Meet the Musicians: Glenn Sharp

In this series, we get to hear from the musicians themselves. This month, we hear from multi-instrumentalist Glenn Sharp.

Glenn has been working as a guitarist for many years and world music is his passion. His recent performances include flamenco, Latin, Arabic and African music.Glenn has worked as a session guitarist on numerous albums and has been a producer for many years. In addition to his solo performances, Glenn is the guitarist for flamenco group Calaita with singer Chico Pere. He has gigged and toured with numerous world-music artists including Nitin Sawhney and Aref Durvesh, and has colloborated with musicians from Nigeria, Sudan, India, Spain, Palestine and Egypt.

1. How long have you been performing and what inspired you to get into music? 

I have been gigging now for 20 years. All sorts of performances, from events groups to solo classical recitals, hip-hop, jazz, experimental electronica and finally ‘world music’, flamenco in particular. When I was eight years old, I heard my next door neighbour playing guitar. I don’t think she realised at the time that she was to be my teacher every week for the next five or so years! I discovered flamenco in 1996. I saw a Paco Peña gig and the next morning I changed everything and dedicated to myself to learning flamenco guitar. Been hooked ever since!

2. What or who are your influences? 

Far too many to mention, so I will just concentrate on the more recent ones. My guitar hero is Gerardo Nuñez, who is also a fantastic composer, my saz hero is without doubt, Erkan Oğur (also a wonderful composer) and my oud favourites are Simon Shaheen, Nasser Shamma and Nizar Rohana.  I would say my biggest influences are Erkan Oğur, Trio Joubran, Yasmin Levy, Vicente Amigo, Goksel Baktagir, Yair Dalal as well as classical composers such as Gorecki, Duruffle, Verdi and Arvo Pärt.

3. What are your all-time favorite albums? 

Anadolu Beşik and Gülün Kokusu Vardı by Erkan Oğur

Duquende y la guitarra de Tomatito 

Ganoub - en arabe vent dire sud 

Maqamat Ziryab by Simon Shaheen

Koyaanisqatsi by Philip Glass

Ciudad de las Ideas by Vicente Amigo

Vision by Tarik Banzi

Verdi Requiem 

East meets East by Nigel Kennedy and Kroke

Miles_Gurtu by Robert Miles and Trilok Gurtu

Power to the Women by Madosini

Sounds of Sudan 

Berber Blues by Cherifa

Rise by Anoushka Shankar

Everything by Le Trio Joubran, Camarón, and Gerardo Nuñez

4. What are you listening to right now? 

The Silimbo Passage by Seckou Keita–amazing combination of kora and Egyptian violin with some flamenco vibes!

5. Have any upcoming gigs/shows we should know about?

Working on a collaboration with percussionist Guy Schalom for gigs later this year; a fusion of Flamenco and Arabic music with Flamenco dance. All my other forthcoming dates available at www.myspace.com/glennsharpworld

Hear samples of tracks from Glenn's latest album with the Jadid Ensemble: www.jadidensemble.com
Read my review of the Jadid Ensemble review: http://nomadsplaylist.blogspot.com/2011/01/album-review-sigh-of-moor-by-jadid.html