Intersections at UC San Diego Park and Market is a new multicultural concert series that showcases both local and non-local artists, curated by musician, performer, and filmmaker, Yale Strom. These events will take place at the Guggenheim Theater at UC San Diego Park and Market, located in San Diego’s East Village downtown.
The performance I saw last Thursday evening highlighted local talent as well as the connection between Roma/Gitano flamenco music and dancing with Sephardic music and songs in the Andalusian region of Spain and beyond. In fact, a member of the audience, flamenco dancer and teacher and Spanish born Sephardic Jew, Sonny Burton, is living proof of that.
The talent on stage Thursday evening was not only local, it was also a family affair. World renowned flamenco dancer Lakshmi Basile (La Chimi) gave an electrifying performance and because the venue was intimate, one could see her intricate hand and foot movements. Her father, Jeff Basile performed on bass, Oscar Valero sang, Gerardo Morales was the percussionist, and there were two very talented guitarists, including Kambiz Pakan, and the maestro, Fred Benedetti, who is also a close longtime friend of the Basile family.
Introducing and leading everyone was Yale Strom, who played the violin and his wife, singer and author, Elizabeth Schwartz who sang in Ladino, Hebrew, and Arabic. It was a pleasure to hear Schwartz’s rich voice and it was interesting to hear the history behind the songs. Not only was I entertained by all the talent and familiarity between the musicians, but I learned something new. For example, the Lingua Franca of the Jews of Sarajevo in Eastern Europe was Ladino not Yiddish.
On the website, Intersections at Park & Market is billed as an interdisciplinary event series presented by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies at UC San Diego Park & Market downtown.
There will be one Intersections concert a month at the Guggenheim Theater until December. The music will include The Don Byron Quartet in September, Hot Pstromi and klezmer in October, Mexican Mariachi Garibaldi with Jeff Nevin in November, and Slavic Soul Music in December.
The next concert series is called, “Beyond the Blues” and it features New York blues singer, Mamie Minch and San Diego blues singer, Mara Kaye. The event will take place on August 10 and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25-$35.
Republished from San Diego Jewish World