Biel Ballester

Biel Ballester
Biel Ballester (2016)
Biel Ballester (2016)
Background information
Born1974 (age 50–51)
Mallorca, Spain
GenresGypsy jazz
OccupationMusician
InstrumentGuitar

Biel Ballester (born 1974) is a gypsy jazz guitarist from Mallorca, Spain. He contributed music to the Woody Allen film Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

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 (rhythm guitar) and Oriol González (double bass) he formed the Biel Ballester trio. He was introduced to Woody Allen during the filming of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Allen, a jazz clarinet player, played frequently with Ballester during this time and included two of his tracks on the soundtrack of the film.[1][3]

Discography

As leader

  • Echoes from Mallorca (Refined, 2005)
  • Live in London (Le Q, 2006)
  • Bistro de Barcelona (Refined, 2008)
  • Jazz a l'Estudi (TVC Disc, 2011)
  • Avanti! (Hot Club, 2011)
  • Melodium Melodynamic (La Cupula Music, 2015)
  • The Lowdown (Hot Club, 2015)

As sideman

  • Jon Larsen, Short Stories from Catalonia, (Hot Club, 2013)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Interview with Biel Ballester & Dave Mitchell Trio", Jazzkaar, 21 March 2015, retrieved 6 September 2015
  2. ^ "Our Man in Barcelona: Biel Ballester", Gypsy Jazz Guitar Secrets, vol. 6, 28 November 2014
  3. ^ "Sé que es un disco muy bueno y he querido gestionarlo todo", UH Noticias, 7 February 2016, retrieved 11 November 2016