Now this is a real treat! Concha Buika, born to parents from Equatorial Guinea, grew up in Mallorca among Spanish Romani people (Gitanos) – they imbued in her the traditional “cante” flamenco.  She was the only person of African descent in her neighborhood. Her music mixes flamenco, coplas, soul, and jazz. The New York Times calls her unique blend of flamenco, jazz, soul and blues, “luminous…magnificent…superb!”  Her voice has a soulful timbre about it, with a sultry overtone, lending a romantic quality to her music.

Buika has composed several songs such as “Ritmo para você”, “Up to the Sky” and “Loving You“. Her other accomplishments include her sharing a stage with Rachelle Ferrell at the Blue Note Festival, and being a Tina Turner impersonater at the Luxor, Harrah’s, and Gold Coast Casinos in Las Vegas.

For those more in touch with the more recent contemporary music scene, you will remember her collaboration with Nelly Furtado on “Fuerte” in 2009.

Her latest CD ‘El Ultimo Trago (The Last Drink)’, a homage to the Mexican singing legend Chavela Vargas, was nominated in 2010 for two Latin GRAMMY awards: “Recording of the Year” (for the song “Se Me Hizo Facil”) and “Best Traditional Tropical Album.” In 2010, Buika also recorded a duet with Seal entitled “You Get Me” and then later finished taping her screen debut for Pedro Almodóvar’s film, La Piel Que Habito (The Skin I’m In).

Washington DC gets a chance to watch her perform at the Howard Theater on October 29th at 7:30 p.m. and again at 10:00 p.m. (back by popular demand). Tickets can be purchased on the Howard Theater website.