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The Metro - Friday November 25th 2005
Strumming ahead JAZZ - The young and promising Trio Gitano delve into the guitar world with a dazzling dynamic We have the far-sighted music policy of the Birmingham Education Department to thank for Trio Gitano. The three 23-year old guitarists - Sam Slater, Sophie Johnson and Jamie Fekete - met as youngsters in the Birmingham Schools' Guitar Ensemble. 'It gives you a chance to perform', says Slater. 'As opposed to the school hall, you're playing in decent venues and, more importantly, you're playing with other musicians. It's one of the things that Birmingham does well.' They bring a sashaying energy to the guitar tradition on their debut album, 'Who Ate All The Tapas?', occupying the ground where jazz, gipsy jazz, Spanish, Latin and flamenco meet. The dynamics are impressive, ranging from delicate cascades to roaring whorls of sound. Dazzling runs and glisses are propelled by belting chords, as the trio adapt Paul Desmond's Take Five for strings and reclaim Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar. The album also contains striking originals by Gitano mentor and composer Bryan Lester. The only thing more beautiful than the sound of one guitar is the sound of two guitars. But three? 'In terms of precedents, the immediate ones are Paco de Lucia, Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin,' says Fekete. 'Django Reinhardt also played with three guitars at once,' reminds Johnson. The obvious danger is becoming mired in a tangle of strings, but the three guitars mostly avoid getting in each other's way. 'We can chop a piece down if it starts to get too busy,' says Slater. 'We all move around parts,' Fekete adds. 'In some pieces there are two or even three solo lines, in others there are chords, bass, melody, counter-melodies. We all share and change who is playing lead.' The surprise is that these young guns play as if none had heard a note of rock'n'roll. 'It's just what you play on a nylon string guitar,' says Slater apologetically. 'We've all got our individual traits and styles and tastes in music. Sophie is a big bluegrass fan, I'm into jazz and Jamie is passionate about flamenco. But that doesn't mean we don't also go to indie gigs. A bit of all sorts.' - Mike Butler
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