RSSIt's all about emotion for acclaimed guitarist Feriante
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
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That's especially true with Feriante, who spent part of his childhood in Yakima. His romantic, at times bittersweet style has been compared to Brazilian singer-guitarist Caetano Veloso, whose touching music was featured in Pedro Almodóvar's Oscar-winning film, "Talk to Her."
Earning classical and new age fans, Feriante plays a neo-classical mix of flamenco, original compositions and improvisations.
"I have kind of deviated from the strict classical mentality," says Feriante, who next week will play a concert here. "I have almost a bit of a jazz mentality."
Lyrically, he's drawn comparisons to the recordings of poet-turned-folk singer Leonard Cohen. (Feriante is currently working on a CD of poetry and music that will most likely include a cover of Cohen's "Suzanne.")
For the 46-year-old Feriante, music is about emotion, about feeling. It's about people. And his concert here next week at The Seasons is about one person in particular, Feriante's mother, Helen.
Ever since The Seasons opened, says Feriante, his mom has been encouraging him to play at the downtown performance hall.
It's only fitting, then, that his May 16 concert comes only a handful of days after Mother's Day. (In fact, it's his first Yakima concert since a 2001 Mother's Day performance at Holy Family Chapel.)
Feriante was born in Naples, Italy, to Carlo and Helen Feriante while the two were missionaries in Italy. His childhood and teen years were spent living in Yakima -- his mom is originally from Sunnyside --and Manziana, a village just outside Rome.
As a young child, he says, he identified more with American culture. He loved baseball and hamburgers.
"But as a teenager, I became more Italian," he says from his home in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood.
Feriante was influenced by the flamenco tradition of Gypsies from Spain and Italy. He saw his first flamenco group at 13 while a student at the American Overseas School of Rome, and "that music spoke to me in a big way," says Feriante.
"When I was in Rome as a teenager," he adds, "I knew music was going to be my life."
After returning to the U.S. at 17, Feriante spent time in Yakima and Spokane, and Yakima again before settling in Seattle in the late 1980s after a divorce. (His youngest son, also named Andre, still lives here and is a Christian singer-songwriter.)
Since moving to Seattle, Feriante has earned a loyal international following. His album "Bohemian Boulevard" was named Best World Album of the year by NewAgeReporter.com as part of its 2005 LifeStyle Music Awards. And in February, Feriante played his 10th annual Valentine's Day concert at Benaroya Hall in Seattle.
At his Yakima concert next week, Feriante plans to focus on his Spanish-style original compositions, as well as perform a special tribute to Andrés Segovia, considered the father of the modern classical guitar movement.
While living in Spokane, Feriante earned the opportunity -- after a couple of previous attempts -- to attend a master class taught by Segovia in Madrid.
"It was an incredible experience; he was 91 years old," says Feriante, who was nervous until he began playing.
"Then it was like playing for my father."
Feriante fast facts
* Born in Naples, Italy, to missionary parents Carlo and Helen Feriante, who now live in Yakima.
* Trained in a Madrid master class with Andrés Segovia, considered the father of the modern classical guitar movement.
* His guitar style has been compared to Brazilian singer-guitarist Caetano Veloso, and his lyrical style draws comparisons to Leonard Cohen.
* Voted Best Local Musician for Grown-Ups by Seattle Magazine in 2004.
* His album "Bohemian Boulevard" was named Best World Album of the year by NewAgeReporter.com, which serves the new age, world and ambient music scene, as part of its 2005 LifeStyle Music Awards.
* In September, his music was featured on the public radio program "Hearts of Space."
* He recently performed his 10th annual Valentine's Day concert at Benaroya Hall in Seattle.
* Landed between tennis star Andre Agassi and actor Mathew St. Patrick on an MSN.com list of 12 sexy bald men.
If you go
WHO: Andre Feriante.
WHAT: Classical/flamenco guitarist.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. May 16.
WHERE: The Seasons, 101 N. Naches Ave.
HOW MUCH: $15 through The Seasons box office, 453-1888 or www.seasonsmusicfestival.com.
* To see a video of Feriante, visit www.myspace.com/onmagazine.
