I listen to everything, from classic to punk and metal, from folk to jazz, or from blues to rap and techno. What I prefer is when the music have something to say and say it well. Because of that, I prefer Bizet's operettas over Mozart's operas, or David Rovics songs, even if I don't agree with everything he can say, instead of the commercial charts. One of my all time favorite is Carlos Santana. These times, my favorite band is Otyken, a music group from Siberia. I like that kind of fusion between their tradition and modern pop music:
My playing is made from different influences, guitar and singing are my main instruments. For the guitar, I use techniques from classical and flamenco, and mix them mainly with rhythm & blues, rock, Cuban and traditional rhythms. I know the classical and jazz theory, but I really prefer the rhythm & blues approach: play simple stuffs and use your feeling for the complications. That doesn't change the huge amount of practice needed to become a good musician, but it just make things easier to apprehend for me. To sing at the same time I play, I do like every one, as I can (one of the best advice I get from a professional musician). The practical way to do it, is to begun to sing a song as soon I can play it in rhythm, even it is not the final rhythm.
