Raúl Mannola
Guitarrista flamenco de nacionalidad finlandesa, afincado en Madrid. Nace el 17 de Agosto 1963 en Buenos Aires, Argentina, desde donde, siendo aún muy pequeño, se traslada a Finlandia. Empieza a estudiar el piano con 9 años, pero es cuando descubre la guitarra a los 11 años, que se da cuenta de que ha nacido para ser músico. Estudia con el pionero del jazz finlandés, Ingmar Englund, y luego en el conservatorio de jazz con Peter Lerche.
A los 19 años, cuando oye un disco de "El Chato de la Isla" con Ramón de Algeciras, se enamora del flamenco y deja la púa para siempre. Pronto viaja a Córdoba, donde estudia con D. Manuel Cano, y donde conoce a artistas flamencos que con el tiempo llegarán a ser grandes personajes del género, tales como: José Antonio Rodriguez, Paco Serrano, Manuel Silveria, Vicente Amigo etc. Aprende de todos ellos, igual que de muchos cantaores y guitarristas aficionados.
Después de recidir 4 años en Córdoba, vuelve a Finlandia, donde trabaja acompañando al cante y al baile, y tocando solo o con su grupo, Córdoba Mora. Enseña guitarra flamenca, y da cursos y conferencias sobre el flamencopor todo el pais.
En 1992 conoce a Manolo Sanlúcar, quien será su maestro. Reside en Finlandia y en Italia sin perder nunca el contacto con Córdoba, una ciudad muy importante para el. Alli conoce también a Ralph Towner, otro guitarrista muy importante para su desarrollo músical. En 2003 decide volver a su "segunda patria". Reside durante 4 años en el hermoso pueblo cordobés, Montoro, al que dedica un disco ("Montoro", 2008). También en Córdoba obtiene con sobresaliente el titulo de "Profesor Superior de Guitarra Flamenca" en el Conservatorio Superior de Música "Rafael Orozco", siendo su profesor Antonio Bonilla Roquero. Ha trabajado con varios artistas cordobeses, como Antonio Porcuna "El Veneno", participando en su último disco "Al Calor de mi Gente", un disco sincero y flamenco. Otros son: Rafael Espejo "Churumbaque", Merengue de Córdoba, Rafael Sanchez "Chencho", Antonio Alcázar, Victoria Palacios etc.
En 2007 gana en Murcia el primer premio para guitarristas de "otras nacionalidades" en el II Concurso de Guitarra Flamenca "Niño Ricardo". Actualmente reside en Madrid, donde toca con su Cuarteto, y como colaborador una de las grandes figuras del cante actual, Rafael Jiménez "Falo" y la
bailaora de origen fenno-turca, Aylin Bayaz.
En Marzo 2009 graba en Madrid su sexto disco como protagonista, profundamente flamenco, con grandes músicos: Jorge Pardo y Juan Carlos Aracil, flauta, los cantaores "Falo" y Antonio Porcuna "El Veneno", el gran percusionista Serguei Sapricheff etc.
Otro de sus grupos es el trio Guitarras del Norte, con dos grandes guitarristas de jazz, el supervirtuoso sueco Andreas Oberg, y el finlandés Timo Lehto. Con ellos realiza giras con cierta frecuencia, en festivales importantes como Pori Jazz, LinnaJazz, Kerava Jazz o BalticJazz.
Flamenco guitarist of finnish nationality, living in Madrid. Born the 17th August 1963 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At a very young age, he moved to Finland, where he started to study piano at the age of 9. But it is at the age of 11, when he discovered the guitar, when he realised that he was born to play music. He studied with Ingmar Englund, finnish jazz pioneer, later on with Peter Lerche in the Pop-Jazz conservatory of Helsinki.
When 19, he fell in love with with flamenco after hearing a recording of "El Chato de la Isla" and Ramón de Algeciras. This experience would mark him for the rest of his life. Soon after this, he travelled to Córdoba, where he studied with D. Manuel Cano, and where he met flamenco personalities, that later on would become first class artists, sush as: José Antonio Rodriguez, Manuel Silveria, Paco Serrano, Vicente Amigo etc. He learned from all of them, as well as from many great non-professional singers and guitarists.
After living 4 years in Córdoba, he returned to Finland,where he worked accompanying singers and dancers, playing solos or with his group "Córdoba Mora". He taught flamenco guitar, and gave courses about flamenco all over Finland. In Córdoba, in 1993, he also met Manolo Sanlúcar, who would become his most important teacher. He lived in Finland and in Italy, without loosing the contact with Córdoba, a very significant town for him. There he also met Ralph Towner, another guitarist with important influence on his music.
In 2003 he decided to return to his "second patria" and spent 4 years in the beautiful town of Montoro, in the north-east of Córdoba Province. It was also in Córdoba where he obtained the degree of "Profesor Superior de Guitarra Flamenca" in the Conservatorio Superior de Música "Rafael Orozco". His teacher during all the three years was Antonio Bonilla Roquero. He has worked with several cordobean flamenco artists, such as: Antonio Porcuna "El Veneno", playing in his resent album "Al Calor de mi Gente", very sincere and extremely flamenco. Some of the others are: Rafael Espajo "Churumbaque", Merengue de Córdoba, Rafael Sanchez "Chencho", Antonio Alcazar, Victoria Palacios etc.
In 2007 he won in Murcia the first prize for non-spanish players in the II Concurso de Guitarra Flamenca "Niño Ricardo". Since January 2009, he
lives in Madrid, where he performs with his Quartet, with the special collaboration of one of the greatest actual flamenco singers, Rafael Jimenez "Falo" and with the dancer of Finnish-Turkish origin, Aylin Bayaz.
In March the same year, he records his sixth album as a leader, profoundly flamenco, with some great musicians: Jorge Pardo and Juan Carlos
Aracil, flute, the singers "Falo" and "El Veneno", the great percussionist Serguei Sapricheff etc.
Another of his goups is the trio Guitarras del Norte, with two great jazz guitarists, the swedish supervirtuoso Andreas Oberg, and the finnish Timo
Lehto. With them he has played in some of the most important jazz festivals of Finland, suchs as Pori Jazz, Baltic Jazz, Linna Jazz, Kerava Jazz etc.
contact@raulmannola.com +358.50.3686.307 +34.680.410.147
