Biel Ballester
| Biel Ballester | |
|---|---|
 Biel Ballester at the Palau de la Música Catalana | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Mallorca, Spain |
| Genres | Gypsy Jazz |
| Instruments | Guitar |
Biel Ballester is a guitarist from Mallorca, Spain. He is best known for playing Gypsy Jazz music and for his contributions to the Woody Allen film Vicky Cristina Barcelona, When I Was a Boy and Your Shining Eyes.
Biography
Biel Ballester is from Mallorca in Spain.[1] He studied classical guitar under Àlex Garrobé at the Escola D’Arts Musicals Luthier in Barcelona. He discovered the music of Django Reinhardt at age 18 and his music is a fusion of Gypsy Jazz and Spanish music.[1][2] With Leo Hipaucha (double bass) and Graci Pedro (rhythm guitar) he formed the Biel Ballester trio. He was introduced to Woody Allen during the filming of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Allen, a jazz clarinet player, jammed frequently with Ballester during this time and included two of his tracks on the soundtrack of the film.[1]
Discography
Biel Ballester Trio recordings
- Echoes from Mallorca 2005
- Live in London 2006
- Bistro de Barcelona 2008
- Jazz a l'Estudi 2011
- Avanti 2012
Biel's Lower & East Combo recordings
- The Lowdown 2015
Compilations
- Django Festival 2 2002
- Django Festival 4 2006
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona Soundtrack 2008
- Le QuecumBar International Gypsy Swing Guitar Festival 2010
- Hot Club Records: Best of 2013
- Django Festival 6 2013
- Django Festival 9 2015
Collaboration
- Short Stories from Catalonia Jon Larsen featuring Biel Ballester 2013
References
- 1 2 3 "Interview with Biel Ballester & Dave Mitchell Trio", Jazzkaar, 21 March 2015, retrieved 6 September 2015
- ↑ "Our Man in Barcelona: Biel Ballester", Gypsy Jazz Guitar Secrets 6, 28 November 2014