« Femmenco »
On 24 April at 9:00 pm, as part of the Flamenco Nómada Festival and in partnership with the jazz club One More Time (AGMJ), Melodie Gimard presents Femmenco, a concert that brings together flamenco, jazz and female creativity. The French-Spanish pianist unveils her compositions in a universe where improvisation plays a central role, accompanied by double bassist Gal Maestro, singer Anna Colom and percussionist Nasrine Rahmani.
On this occasion, guest artist Karen Lugo, internationally renowned dancer and co-artistic director of the 2026 edition of the festival, will join the group for a vibrant performance that blends power, freedom and dialogue between music and dance.
Femmenco celebrates the strength of women in contemporary flamenco and offers a unique musical encounter.
Piano Mélodie Gimard
Double Bass Gal Maestro
Vocals Anna Colom
Percussion Nasrine Rahmani
Dance Karen Lugo
Location Centre de Musiques Actuelles (CHAUDRON)
Date vendredi 24 avril
Time 9:00 PM
Address Passage de Marie-Claude Leburgue 2, 1205 Genève
Full price: 23.-
Concert in partnership with AGMJ
Manuel Castan is a versatile guitarist who has excelled in various musical styles such as Irish music, Gypsy music, Argentine tango, and Latin American singing, though his main focus remains flamenco. As a child, he discovered this art form by listening to a Paco de Lucía record with his mother, who is of Spanish origin — marking the beginning of his love affair with flamenco.
He began his flamenco guitar studies under Ricardo Salinas in Avignon, later earning a diploma from the Barcelona Flamenco Conservatory, and received guidance from renowned masters such as Pedro Sierra, Niño de Pura, Eduardo Rebollar, and Paco Cortés at the Cristina Heeren Foundation in Seville.
Manuel then spent three years living in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, where he honed his skills in accompanying singing and dancing alongside artists like Manuela Carpio, La Rubia de Jerez, La Chiqui, and Ana María López. In 2014, he returned to Geneva and has since participated in numerous shows with the companies La Cueva Flamenca and Ensueños led by Rebeca Castilla.
Miguel Calatayud, a guitarist born in Ciudad Real, discovered flamenco at the age of 20. His nomadic journey has led him to create flamenco-based musical projects in various countries such as Greece, England, Morocco, Mexico, and Switzerland.
He studied modern jazz at EJMA in Switzerland (Lausanne) before consolidating his career in Seville, where he was awarded two scholarships to train at the prestigious Cristina Heeren Foundation with masters such as Paco Cortés and Niño de Pura.
Jesules Losada is a guitarist born in Madrid who began his career at the age of 14 at the “tablao” Torrebermejas. Trained under the guidance of David Lamar, he has collaborated with major flamenco figures such as singer José Mercé.
His international career includes tours across Europe with the opera “Carmen”, where he performed alongside renowned artists including José Carreras.
In 2015, he released his debut album “Corre Chacho”, establishing himself as both a composer and soloist. He is currently preparing his second album and is accompanied by his sons at each event, adding an intimate and family dimension to his performances.
Guillermo García “El Guille”, percussionniste flamenco né à Carthagène, où il a étudié le solfège et le violon, et s’est formé au cajón flamenco au Centre de Danse Amor de Dios à Madrid. Il a été percussionniste au Corral de la Pacheca et a collaboré avec des artistes comme Jorge Pardo et El Piculabe. Il a été chroniqueur pour la revue Flamenco de RDM. Fondateur du groupe Pellizco del Foro et des festivals Tokalo et Todocajon. Il est actuellement professeur officiel à l’école de danse Amor De Dios, avec plus de 26 ans d’expérience dans l’enseignement.
Nasrine Rahmani is a percussionist specialising in flamenco and Latin American percussion. Born in Australia to a Mauritian mother and an Iranian father, Nasrine began her studies in African, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban percussion.
After earning her degree in Music Performance from the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, she undertook the first of four trips to Cuba to further her studies in Latin percussion.
Driven by a desire to live in a musical culture more aligned with percussion, she eventually moved to Spain, where she specialised in flamenco cajón.
