Product Description

An exotic blend of Spanish, Latin-American, Middle-Eastern, East Indian, and Eastern European music. This eclectic album includes the Benedetti/Svoboda duo with other talented musicians who play dumbek, sitar, congas, and various world percussion instruments.

Review

"...Mystery, romance and passion. The raw essence of emotions is embodied by the sounds of George and Fred's guitars..." -- Jack O'Brien, Tony Award-winning director, Old Globe Theatre

From the Label

"....The duo sparkles with intense flamenco music...."

About the Artist

Rapidly emerging Domojazz and SBE recording artists, the BENEDETTI & SVOBODA Guitar Duo, add generous and perfectly balanced portions of Slavic passion, Latin rhythms and wonderfully infectious Middle Eastern grooves to their otherwise traditional flamenco style. The harvest of this innovative compositional vision is an exciting and unforgettable musical hybrid dynamically presented in the popular pair's CD's Scirocco-Desert Wind, Zephyr, and Flamenco Dreams. Their 4th CD Spanish Gardens - is scheduled for nationwide release later spring 1999.

Absolutely nobody personifies and glorifies this exhilirating and joyous blend of flamenco magic with the same degree of unbridled performance enthusiasm or masterful musicianship than the Benedetti & Svoboda Guitar Duo. Demonstrating an impressive escalation in performance excellence and an exciting evolution in creative style.

For more than a decade, Benedetti & Svoboda have thoroughly engaged and delighted their international audiences with a breathtaking repertoire that stirs the deepest emotions and explores the most passionate regions of the human soul. From heartbreaking ballads to tranquil sonatas and furious flamenco rasgueados they consistently display a genuinely prodigious talent not only for performing, but for composing and arranging as well.

In 1996, Benedetti & Svoboda joined The Globe Theater's production of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in San Diego, for which they composed, arranged and performed the entire musical score under the supervision of Tony Award-winning director Jack O'Brien, They recently completed a successful European tour through England, Germany and the Czech Republic and continue touring regularly throughout the United States and Mexico.

Although they are rapidly earning worldwide acclaim for their combined talents, each possesses individual gifts and have acquired unique achievements in their own rights.

Born in Sasebo, Japan, Fred Benedetti became a serious student of the guitar at the young age of nine and by 1986, his dedication and natural talent earned him a place as one of only twelve guitarists worldwide to perform in the Master Class of Andres Segovia at USC., where Benedetti "...amazed the audience with his performance of the Bach Chaconne" according to a rave review that followed in Guitarra Magazine.

Benedetti has also performed with such prestigious yet tremendously diverse artists as world-class tenor Luciano Pavarotti, contemporary jazz star Dave Brubeck, pop icon Art Garfunkel, country legend Willie Nelson, rock sirens Juice Newton and Patty Loveless in addition to the San Diego San Diego Opera, the Starlight Opera and the American Ballet company.

Currently serving as professor of music and chair of guitar studies at Grossmont College and a member of the guitar faculty at San Diego State University as well, Fred Benedetti's genius for guitar and composition has been showcased on more than 50 various albums as well as numerous film soundtracks and television commercials. Among his more famous audience members are the King & Queen Of Malaysia, former Soviet Premiere Mikhail Gorbachev and U. S. President Jimmy Carter.

Like his equally gifted counterpart, George Svoboda fell in love with guitar as a child, where he began earnest and committed studies in guitar and music history at the State Conservatory of Music in Pilsen, not far from his native Cheb in the Czech Republic. After serving as an instructor in guitar and music theory for Public Schools of Art in Czechoslovakia, Svoboda traveled to the United States, where he eventually received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in music from San Diego State University.

With nearly three decades of experience in music as a performer, recording artist and instructor, Svoboda continues teaching as Artist in Residence for San Diego city schools in addition to his work as guitar instructor for Mesa and Grossmont colleges, Svoboda also serves as a faculty member at California State University, in San Marcos and San Diego State University.

Having published several successful instructional books on classical guitar technique, Svoboda gave glorious life to his innovative theories in a performance attended by President and Mrs. Clinton, in addition to countless recital concerts in Czechoslovakia, England, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Austria, Mexico and throughout the United States. Throughout his solo career, Svoboda has earned a solid reputation for excellence not only as a gifted musician, but also as a composer and arranger of pieces ranging from guitar solos through small ensembles on to large orchestras. Following one of Svoboda's typically brilliant displays of guitar virtuosity, San Diego Tribune staff writer Bob Corbett wrote, "Svoboda's a first class musician, his fingers fly effortlessly over the guitar strings and the happy music that results is absolutely full of life."

The congratulatory praise lavished on the Benedetti & Svoboda Guitar Duo has been unanimous among their audience and the industry critics overall.

Band members:
Fred "Masataka" Benedetti
George "Jiri" Svoboda

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.55 x 4.97 x 0.54 inches; 2.83 ounces
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Sbe Records
• Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 1996
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ February 11, 2007
• Label ‏ : ‎ Sbe Records
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1