BIOGRAPHY

This flamenco legend deftly combines tradition with modern innovation. Born in Lyon, the virtuoso guitarist and gifted composer, on a quest for the flamenco of the future, found guidance from such greats as Camaron de la Isla. And Juan Carmona also earned the admiration of the most famous among the clan of musicians whose roots run deep in the Andalusian soil. In 2022, he released his extraordinary musical odyssey, Zyriab 6.7, an album that also features songs sung in French “sur la rue des luthiers” in the heart of Granada, home of flamenco and its famous instrument.

Minstrel of duende, the intrinsic force of being in full command of one’s passion, Juan Carmona masters Flamenco’s rich history. Very early on, he discovered his raison d’être in Jerez de la Frontera, a city well known for its flamenco. Since then, this Gypsy from France has simply followed his intuition and has continued to evolve within a circle of musicians that included Joaquín Grilo, Agujetas, Duquende, Antonio Canales, and Chano Domínguez. In France and the rest of the flamenco world, Carmona stands out for his remarkable agility and energetic playing, like a brisk wind on the Guadalquivir River. It isn’t rare to see him playing with other renowned musicians like Norwegian saxophonist, Jan Garbarek, or the funky songwriter and bassist, Marcus Miller. His generous surrender to musical scores has earned him many accolades including the Grand prix Paco de Lucia and Grand Prix Charles Cros in 2015. The talented artist has worked on film soundtracks and wrote the musical score for Claude Lelouch’s 1992 cult film, La Belle Histoire. His genius also resonates through other works that have been performed by orchestras in the U.S., Australia and even Taiwan.