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What’s the NoHo Motto? “NoHo is only as great as its people.”
The NoHo Arts District is just one square mile but it’s filled with dancers, actors, musicians, artists and creative folks from all over the world. Our local business and government groups understand and support our artistic endeavors and eclectic neighborhood makeup. NoHo Arts District restaurants are participating in the “L.A. Al Fresco” program where they’ve taken over a lane and created an outdoor dining area on Magnolia between Vineland and Lankershim. To make Al Fresco Dining on Magnolia even more fun, we’ve added Al Fresco Fridays – live music from 6:30-9:15PM! Al Fresco Fridays brings music while you have a nibble and a cocktail while enjoying the neighborhood.
NoHo’s Al Fresco Fridays music program sponsored by the NoHo Business Improvement District. Al Fresco dining program is brought to you by the team at Councilmember Paul Krekorian’s office. #KeepNoHoArtsy
We are excited to have Alfredo Cáceres join us on Friday, October 30 for Al Fresco Fridays.
Born and raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Cáceres, a complete guitarist and composer, has been involved in a wide variety of projects and bands in styles ranging from World music, Flamenco, Jazz, Brazilian, Salsa, Pop and Latin. He has collaborated on several recordings in local and international productions, as well as in different festivals in the United States and in Europe. Alfredo has been living in the United States full-time since 2009, and has played alongside many different artists in the World Music arena, such as Persian singer Hamed Nikpay, guitarist Russ Hewitt, the Gypsy All Stars (of the Gipsy Kings family), Mario Reyes, and Marcus Nand (Ziroq), just to name a few.
In 2012, Cáceres released his first solo album in the U.S., one that involves a variety of his original compositions within the last ten years, recorded in his hometown of Guatemala and in Los Angeles, California.
Alfredo’s musical education started in this homeland of Guatemala with his first teacher, his father, Alfredo Cáceres Sr. He would later continue to study with different guitarists such as with spanish guitarist Paco Galiano in flamenco and with German Giordano in jazz. He also learned sight reading with William Orbaugh, as well as with drummers Byron Campo and Fernando Martin at the Poliritmos Academy.
Alfredo traveled to Seville, Spain on a three-year scholarship from the Fundación Cristina Heeren de Arte Flamenco. While there, he trained extensively under different well known Flamenco guitarists such as Miguel Ángel Cortés, Niño de Pura, Eduardo Rebollar, Paco Serrano, Paco Cortés, Juan Manuel Canizares, Manolo Sanlúcar, and Rafael Canizares, among others. At the Fundación, he received instruction for two years in flamenco compás (Flamenco rythms) from Paco de Lucía’s dancer & cajón player, the late Manolo Soler.
After being in Spain, Cáceres attended the U.S. at Brookhaven College in Dallas, Texas on a two-year scholarship, giving him the opportunity to play jazz guitar and go on tour in the U.S. and in Mexico with the award-winning Brookhaven Vocal Jazz Ensemble. In Brookhaven College, he pursued jazz guitar with guitarist Paul Metzger. Subsequently, Alfredo came to live in California where he occasionally studies with world renowned guitarist Jorge Strunz from the guitar duet Strunz & Farah.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBiy3P4Adqu/
What made you interested in learning the guitar?
It was part of my childhood since my father was a guitarist, specialized in Flamenco and classical guitar.
You have a very strong and interesting musical training. What made you focus on jazz and Flamenco guitar?
The aspect of the improvisation and passion of it.
Why did you move to California?
To be able to keep learning and improve my musical skills. Also LA has one of the best music scenes in the world.
Tell us about your latest album “Hispanica”?
Well ,it was a very nice experience because I recorded and produced this album with my friend and colleague Waldo Valenzuela, a great chilean guitarist. So we have lots of invited guests in this album including amazing guitarist Jorge Strunz (FRom Strunz & Farah) also we have singer/guitarist Georges Reyes from the Gipsy Kings or Michael O’Neil (George Benson Band) to mention a few. But its a very diverse latin american album, we had guests from the whole latin-american continent.
What are you listening to now, what’s on your playlist currently?
I listen to a lot of Gypsy Jazz like Django Reinhardt, also lots Ethnic Middle Eastern ensembles, like Dhafer Youseff to mention a few. I usually have lots of variety in my repertoire from Pop 80s,90s stuff to Brazilean standards. Also lots of instrumental Gipsy Kings songs and Cuban Son songs from Buena Vista social Club.
What would you like to add?
I want to thank you guys for supporting local music and musicians. It’s very important that we all support every kind of art form. Art and science makes us advance as human beings.
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