Roger Scannura

Last updated
Roger Scannura
BornJune 19
Birzebbugia, Malta
GenresFlamenco
Years active1991-Present
LabelsCD Baby
Associated actsRitmo Flamenco
Website www.rogerscannura.ca

Roger Scannura is a flamenco guitarist and an exponent of nuevo flamenco [ citation needed ].

Flamenco genre of Spanish music; UNESCO intangible cultural heritage

Flamenco, in its purest sense, is a professionalized art-form based on the folkloric traditions of Andalusia. In the 21st century it has evolved to incorporate many modern influences. It includes cante (singing), toque, baile (dance), jaleo, palmas (handclapping) and pitos.

New flamenco is synonymous with modern flamenco and is a derivative of traditional flamenco. It combines flamenco guitar virtuosity with musical fusion. Jazz, rumba, bossa nova, Gypsy, Latin, Middle Eastern, rock, Cuban swing, tango, salsa and especially blues have all been fused into flamenco by different artists to produce its sound.

Contents

Life

Scannura was born on Malta. His early schooling began at the Franciscan Monastery of St. Theresa, where he was tutored in European history, Latin, fine art and art restoration. He has been immersed in music since early childhood and mastered the techniques and nuances of flamenco guitar while in Spain for 12 years under the auspices of Pepe Habichuela and other gypsy masters.[ citation needed ] He has toured Europe and North America[ citation needed ] as a soloist and as a music director for several flamenco dance companies. He is also a founder of a small Toronto-based dance company, Ritmo Flamenco. Scannura with his group has performed for prime ministers, dignitaries as well as an assortment of celebrities, including Russell Crowe and Sting.[ citation needed ] Scannura has recorded six CDs of original flamenco music encompassing both traditional and modern styles.

Malta island republic in Europe

Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 km (50 mi) south of Italy, 284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia, and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. With a population of about 475,000 over an area of 316 km2 (122 sq mi), Malta is the world's tenth smallest and fifth most densely populated country. Its capital is Valletta, which is the smallest national capital in the European Union by area at 0.8 km². The official languages are Maltese and English, with Maltese officially recognised as the national language and the only Semitic language in the European Union.

Spain Kingdom in Southwest Europe

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country mostly located in Europe. Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula. Its territory also includes two archipelagoes: the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The African enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country (Morocco). Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory. The country's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north and northeast by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean.

Pepe Habichuela is a Spanish flamenco guitarist, cited as one of the great flamenco masters and one of Spain's finest contemporary guitarists. He was born in Granada and belongs to a flamenco dynasty of gypsies started by his grandfather, known as "Habichuela el Viejo", who took the nickname, and continued by his father José Carmona and his brothers Juan Habichuela (1933), Carlos and Luis.

Reviews

JazzReview.com [1] reviews Encore!:

There are a number of impressive guitarists courageous enough to tacklk flamenco. Few are as convincing and awe inspiring as Roger Scannura. Encore is a sampler from each of the Toronto-based Malta native’s four releases. Each, judging by this, must be a stunner, as there is nothing here that qualifies as anything less.

Toronto Provincial capital city in Ontario, Canada

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the most populous city in Canada, with a population of 2,731,571 in 2016. Current to 2016, the Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA), of which the majority is within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), held a population of 5,928,040, making it Canada's most populous CMA. Toronto is the anchor of an urban agglomeration, known as the Golden Horseshoe in Southern Ontario, located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. Toronto is an international centre of business, finance, arts, and culture, and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world.

The opening “Burnin’ Up” offers handclaps, dancing (Ritmo Flamenco is a Toronto based Flamenco dance company), violin and bass – at least. Unfortunately, there is no credit given to the accompanying players on the disc. The violinist is especially stunning. The guitarist, it goes without saying, is breathtaking. Through the eight tunes that comprise this delightful disc, feet play a prominent role. As with all authentic flamenco, it is a marriage of the guitar and the dancer.

On the gorgeous ballad of “Marissa,” solo guitar takes center stage, though the robust dancing is never tucked too far into the background. The melodic “Summerwine” is heart wrenchingly beautiful. As on “Marissa,” the dancing is accompanist to the player. “Angelica” is a lilting number that showcases guitar work as fine as I’ve ever heard in any context. Again, with no personnel listing on the insert, the players go un-credited. The electric guitar that fills in here is superb.

The classic sounding “El Ritmo” is filled out with infectious clapping and dancing, and “Colmenares,” with its slinky flute accompaniment, along with the dancers, is hypnotic. The closing “Misterio” again is made the more magical by the addition of the violinist, percussion and dancing. This is a must-have for fans of flamenco music.

Reviewed by: Mark E. Gallo

"...a gifted composer whose music is as beautiful as it is haunting." -The Globe and Mail[ This quote needs a citation ]

"Rarely is Flamenco guitar played so eloquently with just the right amount of passion and grace." -20th Century Guitar Magazine[ This quote needs a citation ]

Discography

YearAlbum NameInstruments
1991Spanish Dance
  • Solo guitar
1994Ritmo Flamenco
  • Solo guitar
1996Saracen
  • Guitar
  • Percussion
  • Flute
  • Sax
1998Medina
  • Guitar
  • Vocals
  • Percussion
2000Misterio
  • Guitar
  • Vocals
  • Violin
  • Mandola
  • Percussion
2003Encore!
  • Guitar
  • Violin
  • Mandola
  • Percussion
2005Noche Flamenca
  • Guitar
  • Violin
  • Percussion

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References

  1. Gallo, Mark E. (1 August 2004). "Encore by Roger Scannura Ritmo Flamenco" . Retrieved 16 June 2011.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-scannura-08610b23 https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2015/03/25/flamenco-is-a-family-affair-for-roger-valerie-and-anjelica-scannura.html http://www.ideacity.ca/speaker/roger-scannura/