Vancouver Folk Music Festival

July 14 to 16, 2023

Melón Jiménez & Lara Wong Flamenco-World Trio | Spain & BC

Award-winning flutist and bansuri player, Lara Wong and flamenco guitarist, Melón Jiménez, make flamenco their universal musical language to traverse musical territories. Their music ebbs and flows with elegance and emotion, perfectly fusing the soul of flamenco with the harmonic brilliance of jazz and the rhythmic improvisations of Indian music.

The groundbreaking couple first met on stage in 2018 in the flamenco jazz capital of Madrid.

Wong is a distinctive and promising voice in the world music scene. After completing her degree in classical and jazz performance at McGill University, she went on to study flamenco in its birthplace, Andalucia. Today, she is a prominent figure in the flamenco scene and is known for adapting the Indian bansuri flute into flamenco.

Guitarist Melón Jiménez is both devoted to the tradition of his Andalusian gypsy roots and to the innovation of the flamenco guitar. Having been born into a musically and culturally diverse family, Melón developed a unique style of playing, incorporating the different techniques and sounds he experienced over the years. His musical versatility has led to collaborations with artists of all genres, including Anoushka Shankar, Niña Pastori and others.

“…the result is stunning; it is fluid, it is sensual and fully embodies the spirit of flamenco: virtuosity and passion.” – CBC Radio-Canada