Niño Josele / Nino Josele

The neo-flamenco guitarist Niño Josele, born Juan Jose Heredia in Almería in 1974, comes from a long line of traditional Spanish musicians and, like most children born to musical families, started playing as a child. Unlike his forebears, though, he has made a trademark of versatility, especially since the 2006 release of Paz, his critically lauded dedication to the jazz pianist Bill Evans. With contributions from such jazz luminaries as Joe Lavano and Marc Johnson, Paz, a collection of reconfigured Evans works, established Josele as a visionary fusionist; by laying down tracks both lush and spare, Josele arrived at the artful intersection between flamenco and traditional jazz. Prior to Paz, Josele appeared on collaborations with Enrique Morente, Diego el Cigala, Bebo Valdés, and Andrés Calamaro; he also participated in the short film Almendros los Plaza Nueva. His previous solo releases are Calle Ancha (1995) and Niño Josele (2003).