DESCRIPTION:
Made in Mexico ISRAEL VARELA - KAREN LUGO

Israel Varela Drums/vocals/electronics
Karen Lugo Dance

Two Mexican artists, two flamenco musicians, two rhythm travelers, two virtuosos Made in Mexico, together for the first time.

"Inside the duo music of mexican drummer-composer-singer Israel Varela and flamenco dancer Karen Lugo is a rare mix among mexican, andalusian, and contemporary jazz colors. Ultimately, though, the surprising Mexican artists from Tijuana and Guadalajara have figured a way to integrate all three seamlessly in this dynamic and creative Duo Made in Mexico, blending traditional forms with contemporary dance, flamenco, and mexican traditional ritual songs and rhythms".




Israel Varela. Since arriving in Rome, Israel Varela has been one of the most in demand drummers in Europe, capturing the attention of the international music scene. But it is in the context as a flamenco jazz drummer that the gifted artist from Tijuana has revealed all his creativity and distinctive style. he has performed with multitudes of renowned Jazz, Flamenco, Classical and Pop artists including rewarding gigs with: Diego Amador, Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Bireli Lagrene, Bob Mintzer, Mike Stern, Yo Yo Ma, Jorge Pardo, Bob Sheppard, Giovanni Hidalgo, Hiram Bullock, Abe Laboriel, Andrea Bocelli, Alex Acuna, Gary Willis, Pino Daniele, Kamal Musallam, Kai Eckhardt ,Montse Cortes, Raimundo Amador, Otmaro Ruiz, Carles Benavent, John Pena, and Rasha Rizk.

Born in 1979 in Tijuana, Mexico, Israel grew up in a family filled with singers, pianists, guitarrists and orchestral conductors. He began to perform in public at the age of five, singing and playing piano. Years later at the age of twelve he began doing gigs as a drummer with the best Tijuana local Jazz bands, and studied under Gonzalo Farrugia, and Andrei Tchernizev. A major turning point in his life happened in 1995 when his talent was discovered by the great Alex Acuna. At the age of fifteen he was studying in Los Angeles privately under Alex Acuna(1995-1998), and later under Dave Weckl (1998/2000) also privately. On 2000 he moved to Milan where he studied at the G.Verdi Conservatory. On 2003 he moved to Seville to explore all the demanding techniques, rhythms & harmonies of Flamenco Music under the great Diego Amador, Luis Amador, and Miguel Vargas.This became an important period for Varela as during this period he developed his own voice as a drummer and as a composer knowing the flamenco tradition and using his own original style to add to it. Currently he lives in Rome and is a member of the Diego Amador Trio(spain), the Kamal Musallam Trio(UAE), and Jorge Pardo quartet. His albums as soloist "Tijuana Portrait" (2008) and "Border People"(2009) and Zamar (2012).




Karen Lugo, mexican born dancer from Guadalajara has garnered critical acclaim for her interpretation of classical flamenco, as well as her passionate style and incorporation of elements of modern dance.. She already presented herself with her name solo in the 'Los Novísimos' series of Festival de Jerez 2010. However, it's been a long, hard road to get to both events.

Has been awarded first prize in Almeria's I Flamenco Festival, first place in Finland's Flamenco Festival of Contemporary dance and third place as choreographer of the XVII Spanish and Flamenco dance contest of Madrid. In 2009 she participated as a soloist in "Sangre Nueva, Jovenes Flamencos" Festival at the Teatro Español of Madrid, later that year she performed in the XIV Festival de Jerez, "Los Novissimos" edition.

She has collaborated in the show "Rojo y Rosa" of Agustin Carbonell "El Bola" as a dancer and choreographer performing in Festival "Suma Flamenca de Madrid", Austria's Flamenco Festival, and the Lara Theatre of Madrid. Under the direction of Javier Latorre, she participated in the film "Flamenco Flamenco" of Carlos Saura, and as principal dancer in the show "El Duende y el Reloj".

Choreographer and dancer in the ensemble Flamenco Roots in collaboration with indian/rajastani musicians. In 2011 she presented "Flamencura" in Ramallah, Israel in collaboration with Casa Patas flamenco foundation. In may of 2012 she was invited by Juan Carlos Lerida, to participate in an artist and residence investigation and creation in the Flamenc Empiric at the Mercat de les Flors,in Barcelona.

In August of 2012 she performed as a soloist in the XIV Muestra de Flamenco "Los Veranos del Corral" in Granada. She has collaborated with the renowned group "Ojos de Brujo" in festivals throughout Spain and France. She danced as a soloist in the show Dressed to Dance in the Tchaikowsky Concert Hall of Moscow under direction of Carlos Chamorro.

In november of 2012 she premiered her show "Flamenco Territorio DeMente" in Seattle, which led to a U.S. tour in cities such as Olympia, L.A., and Washington D.C.