When we're on the Flamenco Tour, we hear Santi practicing. A lot.

Santiago Lara, that is.  

We're in the studio dancing.  He's either in the bathroom or upstairs practicing.  

When it's time to play for us Mercedes calls for him,

"Santi!"

I can hear her saying it now.

Actually, if you listen carefully you can hear her saying it in the video below at about 1 minute 50 seconds...

I first interviewed him in the spring of 2013.  Unfortunately, I lost all of that footage.  I know, back up.

So, I interviewed him again last fall.

The original interview was longer and more detailed.  Perhaps a bit more relaxed.   I asked him some of the same questions, and some different ones.  He talked about his influences beyond flamenco, like jazz.  He talked about some other things too.

But, that's okay.

See the video interview below, while also getting a preview of what it looks like in Jerez.  Definitely watch through to the end where he plays his granaína just for us.  And don't worry, it's subtitled.

Read this where he talks in-depth about his beginnings, composing, working with Mercedes and playing for baile and cante as opposed to solo, and how he relates the accompanist to soloist.

Comments

I'm in Spain right now, headed back to Jerez soon.  Do you have another question for Santiago Lara?  Let me know below in the comments, and I'll ask him.