Jose Luis Salinas

A powerful and organic fusion of Latin jazz and flamenco. a hugely dynamic record with moments of great delicacy, but when they unleash a unison barrage the intensity is nothing short of overwhelming. "Spain" won the 2000 Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album.

There's a simple, basic, and direct approach that pervades the duets from pianist Camilo and acoustic guitarist Tomatito. But that seemingly bottom-line approach is transcended by the brilliant musicianship of these two players, as they play ultra-melodic music to its ultimate zenith time and time again. The tone is set from the get go as they languish in the freedom of Rodrigo and Chick Corea's "Spain," played as perfectly and spirited as anyone could want. But "Besame Mucho" is changed up, interpreted in loose associations extrapolated out of strict time on this famous melody. Tomatito wrote two of the eight tracks as the pair use a combination of counterpoint and unison lines, approaching sheer telepathy on the brightly melodic "A Mi Nino Jose," while evoking more Chick Corea-isms with melodies passionately flying about on "La Vacilona."

Mexican band RIZENGARD was formed back in 2011, and following just a sole year as a band unit they were ready with their debut album "Chapter 21″, self released by the band on the usual platforms we come to expect in this digital age as well as a physical CD…

Tomatito is always pushing the envelope and perception of the parameters of flamenco. Several of the songs reach into the jazz idiom as on the rumba "La Vacilona" that features George Benson on guitar trading licks with Tomatito to the background of hand claps. The disc is very mellow for the most part but interrupts into flights of fiery guitar work that dazzles with top-notch flamenco style cuts (both with and without vocals).