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Ethan Margolis

World Jazz guitarist/vocalist with a deep interest in Flamenco and Roots Blues.

About Me

World-traversed and genre-fluid guitarist Ethan Margolis, aka “Emaginario,” is a prime example of an artist who has become greater than the sum of his many parts and pathways. Through the eclectic filter of his musical passions, studies and influences, Margolis has evolved into a creative and worldly artist, whose deep connections with flamenco, jazz, aspects of pop, blues and even punk coalesce into a unique musical voice. Elements of that Margolis style can be heard coming to fruition on his latest album, Trio Emaginario, in trio form with jazz masters Larry Grenadier and drummer Eric Harland. Illustrating the diverse reach of his musical impulses, Margolis also ventured into his debut “world jazz” album, Soleángeles, in 2014, during a period of live activity in such celebrated Los Angeles Blue Whale and the Baked Potato. From another hybridized corner of his musical mind comes the 2015 album Sonikete Blues. Recorded both in Spain and the USA, the project proposes an inventive merging of flamenco and blues—idioms with more emotional and fringe socio-cultural connections than might be expected.

Suffice to say, Margolis has evolved in tune with his own sense of artistic direction(s). His distinctive story, which has encompassed evolutionary periods in Spain and Los Angeles—his homebase since 2011--begins just outside Cleveland, Ohio, in the embrace of a musical household. His familial heritage also extends into the Deep South, a root system instilling roots music consciousness. With a songwriting father and classical guitarist brother, Ethan followed a natural course into music, but went his own way from the outset. Just as American jazz musicians relocated to Europe for generations to find a level of artistic freedom, Ethan moved to Spain to refine his own artistic expression after transitioning from singer-songwriter to Flamenco guitar accompanist. He spent the next 11 years immersing himself in the Roma (Gitano) musical circuit in Andalucia and later disciplined with the Pinini Family of Roma singers in Lebrija, Spain, which is one of the birthplaces for roots Flamenco music. Returning to the United States in 2010 while simultaneously staying active in Andalusia, Margolis has retained his own “sketches of Spain” and its music while incorporating other popular musical idioms—including Blues, Cuban, and Americana into his ever-expanding musical repertoire. His album Emaginario by Trio Emaginario brings this repertoire into full focus. The sounds of the Andalusian experience can be found throughout the recording as well as his deep interest in Jazz and Delta Blues.

Back on American soil, and specifically in the musically plugged-in and multiculturally- enriched environs of Los Angeles, Margolis has expanded his artistic spectrum and directed his talents to various situations. He has worked in theater and recording projects and led a world jazz band incorporating a stellar personnel list, including Forman, Deron Johnson, Reggie Hamilton, John Leftwich, Ric Fierabracci, Raúl Pineda, Diego Álvarez, Munyungo Jackson and Katisse Buckingham.

His discography so far encompasses albums as a leader, such as Soleángeles and the freshly inventive Trio Emaginario (which finds him picking up the steel string guitar, contrasting his lifelong nylon-string preference), and Sonikete Blues. The latter album garnered generous critical kudos, including a ringing endorsement from prominent Madrid-based critic José Manuel Gómez, declaring it one of the top 40 flamenco fusion albums of all time. A selective list of artists Margolis has collaborated with in various ways--as player, producer and versatile creative facilitator--runs a telling gamut of musical zones: Chano Domínguez, Larry Grenadier, Pedrito Martínez, Caramelo de Cuba, Macy Gray, Herb Alpert, Judith Hill, Omar Faruk, Mitchel Forman, Eric Harland, Gary Novak, El Farru, Miguel Funi, Inés Bacán, Rycardo Moreno, Tomasito de Jerez, Tuff Gong Records, Dave O'Donnell (producer), James Farber (producer), Bill Watterson (creator of “Calvin and Hobbes”). Entrenched by now in his still-maturing musical saga, Margolis continues the process of finding surprising--yet also logical--connections in the many strands of his musical life’s tapestry. He is an artist firmly in sync with an era of redefining of musical identities, in flamenco, jazz and other formerly fixed musical genres. In effect, Margolis has found himself in both the roots and various offshoots, and his own links thereof, within the music world. - written by Joe Woodard with contributions by Jon Thurber

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because it frees me and because it foments deep conversation between musical genres. The best show I ever attended was either The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra ft. Wynton Marsalis or The Paco De Lucía Sextet in 1997. My advice to new listeners is to listen a ton and read stories and interviews on the great writers and performers...the further back you go the better.