My Son-Evan Christian

[Edie Antoinette]

Guitar Aficionado Flamenco guitarist Evan Christian performs solo at The Jazz Estate on Monday nights and Jackalope Lounj on Thursday nights. "I’m doing traditional flamenco, and my own material, which is blues, soul. Some of it’s in Spanish," Christian explains. Milwaukee’s Evan Christian is driven to become one of the finest flamenco guitar players in the world. And for Christian, practice makes perfect. He began his musical rendezvous as an upright bass player in fourth grade. His skill evolved into a natural obsession. His burning passion led him to self-taught lessons of the bass, electric and acoustic guitar. Flamenco music spoke to him most intuitively. "(Flamenco is) the highest level of an acoustic guitar player, I think. You’re using all 10 of your fingers at the same time," says Christian. He has been performing and producing music for the past 10 years, touring the Midwest with his group, the Evan Christian Quartet. Last summer, he toured internationally with Milwaukee’s own R&B sensation Cincere, entertaining the armed forces in the Middle East and Mediterranean. In 2004, he debuted with "Fuego," a CD taking listeners on a sensual journey of acoustic flamenco. He recently completed his second CD, "The Mosaic," which is more experimental and eclectic than "Fuego," and is working on his third. He plans to relocate and promote both CDs in New York and seek a record deal with national release. "A deal is just distribution," he says. "It’s a big part of it, but I’m not letting the fact that I don’t have one right now stop me." Two years ago, Christian decided to take his music abroad and study flamenco in Spain. The trip took him on a journey of personal and artistic growth. With nothing but his guitar on his back and "Fuego" CDs in his bag, he voyaged overseas and immersed himself into the world of flamenco music. Although his original plan to attend school didn’t happen, he began an unofficial apprenticeship with local guitarists and masters of flamenco. During his eight months in Madrid, he proved himself as an artist, built a strong fan base, gained the confidence of performing solo and fraternized with some of the greatest flamenco players in Spain. Christian’s eye-opening experiences during his study abroad in Spain and international tours with Cincere only reinforced his beliefs about the importance of practice. He practices three to five hours a day, every day, and when he’s not practicing or writing music, he’s performing. "You can’t do anything on stage that you can’t do in your room," Christian says. "And the best ones are the ones that practice the most, and invest the most time." Kenya C. Evans A Little About My Son-Evan Christian Lofty goals take flamenco guitarist to Spain and back By Lilledeshan Bose [e-mail] Posted: July 5, 2007 Don't hate Evan Christian because he's talented. And don't hate this 30-year-old songwriter and flamenco guitarist because he knows exactly what he wants, either. His goals may be simple, but they're in no way small. He wants to be the best flamenco guitarist in the country, then make a name for himself internationally. "I want to blow people away," he declares. It's a balmy afternoon in Bay View, and we're sitting on the floor in his studio, listening to tracks he just started recording on Pro Tools. These were raw songs, unmastered and unmixed, mainlined from his brain to his computer. And yet the musical precision - the high-speed tempo changes, the effortless fusion of jazz, flamenco, blues and even a little hip-hop - was all there. "I don't have self-esteem issues with my music," Christian said. "I know what I can do. . . . I represent my music proudly." As he should; it's rare enough to find flamenco guitarists in the Midwest. But a young, black flamenco guitarist from Milwaukee? Christian knows he's a precious commodity. "That's why I work so hard," he said. Don't think he's an arrogant prick, either. He gives off a sincere, warm vibe that also comes out in his music. Growing up in Milwaukee, the south-side Chicago native picked up the guitar as a teenager and learned to play without formal training. "I didn't set out to be a guitar player," Christian said of his musical background, "but I would hear a song and learn it real quick - I always learned by ear." Oddly enough, a hair band inspired him to learn flamenco. When he heard Tesla's Spanish-influenced guitar solo on "Love Song" from the album "Five Man Acoustical Jam," he thought, "I gotta learn how to do that!" The more Christian taught himself, the more he gravitated toward Latin sounds. "I understood that sound more than anything else," he said. He stocked up on flamenco CDs and practiced constantly, but he didn't get to play music full-time until he was 21. That was when, as a bouncer at Cush on the east side, he auditioned for the club's owners and got a regular Sunday night gig. "It probably sucked," he said with a laugh, "but I knew I had to do something!" Performing regularly, Christian first played with a trio, then a jazz and blues quartet. In 2004, he produced the album "Fuego." Last year, he moved to Spain to develop his flamenco-playing skills. He didn't speak Spanish and didn't have any friends there, but he bought a one-way ticket and stayed for eight months. In Spain, Christian discovered a different way of life. "(In Spain,) you do your thing," he said. "There are no qualms about it." He did what he needed to get by, staying in hostels and moving around a lot. Sometimes he didn't have enough to eat; other times he ate like a king. Through it all, he soaked up as much flamenco as he could, eventually performing with renowned flamenco guitarists in the country and touring throughout Europe. The experience, Christian said, forced him to grow as a person. "By not being comfortable all the time, you put yourself in situations that force you to grow. That's how you can eat in this business." Although he's been back in the States for a while (he toured with R&B singer Cincere in 2006), his love affair with flamenco isn't over. Christian practices flamenco guitar at least three hours a day. "You have to, if you want to be the best," he said. In his studio, there's a stack of more than 20 notebooks full of songs. He writes tracks - hip-hop, alternative, R&B - and plans to sell them in New York City, where he's moving by the end of the year. It's another goal he's driven to meet. And speaking of goals, Christian ultimately wants to take flamenco-playing in America to another level. He wants to sing and play flamenco guitar at the same time, a feat many would think is impossible. "You have to believe in yourself," Christian said. "If you do, it's amazing what can happen." The Evan Christian Quartet w/Spoken Word by Edie2k2 I'm very proud of Evan...yes I am. Evan Christian Photo/C.Taylor If you go What: Evan Christian When: 10 p.m. Thursdays Where: Wicked Hop, 345 N. Broadway info( 414) 223-0345, evanchristian.com, myspace.com/evan christianmayne local bands he listens to The Erotic Adventures of the Static Chicken Freshwater Collins Growing Nation Black Elephant De La Buena MKE jukebox Listen to the MKE jukebox, a collection of songs from Milwaukee- and Wisconsin-based acts.