Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: Eric Tingstad, Bovi, Ludia Torea, Jesse Cook, Joe Reyes, Miguel de la Bastide, Oscar Lopez, Ruben Romero, Armik, Sergio Lara, Willie Royal, Wolfgang Fink, Ottmar Liebert, Bruce BecVar (guitar). | | Photographers: Cylkla Von Tiedermann; David Goldner; Cylla Van Tiedemann; Denise Grant; Brad Hines; Aidan Bradley; Ashkan; Rosanne Olson; Mark Johann; Kathlyn Powell; John Running; Daniel Ray; Jim Allen . | | This collection of new flamenco was selected largely from a number of recordings on Narada. The new flamenco movement ignores the aspects of song and dance that are the bulk of traditional flamenco and instead focuses solely on guitar virtuosity. As such, there's some outstanding guitar work here from a number of worthwhile players. New flamenco standard players such as Ottmar Liebert and Strunz & Farah make predictable appearances, multiculturalist Govi makes a stand at a slightly slower pace, and Willie & Lobo combine for an inspired duet in "Rockin' Gypsies." Perhaps the greater highlights here are the lesser-known players. The album-opening Oscar Lopez breaks off from the tempo of the rest of his band for a bit to run past 360 bpm on a guitar solo, while Bruce BecVar incorporates some saxophone into his rendition of "Istanbul." The compilation offers a little something for everyone interested in the directions nuevo flamenco has been taking since its gradual creation. Listening to albums of quality traditional flamenco (Cante Flamenco, or anything from El Camar¢n de la Isla) is highly recommended, however, to supplement the lopsided focus on guitar taken in this subgenre. ~ Adam Greenberg |
Producer: Michael Sullivan |
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