SHENTON GREGORY

& GERARD MAPSTONE

 

An epic soundscape adventure through the sounds of Spain, Cuba and India with two of Australia's most celebrated musicians, flamenco guitarist Gerard Mapstone and multi-instrumentalist Shenton Gregory aka 'Shenzo Gregorio'.

 

These two artists have captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. Supported bands like the Buena Vista Social Club and Cindy Lauper, their versatile nature flows across world music, jazz, folk and classical arenas.

 

With passionate and virtuosic playing, beauty, mystery and energy, they invite you into their world of creation, improvisation, and connection to the duende of flamenco.

 

With gypsy songs from the campfires of Andalucia to the concert halls of Madrid, their music will move and excite you, as they take you on a musical odyssey across the globe and beyond.

 

Together they've featured at:

 

The World Famous Spiegeltent with James Sherlock

Woodford Folk Festival

Blues Fest

Tanks Arts Centre

Queensland Music Festival

Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre

Visy Theatre with Dheeraj Shrestha and Tomas Aroquerro

Tyalgum Festival of Classical Music

Brisbane Festival at QPAC

Queensland Multicultural Festival

Tablelands Folk Festival

Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts

Ausdance Queensland Bell Tower with Tomas Aroquerro

Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Concert Hall

Queensland Chamber Orchestra, Camerata of St John's

Mackay Arts Centre

Melbourne Arts Centre with Opera Australia

 

 

REVIEWS

 

"Stand out performance for me, was Gerard Mapstone and Shenzo Gregorio .. The entire audience was awed to stillness and silence, with utter respect..  Shenzo’s luscious violin sound blended beautifully with Gerard’s brilliant, bold and majestic flamenco guitar...  The show in The Chapel was the most patient and powerful music I'd ever felt."

Emmaline Anderson, Tablelands Folk Festival 2009

 

 

"This tune filled the room. It is hard to do it justice with merely words, but it was a tune of energy, of light and of heat. The crescendos and flurry of Mapstone’s fingers on the strings captured my attention completely and I was lost. I was in Spain. I was swimming IN a glass of sangria... I couldn’t escape from this trance. Why wasn’t there a health warning on the ticket for this show?

 

The violinist, Shenzo Gregorio, started to affect his instrument until it let out a wail of emotion causing every mouth in the theatre to drop. It was simply beautiful, eerie, emotional and exhaustive. This vibrant beauty continued to romance the stage... it was superb."

Chandra Clements, Winner of the 2013 Telstra, Marie Claire Young Business Woman of the Year Award

 

 

About Shenton

 

Shenton Gregory aka 'Shenzo Gregorio' who was classically trained, has reached new heights as an improvisor, composer, director, and actor. From two-time ARIA award winning world music group ‘Monsieur Camembert’ to composing music for award winning theatre, not to mention his world first high flying act ‘Shenzo's Electric Stunt Orchestra’, featuring musicians hung from wires, playing upside-down and literally flying around the venue, it has to be seen to be believed. Shenzo is a full time member of Sydney string quartet Four Play String Quartet, recently back from Carnegie Hall. Shenzo appears with many festival favourites like Circle of Rhythm, Totally Gourdgeous, Dale Caña Flamenco Company, and has Directed for WOT-Opera, and Opera Australia.

 

 

And Gerard, also classically trained finding new ground with Flamenco as the base of his inspiration has worked with international flamenco fusion band Candela, together supporting guitarist Tomatito and Estrella Morente. He has recorded with Balkan gypsy group the Doch Gypsy Orchestra, and supported the Gypsy Queens and Kings, Cindy Lauper and Buena Vista Social Club.  He has composed new works for the Queensland Chamber Orchestra, and he is director of the Dalé Caña Flamenco Company, one of Australia's leading contemporary flamenco groups.