Juan Benavides, guitar, cajon, guacharaca, and composer;
Robin Tolleson, drums;
Jake Wolf, bass.
Special guests (CD):
Duncan Wickel, violin;
Kima Moore, cajon, jaleos;
Billy Seawell, tabla.
Special guests (live):
Juan Camillo, Juan Luis Merced, Juan David Narvaez, Billy Seawell, River Guerguerian, percussion;
Tony Black, Shannon Hoover, Grant Cuthbertson, Shayne Heather, bass;
Steve Davidowski, Jim Kohn, woodwinds;
August Hoerr, accordion.
Sounds Like
"Guitarist Juan Benavides, drummer Robin Tolleson and bassist Jake Wolf take everything that is good about flamenco music and expound on it, giving the traditional dance music enough breathing room to establish an identity all its own. With its intricate acoustic guitar arrangements, gyrating drums and ambient jazz digressions, Cabo Verde doesn't encourage a dancing frenzy as much as it inspires careful listening. And yet the trio never takes themselves too seriously, maintaining playfullness and a spicy undercurrent." Bold Life..........................
"Fusing modern flamenco, funk, jazz and world music, Cabo Verde's innovative sound has long been a favorite in both local clubs and the regional festival circuit." Mountain Xpress.....................................................................
"Guitarist Juan Benavides draws from traditional flamenco styles, cleverly blending them with bits of other danceable Latin and American musical styles." Charleston City Paper......................................................................
"Flamenco, at least the updated version performed by Cabo Verde, is probably the perfect accompaniment to any evening out. Modern jazz meets traditional tango; funk rhythms override old Algerian chants; Afro-Cuban drums salute soulful Latin strings." Mountain Xpress....
"Robin Tolleson and Jake Wolf are a solid rhythm section for guitarist Juan Benavides. Juan's guitar playing and compositions remind me of a Tonino Bliardo of the Gypsy Kings. There is no doubt that they put on a great live performance." Falseta.......................................
Cabo Verde (The Green Cape) has been an Asheville sensation ever since the arrival of Colombia-born guitarist/composer/artist Juan Benavides on the scene in 2002. In Cabo Verde, Benavides' musical vision of modern flamenco, funk and jazz has thrilled audiences at festivals and nightspots, and featured many of the area's finest musicians and dancers.
In its trio form, with drummer Robin Tolleson and bassist Jake Wolf, the CV sound is raw and direct, with a jazzy playfullness as well. This sound is available on a new CD titled "Shade Grown," released at BoBo Gallery in Asheville on March 13, 2008.
Cabo Verde can be seen regularly at Zambra and the BoBo Gallery in Asheville, and has also performed at Artisphere International Festival of Music and Arts, Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Fest, Fiesta Latina, Greenville Main Street Jazz, Lake Eden Arts Festival, Anderson's Jazz on the Square, Instruments of Peace 2, The Orange Peel, The Grey Eagle, Stella Blue, The Handlebar, The Pour House (Charleston), The World Grotto and Preservation Pub in Knoxville, TN, Emerald Lounge, Blue Spiral Gallery, Tressa's, Z Lounge, Cafe Soleil, Stir Fry Cafes in Johnson City, TN, and Asheville, Barley's in Asheville and Spindale, and West First.
Cabo Verde performed live in WNCW's famed Studio B in 2008, and their track "A Darle" from that session was chosen to appear on the station's fundraiser compilation CD, "Crowd Around The Mic."
Hi Cabo Verde! Thanks for the friendship. We have a show coming up in Raleigh, NC May 30th. Check the event link below for details. Hope to see you there! Click Here To View Event <>>> <>>>
Not just a thanks for the add, but also for the chilli relish on life's cheese cracker with a bit of crumbly Wensleydale. Can you spare some red onion?
The band sounds great Robin. Sorry I missed you at Smokey Joe's, we were out of town. I hope we can make some music in the near future. I miss you guys.
