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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Juanito Pascual Trio Brings “A Flamenco Celebration of Jimi Hendrix” Home to the Granada Theater
The Minneapolis-born flamenco guitarist and his trio, joined by Zorongo Flamenco dancers, perform a preview of music from the upcoming album Gold and Rose.
October 10–11, 2026 • Granada Theater, Minneapolis
Minneapolis, MN — Internationally acclaimed flamenco guitarist and Minneapolis native Juanito Pascual returns home with A Flamenco Celebration of Jimi Hendrix, a fiery new project that reimagines his music and spirit through the rhythms, virtuosity, and improvisational power of flamenco.
The Juanito Pascual Trio, featuring Grammy-nominated percussionist Tupac Mantilla and virtuoso bassist Brad Barrett, will present two performances at the Granada Theater on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11. Joining the trio will be guest dancers from Twin Cities-based Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre, bringing the visceral connection between flamenco music and dance to this unique meeting of musical worlds.
The performances offer Twin Cities audiences an early listen to the music from Gold and Rose, Pascual’s fourth full-length album, scheduled for release in February 2027. The project brings Pascual’s musical journey full circle, connecting the rock, jazz and improvisational music that first inspired him as a young guitarist in Minneapolis with the flamenco tradition he has spent more than three decades studying, performing and making his own.
Pascual first picked up the guitar at age 11, drawn to the music of Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, Miles Davis and John McLaughlin. At 15, he discovered flamenco under the tutelage of Scott “Mateo” Davies, opening the door to a musical tradition that would transform his life. After graduating from high school, Pascual moved to Spain at age 18 to pursue flamenco before returning to the United States to study at Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music.
There, Pascual graduated with honors from the Contemporary Improvisation program, an experience that encouraged musicians to forge individual artistic voices from their diverse influences. He went on to spend more than two decades immersed in flamenco, studying with leading guitarists in Spain and touring extensively with flamenco singers and dancers, while continuing to explore jazz, rock, and improvisation.
That journey now finds a new expression in this tour and album, where the boundary-breaking spirit of Hendrix meets the rhythmic intensity and emotional depth of flamenco.
“This project is a dream come true and, in many ways, a Minneapolis story,” says Pascual. “Growing up in the Twin Cities gave me the creative environment that first sparked this idea when I was a teenager, and I’m thrilled to bring it home. Collaborating with my dear friends at Zorongo Flamenco, founded and directed for decades by Susana di Palma, who have been such an important part of this arts community, makes these performances especially meaningful.”
Described by The Boston Globe as a “flamenco phenom,” Pascual has performed internationally at venues and festivals including Lincoln Center, the Panama Jazz Festival and Madrid’s Casa Patas. His artistry has earned praise from guitar legends George Benson and Steve Vai, and he has toured and recorded with some of Spain’s leading musicians, including Grammy-winning flamenco-jazz pioneer Jorge Pardo, known for his work with Paco de Lucía and Chick Corea, and two-time Latin Grammy winner Antonio Rey.
Pascual, Mantilla and Barrett all attended New England Conservatory and have performed together as a trio since 2012. Their years of musical collaboration allow for the spontaneity and interplay at the heart of this production, moving fluidly between tightly woven flamenco rhythms and open-ended improvisation.
The collaboration with Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre also marks a homecoming of another kind. Pascual has longstanding ties to Zorongo and the Twin Cities flamenco community, making these Granada performances both a preview of a new artistic chapter and a celebration of the community where his journey began.
Performance Details:
- Event: Juanito Pascual Trio: A Flamenco Celebration of Jimi Hendrix
- Dates & Times: Saturday, October 10 at 8 PM; Sunday, October 11 at 4 PM
- Venue: Granada Theater, Minneapolis, MN
- Featuring: Juanito Pascual Trio with guest dancers from Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre
- Tickets: Starting at $29, plus applicable fees and taxes
- EPK / Press Materials: https://juanitopascualepk.netlify.app/
- Artist: www.juanitopascual.com
- Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre: www.zorongo.org
About Juanito Pascual
Minneapolis native Juanito Pascual is an internationally acclaimed flamenco guitarist, composer, and bandleader whose music draws from more than three decades of immersion in flamenco alongside lifelong influences from jazz, rock, and improvisational music. A graduate of New England Conservatory, Pascual has performed internationally as a soloist and collaborator and has worked with leading artists across flamenco and jazz. His upcoming fourth full-length album, Gold and Rose, a flamenco-driven exploration and celebration of the music of Jimi Hendrix, is scheduled for release in February 2027.
About Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre and School
Founded by flamenco visionary and Advising Artistic Director Susana di Palma, Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre and School has been a driving force for flamenco in the United States for over 40 years. Zorongo’s mission is to create and perform bold, socially relevant flamenco works that reflect and respond to the world around us, while supporting and developing the artists who bring them to life and cultivating community through education and outreach.
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