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29 Jul 2021

Chris Fossek - a Guitarist from Santa Barbara Visits GSI to Record His Compositions and Traditional Macedonian and Lebanese Music.

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Chris Fossek, a guitarist and composer from Santa Barbara, has recently visited GSI for the first time. Chris is a former student of Miroslav Tadić with whom he studied at Cal Arts. Chris has performed worldwide and sold-out venues in various concert settings. He has also played at private events for people such as Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett.

During his visit to GSI, Chris performed two of his own compositions written in flamenco style: “Camino Cielo (Solea)” and “Soleau’s Canvas: IV. A Zealous Brush.” He also recorded two traditional Macedonian pieces, Stojane, Sine Stojane” (arr. Tadić) and “Eleno” (arr. Tadić & Fossek). Chris’ recording session concluded with his own arrangement of “Wa Habibi”, a traditional Lebanese hymn.

For his own compositions, Chris chose two guitars made in the Gerundino Fernandez workshop – a 1998 Gerundino Fernandez CD/CY and a new instrument made by the son of Fernandez with the same name – a 2021 Gerundino Fernandez Hijo “Negra.”  The late Gerundino Fernandez (1931-2006), is considered by many to be one of the best flamenco builders of the latter half of the twentieth century, along with Arcangel Fernandez and Manuel Reyes. This particular guitar from 1998 is an excellent cedar “blanca.” It has a large body with an aggressive and loud, very “Andalusian” sound. The guitar made in 2021 by his son possesses the same subtle touch as the guitars of his father. This flamenco “negra” is very powerful with robust and penetrating trebles and fat basses.

Traditional Macedonian songs were performed on another two guitars made in Spain, a 2016 Fernando Moreno “Negra” from Sevilla, and a 2005 Stephen Hill “Blanca” SP/CY made in Granada. The first instrument, built by Moreno, is very southern Spanish in character with has a fast attack with great bark when pushed. Stephen Hill’s flamenco guitar is also very Spanish in character. It has a throaty voice with impressive volume. Stephen cites Manuel Reyes as one of his flamenco influences and the sound of this flamenco guitar confirms that.

For the last piece, “Wa Habibi,” Chris chose a vintage instrument, a 1932 Domingo Esteso SP/CY. Domingo Esteso, who worked along with fellow luthier, Santos Hernandez (from the Manuel Ramirez shop), was one of the greatest makers of the first half of the twentieth century. Even by modern standards today, the volume of this instrument is plentiful, and the loose, woody, and played-in sound is something that can only be found in an instrument of this vintage. The sound is absolutely magical from the bottom-end to the highest registers.

See the videos below!

 

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