{{Short description|Spanish gypsy jazz guitarist}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Biel Ballester | image = Biel Ballester 1.jpg | caption = Biel Ballester (2016) | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1974}} | birth_place = Mallorca, Spain | genre = Gypsy jazz | occupation = Musician | instrument = Guitar | years_active = | label = }}
'''Biel Ballester''' (born 1974) is a gypsy jazz guitarist from Mallorca, Spain. He contributed music to the Woody Allen film ''Vicky Cristina Barcelona''.
== Biography == Biel Ballester is from Mallorca in Spain.<ref name="Jazzkaar">{{citation|title=Interview with Biel Ballester & Dave Mitchell Trio|date=21 March 2015|url=https://www.jazzkaar.ee/en/uudised/interview-with-biel-ballester-dave-mitchell-trio/|work=Jazzkaar|accessdate=6 September 2015}}</ref> He studied classical guitar under Àlex Garrobé at the Escola D'Arts Musicals Luthier in Barcelona. He discovered the music of Django Reinhardt at age 18, and his music is a fusion of gypsy jazz and Spanish music.<ref name=Jazzkaar/><ref name=GJGS>{{citation| title=Our Man in Barcelona: Biel Ballester| work=Gypsy Jazz Guitar Secrets| volume=6| date=28 November 2014}}</ref> With Leo Hipaucha (rhythm guitar) and Oriol González (double bass) he formed the Biel Ballester trio. He was introduced to Woody Allen during the filming of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Allen, a jazz clarinet player, played frequently with Ballester during this time and included two of his tracks on the soundtrack of the film.<ref name=Jazzkaar/><ref>{{citation| title=Sé que es un disco muy bueno y he querido gestionarlo todo| url=https://ultimahora.es/noticias/cultura/2016/02/08/175360/disco-muy-bueno-querido-gestionarlo-todo.html| accessdate=11 November 2016| work=UH Noticias| date=7 February 2016}}</ref>
== Discography == ===As leader=== * ''Echoes from Mallorca'' (Refined, 2005) * ''Live in London'' (Le Q, 2006) * ''Bistro de Barcelona'' (Refined, 2008) * ''Jazz a l'Estudi'' (TVC Disc, 2011) * ''Avanti!'' (Hot Club, 2011) * ''Melodium Melodynamic'' (La Cupula Music, 2015) * ''The Lowdown'' (Hot Club, 2015)
===As sideman=== * Jon Larsen, ''Short Stories from Catalonia'', (Hot Club, 2013)
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballester, Biel}} Category:Living people Category:1974 births Category:Spanish male guitarists Category:Continental jazz guitarists Category:Gypsy jazz guitarists Category:Spanish jazz guitarists Category:21st-century Spanish guitarists Category:21st-century Spanish male musicians Category:Spanish male jazz musicians