Guillermo Guillén
Guitar + Flamenco + Music
Biography & Artistic career
I begin studying flamenco guitar in 1999, specializing in the accompaniment of cante and baile. I work in several academies and companies in France before settling in Seville, the heart of flamenco (Andalusia – Spain), in 2006. After ten years of total immersion, I return to France in 2016 to focus on projects revolving around both Jazz and Flamenco and in 2020, looking for new experiences, I move to New York (USA) where I currently reside.
· From 2007 to 2011, I almost exclusively work with the famous singer Rocío Márquez with whom we were awarded the prize “Lámpara Minera” at the International Festival del Cante de Las Minas de La Union (2008).
Through this experience I developed a deep understanding and mastery of accompanying flamenco singing. Since then, I have been offered to participate to various projects, including recordings.
· I regularly work with internationally recognized artists such as Ismael “de la Rosa” Fernández and Sonia Olla, Raúl Micó, Francisco Contreras “el niño de Elche”, la Lupi, Beñat Achiary, José Galván, Esperanza Fernández…
· I also work as a composer, arranger and guitarist with a number of
international flamenco companies including “Cía Adriana Bilbao” (Spain),
“Cía Helena Cueto” (France/Spain), “Cía Samantha Alcón” (France/Spain),
“Cía Flamenca La Caramelita” (Canada/France), “Cía la Rueca” (Greece)…
· I collaborate during two years (2009-2011) with Esperanza Fernández and Miguel Vargas as a teacher at the Flamenco Arts Center of Seville.
· I perform recitals in flamenco clubs (peñas) and feature in some of the most famous music and International Flamenco festivals (Festival de La Unión, Festival de Jerez, Flamenco Viene Del Sur, Arte Flamenco de Mont-de-Marsan, Los veranos de la Villa de Madrid, Vancouver International Flamenco Festival, London Festival Dance Umbrella, Mawazine de Rabat, Festival La Folle Journée…) in Spain, in Europe, and abroad in more than 20 countries including, Russia, Japan, United States, Canada, Mexico, Cuba… not only accompanying singers and dancers, but also as a soloist and teacher.
· In October 2013, my show “De Viajes… – Guillermo Guillén Flamenco Trio” premiered at the opening of the “No siesta, fiesta!” festival in Tromsø (Norway) and received great critical acclaim.
· My musical interests have led me to collaborate with musicians from other cultures: “Zambra Morisca” with the moroccan singer Samira Kadiri, ”Clay” with the American contemporary dancer Asha Thomas and British flamenco dancer Yinka Esi Graves, “Burdina/Hierro” with the flamenco dancer Adriana Bilbao and free jazz French singer Beñat Achiary, “Noche en Sevilla” with the classical string quartet “Quatuor Vélasquez”, “Nritya” with the Indian-Canadian dancer Deborah Dawson…
· In 2017 I record the first album of my “Urban Flamenco Jazz” sextet PLAN F, mixing flamenco with hip hop, electro music and jazz.
· Building on a series of brand new compositions, I create a novel and progressive flamenco experiment in 2018: AONC TRIO, wich wins the “DG Cajón Contest 2017” competition, “Best Group Performance” category, and receives later great acclaim at the Festival Arte Flamenco de Mont de Marsan (France – 2019).
· In addition, I compose and arrange the music of various audiovisual projects, documentaries and short films.
· In 2020, I am invited at Berklee College of Music by Olivia Pérez Collellmir, Sonia Olla and Ismael Fernández to be part of the show “Soundscapes of Spain: From Flamenco Roots to Fusion” at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston.
· I also regularly participate in shows in television and radio events.