Biel Ballester
{{Short description|Spanish gypsy jazz guitarist}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Biel Ballester
| image = Biel Ballester 1.jpg
| caption = Biel Ballester (2016)
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1974}}
| birth_place = Mallorca, Spain
| genre = Gypsy jazz
| occupation = Musician
| instrument = Guitar
| years_active =
| label =
}}
Biel Ballester (born 1974) is a gypsy jazz guitarist from Mallorca, Spain. He contributed music to the Woody Allen film Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Biography
Biel Ballester is from Mallorca in Spain.{{citation|title=Interview with Biel Ballester & Dave Mitchell Trio|date=21 March 2015|url=http://www.jazzkaar.ee/en/uudised/interview-with-biel-ballester-dave-mitchell-trio/|work=Jazzkaar|accessdate=6 September 2015}} He studied classical guitar under Àlex Garrobé at the Escola D'Arts Musicals Luthier in Barcelona. He discovered the music of Django Reinhardt at age 18, and his music is a fusion of gypsy jazz and Spanish music.{{citation| title=Our Man in Barcelona: Biel Ballester| work=Gypsy Jazz Guitar Secrets| volume=6| date=28 November 2014}} With Leo Hipaucha (rhythm guitar) and Oriol González (double bass) he formed the Biel Ballester trio. He was introduced to Woody Allen during the filming of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Allen, a jazz clarinet player, played frequently with Ballester during this time and included two of his tracks on the soundtrack of the film.{{citation| title=Sé que es un disco muy bueno y he querido gestionarlo todo| url=http://ultimahora.es/noticias/cultura/2016/02/08/175360/disco-muy-bueno-querido-gestionarlo-todo.html| accessdate=11 November 2016| work=UH Noticias| date=7 February 2016}}
Discography
=As leader=
- Echoes from Mallorca (Refined, 2005)
- Live in London (Le Q, 2006)
- Bistro de Barcelona (Refined, 2008)
- Jazz a l'Estudi (TVC Disc, 2011)
- Avanti! (Hot Club, 2011)
- Melodium Melodynamic (La Cupula Music, 2015)
- The Lowdown (Hot Club, 2015)
=As sideman=
- Jon Larsen, Short Stories from Catalonia, (Hot Club, 2013)
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:Spanish male guitarists
Category:Continental jazz guitarists
Category:Gypsy jazz guitarists
Category:Spanish jazz guitarists
Category:21st-century Spanish guitarists