Noon : Antoni O'Breskey - The Nomadic Piano Project

Sundays at Noon Concert Series Present: The Nomadic Piano Project

Antoni O'Breskey - piano

Juan José Manzano - guitar

Antoni O'Breskey is a composer, pianist and trumpet player, writer and music educator. Born in Italy with Argentine roots, he graduated in piano at Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini of Florence and introduced improvised-style piano into Irish and Flamenco music during the early 80's, blending it with blues and creating a positively new and original jazz piano style. Oliver Sweeney, in the Irish music magazine HOT PRESS, wrote of him: “He is a man for whom the notion of borders means very little, a genius whose music is without frontiers, and whose originality makes him one of the most innovative artists in the varied musical genres of today.” He has been breaking barriers among many different kinds of music. With his work "Orekan: The Ethnic Symphony" (1992) he created a new “symphonic” concept bringing together piano (the top classical instrument which started the new “well temperament” system) with a vast variety of "not tempered” instruments, belonging to many different ethnic traditions.

“Orekan is not only a masterpiece, it is above all a unique social document which gives us a strong idea of our roots, and in addition points out a few possible roads we might take in the future” OLIVER SWEENEY, HOTPRESS

For many years and predating the times he was gathering together extraordinary musicians from all over the world, and recording more than 35 albums which form "The Nomadic Piano Collection". Among the many collaborators who appear in this collection are: Ronnie Drew (The Dubliners), Máirtín O’Connor (De Dannan), Steve Cooney, Cathy Jordan (Dervish), Antonio Carmona (Ketama), Gabin Dabire, José Seves (Inti-Illimani), Benito Lertxundi, and many more. His classic and minimalist compositions for piano and cello, interpreted by his collaborator Davide Viterbo, as well as his world music, have become soundtracks for cinema, television, theatre and ballet. His contribution to Irish music and culture was celebrated in the National Concert Hall in Dublin in 2005, 2007, 2012.

Juan José, from Cádiz, South of Spain, is a professional Flamenco guitarist and composer based in Dublin, Ireland. His music reflects his roots, Flamenco, as a way of living. From this heritage all his compositions emerge. He was raised in a traditional Flamenco home, in Chiclana de la frontera, a small village in South Spain, a place of pure Flamenco tradition.. His mother sang Flamenco and copla everyday in his childhood, this unquestionably influences every note he now plays. When he started to play guitar at the age of 11 he already knew how Flamenco breathes, with its essence, something which cannot be learned in school. He spent his life, before coming to live in Ireland, in touch with the sea and with the land of his ancestors, elements which elevate him to a place where he feels peace. He understands that music has the same power to affect humans. He began earning his living at the age of 15 teaching at home Flamenco guitar to people of different ages from his hometown. In 2005 he came to Ireland to further his career in music. Here he has played with international musicians from Ireland, Italy, United States, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, France, Argentina, India, Japan, Peru and has played in The National Concert Hall. His music reflects an Influence of different music of the world with distinct personal touches. These influences have helped him to expand his compositions , to create new sounds and to give Flamenco music a different form and different colours, without letting its roots go. This expansion of sounds and compositions has helped him to understand music as a way of connecting people, a way of elevating consciousness, in fact, a way of healing and inspiring. Juan José is now Living in Dublin, Ireland, as a professional Flamenco guitarist and composer, and his music is a journey along his life, his mother singing flamenco in the patio, flamenco singers and dancers coming to sing and dance in this house, his father’s land, the ocean in the south of Spain and the influence of his life in Ireland.

www.nomadicpiano.com