Bio

Born in Alicante in 1970, Antonio started playing the guitar at the age of 13 with Mark Knopfler as his main musical influence and assimilating the fingerpicking style as his own.

Since the age of 18, he has been learning modern technique and harmony with different guitar teachers. As an avid record collector, he devours all types of music from bands and styles he gets acquainted.

With his first band, Yeomen, he performed live for the first time while gaining influence from bands like Camel, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes and musicians such as Andy Latimer, Martin Barre, David Gilmour or Bill Nelson.

Antonio was one of the founding members of the group Numen in 1992 with whom he recorded two albums, “Samsara” (1998) and “Numenclature” (2014), as well as the DVD “Numenclature-Un viaje en progresivo”.

Since 2000 he has been a member of the bands Malatesta Bier Band, Whiskey con Yoda, The Worms and Kamikaze Sound Express with whom he has played a variety of styles.

From that year onwards, he focused on the idea of developing his own compositions to record a double album. When Juanjo Sánchez (Keyboards),  joined the project in 2004, all ended up as The Flying Caravan.

However, the turning point for the project took place when Izaga Plata (Vocals), joined it. It was then when she and Antonio developed the voice melodies and the lyrics for the record.

With the entry of  Pedro Pablo Molina (Bass), Lluís Mas (Drums) and the return of Juanjo, the project became established. The band recorded then their first double, “I Just Wanna Break Even” in Altea between March and August 2017 with the help of some good friends and great musicians.

The recording of The Flying Caravan was made in the studio of the Miguel Hernández University, in Altea, with Daniel Montiel as the sound engineer, audio mixing and mastering process, with Lluis Mas in his studio in Alicante, and with Antonio Valiente and Lluis Mas as the producers of the album.

The album cover has been drawnedby the outstanding illustrator Mario Domínguez.

After a two-year lasting production, during which keyboards and percussions were added, the album was finally released on January 11 2021 displaying the collaboration of Manolo Salido (sax), Juan Carlos Aracil (flute) and Jorge Aniorte (vocals).

The influence of bands like The Flower Kings, Karmakanic, Transatlantic, Be Bop Deluxe and musicians such as Roine Stolt, Neal Morse and Jonas Reingold becomes evident with the sounds of progressive and classic rock being present throughout the six tracks of the record and thus creating the proper atmosphere for the development of the band´s music.

The double album achieves very positive reviews and a great appreciation in the circuit of world wide progressive rock broadcasters. Numerous radio programs, fanzines and specialized websites positioned this record between the best works in 2021.

Izaga Plata and Juanjo Sánchez have been obliged to leave the group due to work reasons as they couldn´t combine the tasks in the band with their work.

In december 2021, Julia Novecento joins the band as a singer and keyboardist so as to develop the new musical pieces of the future new album.

In July 2022 José Antonio Hernández joins the band as a new keyboard player for the line-up.

In April 2024, Pedro Pablo left the band due to work reasons. Antonio Perdomo, a good friend who hadshared the stage with Antonio Valiente and Lluís Mas, has just joined the group as the new bassist, also helping with vocals.
Perdomo has extensive live performance and recording experience, having played a widerange of styles with bass and guitar.
Currently, The Flying Caravan is preparing new songs to complete a Box EP on vinyl with the tracks from “Stage Access” and the new compositions.

Born in Alicante, he began playing self-taught drums when he was 15, absorbing influence from rock, psychedelia, jazz, grunge and progressive rock.
He started his musical career in 2004 as a drummer in the band Rose Colored Glasses, He recorded his first LP in 2007 with them.

From that point onwards, he joined many bands and collaborated with others during a three-year period, Turthe with influences from Triana, Pyramidal and Joss Jeffersøn from Space Rock, Rosy Finch from Stoner, Little Fish, Milton, Mons,… And he performed in numerous concerts in different European countries like Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden.

He shows a clear influence from John Bonham, Buddy Rich and Jon Theodore. His music features a large variety of colours and nuances. Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull or Iceberg belong to his favourite rock progressive bands.

His musical production comprises over 20 recordings on EP and LP. Currently, he is the drummer for Pyramidal, Peter Giménez and the band The PawPaw Negro.

As a mixing engineer and musical producer, he has been in charge of over 30 recordings in a variety of styles.
As of April 2016, he started to work in the preproduction of the record for The Flying Caravan and on the drum arrangements which he  recorded in May 2017.

In this recording project, he has worked, together with Antonio, as a musical producer and is responsible for mixtures and record mastering.

Julia began her piano sudies at the age of 10, feeling, since she was born, a graeat fascination for music.

After finishing her career, she becomes interested in singing and completes her studies taking four years classes of singing and vocal technique with the soprano Dolores Delgado, direct pupil of Alfredo Krauss.

She also studied percussion during three years and was percussionist in the “La amistad” band fron Villafranqueza (Alicante). She has also collaborated wih “La Paz Music Society” from San Juan de Alicante.

Later she founds Novecento, a musical group where she sings and plays the piano so far.

She has also worked as a singer and as a pianist with reknown artists as Micky Carreño.

She is strongly influenced by Artists like Queen, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Supertramp, Nina Simone and Carole King.

In december 2021 she joins The Flying Caravan as a singer and keyboardist.

