Trío Guadalevín took shape in 2014 when three distinct musicians gathered to explore a common interest: musical connections between Mexico and the Mediterranean. Employing a wealth of instruments and techniques the trio researches and often reimagines the musical dialogue between Indigenous, European and African cultures, which define Latin American identity. The ensemble takes a fresh, innovative approach to music with deep roots: from the son huasteco and son jarocho of Mexico, to Afro-Oaxacan music, Sephardic Jewish melodies, Spanish fandangos and xácaras, Arab-Andalusian song and Italian ciaccona and tarantella. Instruments including the guitar, oud, theorbo, baroque guitar, vihuela, jarana, quinta huapanguera, harp, bendir, riqq, bombo, pandero cuadrado, pandereta, teponatzli, cajón and more.

 

The trio’s commitment to education and community outreach parallels its concert performances. It works extensively with multiple school districts with high numbers of students of color and low-income youth, as well as libraries, grassroots cultural organizations. It has adapted its interactive content for K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 grade level strands, connecting to concepts from 21st century skills, cultural equity and social studies. The trio presents in English, Spanish or bilingually. Highlights of educational work include shaping children’s poetry into songs and engaging high schools students of World History, Human Geography, Spanish and Music.

 

Percussionist Antonio Gómez has studied across Latin America and in Morocco, Spain and Italy. He designs arts education programs and curricula as the Associate Director of Education at Tacoma Arts Live and has produced performing arts and curricular content for universities and PBS. Abel Rocha is a Mexico City-born folklorist, singer and multi-instrumentalist who performs music of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and Argentina. He is a foundational member of groups including Correo Aereo and Los Flacos and was recently the subject of the KCTS 9 Seattle Emmy-nominated documentary, Los Artistas. August Denhard performs on lute, theorbo, baroque guitar, oud and vihuela. He is a founder of the Eurasia Consort, and has appeared with Baroque Northwest, the Concord Ensemble and Chicago Music of the Baroque. He is the Executive Director of Early Music Seattle, where he has produced events with Jordi Savall, among others.

The trio has collaborated with Ensamble Continuo Tembembe (Mexico City), Orquesta Sonora Barroca (Guadalajara), Orquesta Northwest’s Latino Chamber Music Festival, Washington State poet laureate Claudia Castro-Luna, La Sala Seattle, international authority on Sephardic Jewish and Iberian music, Paco Díez, Israeli percussionist Dror Sinai, world flute artist Gary Stroutsos, Alma Cimarrona Danza Experimental (Mexico City), Bailadores de Bronce (Seattle), Afro-Venezuelan dancer Milvia Pacheco, Northwest Folklife, the Washington Center for Cultural Traditions and others.

 

The ensemble’s project, Raíz y Rama, to lead encounters in Mexico and share musical dialogue with Latino majority communities of Eastern Washington received a major award from Artist Trust. Other granting agencies recognizing the ensemble and its members include the Jubilation Foundation, 4Culture, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, Jack Straw and Tacoma Office of Arts and Cultural Vitality. It has participated in multi-artist projects including Migrations: Forced & Chosen at the National Race & Pedagogy Conference and Diásporas en Diálogo for Festival Latinx.