'Direct from Spain': Grammy Winner Diego el Cigala in Los Angeles October 20, 2011

Diego el Cigala is a Grammy-winning Gypsy singer from Madrid noted as a pioneer in fusing flamenco with Latin American music forms such as the bolero, Afro-Caribbean jazz, and tango. His ability to blend different types of contemporary music with traditional flamenco has won him widespread popularity and numerous awards.

He is perhaps best known for his 2003 recording "Lagrimas Negras", a collaboration with Cuban jazz pianist Bebo Valdes which was hailed Album of the Year by the New York Times and won a Latin Grammy. His solo CD "Picasso en mis ojos", which also won a Latin Grammy in 2006, featured the legendary flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia and a superb lineup of Latino jazz greats including Jerry Gonzalez. In 2008 he worked alongside giants of Cuban percussion Tata Guines and Changuito for the recording of "Dos Lagrimas" which highlighted his ongoing collaboration with guitarist Diego del Morao (of the Los Morao family of guitarists), pianist Jaime Calabuch Jumitus, percussionist Sabu Porrina and Cuban bassist Yelsy Heredia.

This year the singer has been nominated for yet another Grammy for his latest album, the 2010 release of "Cigala & Tango", featuring noted Argentinian artists Andres Calamaro, Nestor Marconi and Pablo Agri.

The beautiful 1,457 seat Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center is one of the top performing arts venues in Southern California, located along the choice coastal edge of Los Angeles County, one of the most desirable areas in the USA, just twenty miles from downtown Los Angeles and seven miles south of LAX.

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