Biography
Fernando’s Kitchen
Fernando’s Kitchen is a multi-cultural 5 piece line-up of spanish guitar, flamenco cajon, double bass, trumpet, darbuka, Moroccan oud and vocals. A unique fusion of Flamenco, Latin, Jazz and North African sounds, mixed in with the modern day contemporary styles, this young group of artistic musicians is turning heads everywhere. Fernando’s Kitchen creates a music that is brand new, exciting and easily enjoyed and understood by any audience, irrespective of their age group or ethnicity.
Fernando’s Kitchen was founded by Sebastian Diez (spanish guitar & vocals) and Heidi Joubert (flamenco cajon & vocals) in 2006. Sebastian & Heidi wrote the music and performed all over the UK, all the while auditioning and trying out various different musicians to join them and form a larger group. In 2008 Riad Abji (double bass), Soufian Saihi (Moroccan oud, darbuka & vocals) and Rowan Porteous (trumpet & palmas) joined to stay.
This popular group has played in many high-profile venues, including Rich Mix, The Royal Opera House Bar, The Bush House Bar (BBC), The Guildhall Art Gallery, Nottinghill Gate Arts Club, The Fly and 93 Feet East. Recent festivals they have performed at include Secret Garden Party, Lovebox, Oxjam Music Festival, Rhythms of the World Festival, Tapas Fantasticas Festival and the Taste of Spain Festival in Borough Market,
As well as performing at many charity gigs, private functions and events, Fernando’s Kitchen also excel at organising and hosting flamenco fusion and world music nights & festivals all over London. Helping to build up a loyal and ever-growing fan base, these nights also give other fusion and world music bands in London the opportunity to play in front of new and diverse audiences. Fernando’s Kitchen is already influencing bands and musicians across London through their bold, modern fusion of world music and jazz, and through their involvement with festival and world music nights. Resisting easy classifications, Fernando’s Kitchen’s present style represents important new directions in world music.
A large part of Fernando’s Kitchen’s success is due to the fact that the group is made up of musicians from many different backgrounds, reflecting the mixture of their musical inspiration. Rowan Porteous & Riad Abji (England) Soufian Saihi (Morocco), Sebastian Diez (Spain), Heidi Joubert (South Africa)
