This month we're featuring SlideMeister member, Mr. Antonio Serrano
Antonio was born in Madrid in 1974. His father started teaching him the harmonica (his main instrument) by the age of 7, and later he went on to study with the great Larry Adler. Antonio soon developed an amazing technique on the chromatic harmonica that has allowed him to play in many different contexts, dominating all styles of music, from classical music to jazz, bues, tango and flamenco.
Antonio first received international attention at the age of 13 when he performed in Paris as a duo with Larry AdlerThis concert marked the beginning of a long-standing relationship between the two harmonica players, one which would greatly enhance Antonio´s already promising professional career.
Larry Adler became Antonio´s mentor and they performed together on may occasions. In 1992 when Antonio was just 18 he performed the Malcolm Arnold Harmonica Concerto which was written specifically for the great master, Larry Adler. (video)
As a young adult, having previously focused predominantly on classical music, Antonio went on to study many other genres of music, spending a number of years performing with blues, jazz and pop artists until be became known in his home country as one of the most important improvisers of his generation, recording on hundreds of records of all styles of music.
After becoming known as an instrumentalist of virtuosic abilities, it was inevitable that one day, he would receive the call from Spain´s most important instrumentalist of all time, the flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT8-3_fqO4Y&app=desktop
Antonio Serrano
Antonio eventually became famous for introducing the harmonica in flamenco music, an almost impenetrable genre for musicians outside the flamenco culture. He continues to tour the world with this living legend, whilst also pursuing his solo career and performing as a guest artist with other musicians. Over the years, Antonio has played and/or recorded with Larry Adler, Toots Thielemans , Wynton Marsalis, Jerry Gonzalez, Chano Dominguez, Lou Bennett, Jorge Pardo, Vicente Amigo, Tomatito, Armando Manzanero, Luis Salinas, Javier Colina and many many more. During his career, Antonio has played with the symphonic orchestras of Venezuela (Simón Bolivar), Belgium, Cologne, Heidelberg, Kiel and Turkish Radio amongst others, playing original Concertos for harmonica by H. Villalobos, Malcolm Arnold, and arrangements of Enescu, Gershwin, Piazzolla and many more.
As a session musician, Antonio Serrano has recorded with most of the major pop and rock artists in Spain and as well as on the soundtracks to numerous films by the renowned Spanish film maker Pedro Almodovar.
Antonio Serrano has released 7 albums, his most recent is “Harmonious” released in February 2013.
