Interview: ZaZa Flamenca on International Cabaret CHANSONS ET TANGO at Pangea

The international duo ZaZa Flamenca and Gabriel Hermida will “set off a fireworks display of romantic songs from France and Argentina” in a new show this month, Chansons et Tango, at the East Village supper club Pangea. You can catch them on Thursdays August 21 at 9:30 pm and August 28 at 7 pm. The French-Israeli singer-guitarist and the virtuoso Argentine guitarist made their Pangea debut as part of a quartet in a sold-out show in May called “Gypsy Caravan.”

Celebrating the independence holidays of Bastille Day and Argentina’s Nueve de Julio, ZaZa and Gabriel are “the embodiment of charisma,” according to Rob Waldener of Loving Our Town, who attended the show’s St. Augustine FL premiere in July. In “Chansons et Tango,” ZaZa and Gabriel explore a treasure trove of French and Argentinian popular songs… French classics by Piaf, Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, and Joe Dassin mix with tango touchstones by Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel, among others, to create an irresistible intermingling of French elegance and Latin fire.

Read a conversation with ZaZa about the upcoming shows.

How do you feel about your upcoming show and being back at Pangea? 

Super excited! Last time was amazing — it felt like a cabaret in Paris. The venue is pretty small, and we are very close to the audience, which makes it so much more intimate. I loved it! At some point, everybody was singing and dancing, almost standing on the tables. It was like a big party!

How do you feel like your last show there went?

I felt it went very well. I'm not just talking about the vibes and the audience's reactions—it's something you feel inside. I felt the connection, the fire, the music, the magic that happens when you're on stage and you know it's exactly where you're meant to be. It's something the artist feels deep inside. I don’t feel it all the time – I wish! [laughs] But, when it happens, it's unforgettable. Sometimes, it doesn’t even matter if the audience applauds or cheers—it’s something more.

What do you think led to your style of embracing such a wide variety of global styles of music?

I think it’s because I was exposed to so many cultures, countries, and languages all my life. I’ve always felt very drawn to Latin and Spanish music—my grandfather was from the north of Morocco, very close to Spain, and when I was little, I was in awe listening to him speak Spanish with his friends. I didn’t understand a word, but I was fascinated.

Since day one, I was exposed to French music ([I was] born in Paris and my parents are French), which is absolutely fabulous—the lyrics, the poetry, the emotion. Then I lived in Israel, and I became fascinated by the richness of oriental and Arabic musical culture. After that, Brazil and Argentina—so much depth, history, rhythm, and beauty in their music and languages.

My two passions are music and languages. Also, and most importantly, I could never choose just one style or language I love most, so I’m doing a little bit of everything… except Beyoncé and Justin Bieber [laughs].

Can you tell us a little bit about how this particular show came together?

I’m French and Gabriel is Argentinian.  We realized the month of July includes both Bastille Day (July 14th) and Argentina’s Independence Day (July 9th). We thought that blending our two cultures would be a great match, especially with the shared theme of independence that connects our countries.

Although I sing in many languages, I’ve often been told that I’m most emotional when I sing in French—my mother tongue. And Gabriel, being Argentinian, naturally channels his soul through tango. Needless to say, this combination feels like it was made in heaven! Buenos Aires is often called the Paris of Latin America, after all.

Gabriel and I have been playing together for nearly 13 years, so we know each other by heart. We feel the music together without even needing to look at each other—it’s like breathing in sync.

Aside from preparing for this upcoming show, what have you been filling your time with lately?

My daily routine is gym, coffee, and practice, practice, practice. But to tell you the truth, [St. Augustine], the community I spend a lot of time in Florida, is full of places for me to perform. Somebody said I’m the busiest entertainer in town. So, if you add practicing and performing, I probably have my guitar in my arms for six to seven hours a day! That’s almost a full day!

The best advice I was ever given is: "Practice as much as you can, because when the opportunity arises—you are ready." I have a feeling that the opportunity is just around the corner, so I’m getting ready.

Header photo credit: Gloria McDonald

For more information about ZaZa, visit www.zazaflamenca.com