Juan Manuel Cortés is a percussionist specialising in flamenco culture, known for his mastery of compás (flamenco rhythm) and his distinctive approach to the flamenco repertoire. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Samuelito, Antoine Boyer, Kiko Ruiz, Lydie Fuerte, Alberto Garcia, Vicente, as well as Rafael and Paloma Pradal.
Deeply rooted in tradition, he is also a refined composer and a dynamic performer, capable of exploring the full range of flamenco with subtlety and precision. In 2020, he produced, directed, and composed the album À Fleur de Peau for Eva Luisa’s company, contributing his compositions and a richly detailed percussive soundscape.
A passionate educator, Juan Manuel shares the secrets of flamenco with clarity, using sound examples, visual aids, and rhythmic games to demystify musical forms and guide his students through the diverse styles of this complex art form.
Enrique Rodríguez “Enriquito” is a trumpeter, composer, and rising star in the world of flamenco-jazz. At just 18 years old, he made his mark as a prominent figure of the new generation of flamenco-jazz musicians, inspired and mentored by flautist Jorge Pardo. His natural talent and impressive musical development have established him as a leading artist, exploring a truly unique sound world.
Enriquito has worked with major artists such as Josemi Carmona, Jorge Pardo, and Javier Colina, successfully blending elements of jazz and flamenco. Winner of the Best European Musician award from the French Jazz Academy, he has contributed to a number of well-known musical ensembles and released several acclaimed albums — the most recent being Fuentes y Manantiales in 2020.
Jorge Pardo, flautist and composer born in Madrid, is a leading figure on today’s music scene, renowned for his unique fusion of jazz and flamenco. In 2013, he was named Best European Jazz Musician. Trained at the Royal Conservatory of Madrid, he mainly plays the concert flute and saxophone, and has collaborated with legends such as Paco de Lucía.
Pardo has performed at international festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival and has worked with renowned artists including Chick Corea and Al Di Meola. Winner of the National Prize for Contemporary Music in 2015, his albums — El canto de los guerreros, Las cigarras son quizás sordas, Diez de Paco, and Vientos Flamencos — reflect the richness of his artistic career.
Jean-Louis Duzert, born in Villenave-d’Ornon, discovered his passion for photography at an early age. After specialised studies in Orthez, he began his career as an official photographer for a government ministry in Paris before joining the newspaper Sud-Ouest, where he worked as a photojournalist from 1973 to 2010.
A passionate admirer of flamenco, Duzert has become a key figure in the world of this art form. He is the official photographer of the Flamenco Festival at the Théâtre de Nîmes and has been a regular guest of the Arte Flamenco Festival in Mont-de-Marsan since its inception in 1989.
His work has been exhibited in major cities such as Seville, Jerez, Lebrija, Madrid, Mont-de-Marsan, Nîmes, Paris and Bordeaux, among others.
He has also published several books dedicated to flamenco, including Arte Flamenco (Festival de Mont-de-Marsan), Flamenco Flamme (Festival de Nîmes), Prohibido el cante (Andalusian Centre for Contemporary Art in Seville), Alborea (Andalusian Flamenco Agency magazine), and more recently Balada Flamenca, published by Éditions IN8.
With an authentic and passionate eye, Jean-Louis Duzert has captured the very essence of flamenco, becoming a global reference in the documentation of this vibrant art form.
Josué Rodríguez “Ronkío” is a flamenco bassist and producer, known for his versatility and talent. The son of flamenco guitarist Luis Rodríguez “Luisillo” and nephew of singer Encarna Fernández, he grew up in a musical environment that deeply shaped his development.
Over the course of his career, he has collaborated with renowned artists such as Concha Buika, Ketama, Josémi Carmona, La Negra, and on his own project Labudú, where he fuses flamenco with jazz and Latin music. He has toured internationally and performed on prestigious stages including the Blue Note and BB King’s.
As a producer, he has worked with musicians such as Antonio Serrano, Chano Domínguez, and Rubem Dantas, among others. His ability to blend genres and his mastery of the bass make him one of the most gifted bassists on today’s contemporary flamenco scene.
