Franco Bianco POWER FLAMENCO

- Franco Bianco born in Rome in 1967. At a very young age he falls in love with the methodical study of drums, percussion and rhythm. Begins his career playing drums with hall-dance and rock-metal bands, first across Italy and later in England, where he studies at London "Musicians Academy" and lives for years. The multiracial London of the early 90's connects him with a rich multitude of music cultures: from "The Marquee" stars "Last Of The Teenage Idols" PUNK ROCK, to "Freedom Slam" intricate FUNK, going throughout JAZZ, BLUES, REGGAE, BRITISH POP, WORLD and LATIN MUSIC. Back to Italy to discover new sounds and eventually his own cultural identity, he plays sets and percussion with many different bands and in many festivals in Italy and across Europe, with bands like "C.A.B." (an acoustic band that revisits the original DELTA BLUES in a rough swing style), "Quiza Quintet" (a world-flamenco-fusion project produced by the canadian pop singer "Gino Vannelli"), "Zoo Di Venere", "Custard Pie", "Moonlight Big Band", "Extra Dixie", "Belen Thomas", "Greg & Lillo", "Los Farias". He is also involved in various productions for "Sanremo Giovani" and appears in many T.V. programs ("Videomusic", "Festival Bar", "Una canzone per te", "Scommettiamo che", "Uno di noi"), back-banding for many international artists ("Shaggy", "Ronan Keatin", "Shakira"...). At the same time he keeps an active teaching schedule and recording sessions. Always active in the research of new inputs, he dedicates himself passionately to FLAMENCO PERCUSSION, collaborating with the gipsy guitarist "Manuel Santiago" from Malaga and more or less all the active flamenco music and dance projects based in Italy. He begins traveling always more often between Rome, Milan, Madrid and Seville to rehearse and study and thanks to the companies of "Caterina Costa", "Juana Calà", "Locos De Remate" and the swiss based "Flamenco En Route", he has the chance to play with many artists of the international flamenco scene. Getting always more involved he relocates to Madrid where, often nicknamed FRANCUCHO, he is soon active playing clubs like "Casa Patas" and touring world-wide with the companies of "Pilar Tavora", "La Truco", "Carlos Chamorro", "José Greco", "Antonio & Manuel Reyes", "Yolanda Gaviño", "La Tati", "Cristobal Reyes". At the moment he is intensively working with Los Vivancos , an amazing company lead by 7 dancer-musician brothers that perform a unique blend of flamenco, rock, hip hop and classical music.
LOS VIVANCOS - Elias & Israel - Live AUG 2007