Born in Jaén in 1956, Antonio has played guitar and bass with countless groups since 1975. The list of groups and styles would be endless, going from blues/rock with the Malatesta Blues Band or Cuatrotiempos, to folk/rock in Dylan inspiration with Piezas Sueltas or Instituto Zimmermann. He is currently participating as a guitarist in Acústica, as well as in the Eléctrica Blues Band.

As a bassist, his inspiration comes from seventies classic rock, with clear roots in blues. Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Rick Danko, Phil Lesh or Leland Sklar would be his models, keeping a special dedication for immense John Entwistle.

Born in Murcia in 1985, starts approaching music at the age of 8 joining the local church´s chorus, wher he is largely influenced by classical music, specially from Bach and Chopin. Over the ten years he belonges to the chorus, also studies singing, piano and organ.

When he is 12, he enters in the world of rock. His passion for progressive comes after listening “Images and words” of Dream Theater. Other bands that have influenced in him are Yes, ELP, Gentel Giant, Neal Morse, Flower Kings, Spock´s Beard and some more modern groups as Haken or Frost. The keyboard players who have influenced in him are Jordan Rudess, Lalle Larson, Keith Emerson, Ryo Okumoto, Jon Lord and Rick Wakeman among others.

He has taken part in composing theatre music as “La zapatera prodigiosa” (2011) , “Romeo y Julieta” (2012)…; and cinema music: “Veritas Vincit” (2015), “Zona Cero” (2008)…

He has combined these projects with other strictly musical ones; “Letters from a piano”, with the album “On the riverside of the spirit” (2021) with minimalist piano themes and “Clean Agent Fire” with the EP “Walk on ice” (2022) a metal project where he composes and plays the keyboard.

Born in Alicante in 1971, he began learning classical piano at home until age 9, when he developed a stronger attraction for the organ. At age 15, he joined his first orchestra, “Orquesta Abraxas”, resuming the official piano courses until the fourthyear. Later, he founded a new orchestra, “La Luna” with some other musicians, among them Jorge Aniorte, who also features as a vocalist in the record of The Flying Caravan.

After such experiences in those bands, he started to play in cover bands and he joined Motorcity in the 90s, an important band in the Spanish and Alicante scene.

In 1992, he began playing in the country rock band The Satellites. They released a first record called “Dream West” in 1994 going on tour all over Spain and also performing on TV.
In 2004, he met Antonio and decided to join the Project that would be called in the end The Flying Caravan, a group that change dits name several times due to end less structure adjustments until finally reaching stability in 2014 with Izaga joining it as a vocalist.

In between, and after a brief stint with the group Darlegin Pop, he also played with the cover bands Whiskey con Yoda and Worms, with Antonio, and other cover bands such as Curiosity and Keeng, the latter being a tribute band to Queen which achieved great musical recognition.

In 2018, he did the arrangements for the keyboards for the first record of The Flying Caravan, “I Just Wanna Break Even”. A year later, he did the sam efor Pierre Gimenez ́s second record(The Satellites), called “Perseverance”.
It should be mentioned that among his musical preferences are bands like Queen, Beatles, ELO, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Alan Parsons, and America. In progressive rock, he likesTransatlantic, RPWL, Yes, Flower Kings, Spock’s Beard, Flying Colors and Jethro Tull.

He admits beingin fluenced by different styles of keyboarders like Neal Morse, Cory Henry, Jacob Collier, Jordan Rudess, Jon Lordor Jamie Cullum.

Born in Madrid in 1985, she left the capital at age two to settle down permanently with her family in Alicante. Since she was 12, she has been attending guitar, singing and music theory classes.

As a teenager, she was a member of some bands with her group of friends, but it was only when she became 18, in 2003, that she decided to join the metal band Head OverHell and started simultaneously her university degree to become a music teacher at a primary school.

She was the vocalist of Head Over Hell for 9 years, with whom she recorded the LP “Beautiful Dreamer” in 2010 featuring Pedro Durán (Ego, UVE) as a producer.

At the same time, she began playing the clarinet in a local band, and in 2012 she joined a musical project called Tin Toys.
Her varied music preferences include all kinds of bands and styles ranging from classic rock, to folk, metal, ethnic music, etc.
In 2014, she was a vocalist on the recording of “Numenclature” by the band Numen.

Since April 2014 she has been a member of The Flying Caravan as a singer and has been working on, with Antonio’s support, the challenge of composing the music for a progressive rock double album displaying long themes with permanent tonal, speed and rhythm changes and a variety of nuances. Izaga ́s voice stands out for its melodic touch and lightness but brilliant style.

Born in Alicante in 1961, he began his self-taught career by
playing the bass in bands at the end of the eighties.
He has always proven his quality as a bassist in all projects he was involved in such as; Imágenes Prohibidas, La Calle, Los Suplentes, Tabú, La Última Faceta, After Midnight, Bordestones or El Interior. With this latter band he recorded an LP for the Virgin label back in 1991.
An eclectic music lover, his preferences include all styles of rock, among them; Neil Young, Beatles, Police, Yes. He has a particular liking for the bassists; Jaco Patorius, Pino Palladino or Chris Squire.

In September 2015, he took on the challenge of joining The Flying Caravan and working on the arrangements for the record by resorting to four, five and six string basses for the LP themes.
He displays a style profuse in melodies and rhythms showing lines that contribute to the record with a solid ground for the drums, thus enriching the solo instruments.