Born 1960 Instrument: Piano. Although flamenco music is often associated with an instrument, Chano Dominguez continues to push his jazz approach on the piano into this genre with great results. In jazz, you can improvise using a structure as a background. But in flamenco, the improvisation is part of the form. Flamenco is a form of improvisation that occurs in a solo or bulera. The guitarist doesn’t know what his cantaor is doing, and the cantaor won’t know the falseta until the moment arrives. Chano Dominguez was one of those jazz musicians who were “recruited by flamenco,” although he had flamenco training. He learned how to play the guitar by ear. Although he also tried his hand at rock music, he was still playing keyboard. He had worked on several occasions with Juan Manuel Canizares and Potito before he jumped into flamenco with his Chano Dominguez Trio. Chano Dominguez has managed to combine the rhythms and languages from jazz and flamenco in an extraordinary way. He has performed tangos and tanguillos on his piano. However, he uses a traditional jazz structure to tackle them. Blas de Cordoba, the bailador, was accompanied by him on his piano. He danced to various palos (forms) at the Sabadell Flamenco festival. Chano Dominguez, regardless of musical genre, is currently the most sought-after musician on the Spanish music scene. His list of collaborators continues to grow both in Spain and internationally. Wynton Marsalis has also been a guest at Jazz at the Lincoln Center. Chano began his recordings with En Directo in 1993 as a leader and has since built a solid resume. Hecho a Mano in 2002 received much acclaim. He has continued the momentum with Iman and Oye Como Viene (both on DVD in 2003). These were also on the Sunnyside label. He moved to Karonte with Chano, Con Alma, Acercate Mas and Acercate Mas in 2006. He was also part of the compilation project Flamenco Jazz on Fremeux in 2007. His work with Martirio, a Spanish chanteuse, has increased his international appeal and has led to him being embraced by the romantic bolero style with great success. Chano Dominguez, a pianist, has combined his flamenco-sense with a unique approach to jazz, blues, and beyond to create a unique piano voice. Allaboutjazz
