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Paco Fonta is internationally recognized
as a foremost flamenco guitarist, singer, and composer. He has
been praised as an accomplished singer of Cante Jondo, the most
authentic, profound, and difficult of the flamenco styles. Born
in a small town near Jaen in the Andalusia region of southern
Spain, he began his professional career performing in tablaos
and festivals accompanying singers and dancers, including such
artists as La Nina de la Huerta and Antonio Molina. He later
toured Europe with the Kurt Savoy Trio. In 1985 he won first
prize in cante jondo at the flamenco festival in Jaen, Spain.
In 1986 Paco Fonta came with his wife Celia, also a well-known
flamenco dancer to open the famous Cacharrito's Place Tablao
in Miami. Since then Mr.Fonta has worked at all the tablaos in
Miami and now produces his own flamenco show to sellout crowds
at the Casa Panza Restaurant. Mr.Fonta works with several flamenco
dance companies in the U.S. and abroad, most notably with Ballet
Flamenco la Rosa based in Miami, Bailes Ferrer out of Ft.Lauderdale,
The Ensemble Espanol from Chicago, and Carmen Garza Flamenco
Ballet in Venezuela. Paco Fonta was a recipient of the Florida
Folk Life Apprenticeship Program as a Master Artist for the years
1998-99, and 1999-00, has been performing at the Florida Folk
Festival since 1998.
As a composer, he has collaborated on writing dance music for
Ballet Flamenco la Rosa with vocalist, oud and dumbek player
Joe Zeytoonian, with The Roach Thompson Blues Band, with Indian
musicians Paul Leak and Steve Gorn, and most recently with the
Afro Cuban dance company, Iroko.
Mr. Fonta's guitar can be heard on Gloria Estefans hit record"Cuts
Both Ways", the new hit song"Tu Amor" by Olga
Tañon, and many other recordings with Latin artists.
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