Music » Flamenco Music

Release Date: 1995-03-28, Audio CD, Nonesuch

This live recording from 1980 matched fusion guitar heavyweights Al DiMeola and John McLaughlin with Spanish guitar whiz Paco DeLucia. The result, a dazzling technical display, also earned jeers as the international summit of world-class finger-wigglers by critics who felt it was long on chops and short on heart. John McLaughlin's importance to the development of the jazz fusion scene can't be overestimated: as the guitarist on Miles Davis's seminal Bitches Brew and A Tribute to Jack Johnson, he was the first significant guitarist of the electric jazz era; on his own, he brought power rock, spiritualism, and lush orchestration to the scene via his Mahavishnu Orchestra. DiMeola, the most commercially successful next-generation fusion guitarist, achieved stardom with Chick Corea's group Return to Forever and on his own records. DeLucia, virtually unknown in the U.S., is a fine flamenco guitarist, and it is that orientation more than anything that colors Friday Night: even when playing straightforward non-flamenco compositions, the phrasing and sensibility lurks behind every note. Still, the passion of the music is frequently marred by the participants' inability to play at anything but the most breakneck pace. --Fred Goodman

There's very little doubt that the Gipsy Kings are good at what they do--they've become the brand name in Sevillana, the pop-oriented flamenco style. Since 1989, when the single "Bamboleo" and their Gipsy Kings album broke through and went gold in the United States, they've found a willing audience in America for their style, which, while flashy, doesn't demand a great deal of the listener, unlike more hardcore versions of flamenco. This double set collects 37 of their biggest tracks, including a version of the Eagles' "Hotel California," into one package guaranteed to satisfy fans of their precise, jubilant playing. And there's no denying they have the power to move people with their singing and fretwork, making this a must for those who want to experience all the familiar material in one sitting. Like the band themselves, the record is an unqualified success as a greatest hits package. --Chris Nickson

Release Date: 1995-09-26, Audio CD, Narada

Release Date: 2000-02-29, Audio CD, Ark 21

Release Date: 1990-11-13, Audio CD, Nonesuch

Release Date: 1996-09-24, Audio CD, Narada

This was only the second recording for the Guitar Trio, coming a full 16 years after 1980's Friday Night in San Francisco, but it's a fitting sequel. Paco De Lucia, Al Di Meola, and John McLaughlin once again demonstrate extraordinary virtuosity, accelerated runs tumbling over one another until identities blur. Repeated listening, however, starts to focus on the subtle differences in nuance, especially in the compositions. Though DeLucia grew up in a tradition of Spanish flamenco guitar, Brazilian rhythmic touches often appear in his work, beginning with the opening "Estiba." The American Di Meola seems influenced by music of the Middle East ("Beyond the Mirage"), and the English McLaughlin has strong affinities with the music of Northern India, most apparent here in his "Letter from India." Ultimately, the impression of dazzling techniques gives way, revealing the group's deeper empathy. --Adam Rains

Array

To classify Vertigo as new age almost does it a disservice; not because the elements aren't there, but because the term doesn't adequately describe the music on this CD. Jesse Cook performs the blend of flamenco and various world music styles that is Vertigo with a gentle yet enthusiastic style, so that the up-tempo "That's Right!" (as with Miles Davis's "So What," you can hear the title phrase in the music) and slightly bluesy "Avocado" are just as great to listen to as the slower, cinematic "Cancion Triste" (featuring cellist Ofra Harnoy) or "Breathing Below Surface." Holly Cole's vocals on "Fragile" are a special treat; while Cook's guitar is the reason to get this CD, he never overrides his guest stars. Vertigo is exciting without being intrusive, soothing without putting you to sleep. --Genevieve Williams