Nicolas Hernandez – Buscando mi voz

Flamenco music is alive and well in Toronto, Canada! Buscando mi voz (“Finding My Voice”), the debut CD of Nicolas Hernandez is a treat for those who love the lyrical expressiveness and percolating rhythms of Flamenco.

The CD jumps right into things with Un poquito por tangos, a lively dance number. Backed by Jesse Cook’s percussion, Nicolas’ guitar effortlessly soars along, providing the melody, bass lines and chordal accompaniment. It’s easy to close your eyes and think you’re enjoying yourself in a small cafĂ© in Spain.

Listening to this CD, you realize how universal an instrument the guitar truly is. A mis maestros, the second track, starts out with some lines that a bluesman would die for and then continues on in a more classical style before settling into a wonderful Latin dance beat, skillfully accompanied by Ravi Namipally’s tabla playing.

Nicolas makes a smart move by not turning his debut CD into a “guitar only” affair. Besides the terrific percussion provided, he also gets some great assists from Chris Church’s violins in De Toronto a Sevilla and the delightful Fantasia mistica. And the aforementioned Ravi Namipally’s tabla is integral to making Raga por bulerias work so well. And Ernie Tollar’s haunting bansuri , a flute, transforms Nanita para my hija Catalina into a song that you’ll have in your head for days. The interplay between the bansuri and guitar is truly mesmerizing.

Flamenco is all about the dance, and you can’t help but hear songs like Sonando y viviendo without wanting to get up and dance. In addition to playing and touring with Jesse Cook’s band, Nicolas is the Music Director for the Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company, writing pieces for the group.

Toronto is a very ethnically diverse city and that is reflected in this CD. The closing Buscando mi voz demonstrates Nicolas’ wonderful ability to create an intense fusion of flamenco with other world music, taking rhythms from all around the world and shaping music that is greater than all its parts.

Here’s hoping that this is the first CD of many from this talented guitarist.

You can purchase Buscando mi voz online through Nicolas Hernandez website. or, if you happen to live in Toronto, at L’Atelier Grigorian on Yorkville Avenue.