Andalusian

Convincing proof that success follows its own path, Govi's life is one of many twists. He is a German-born musician who traveled to India before settling down in California and becoming a leading proponent of the nouveau flamenco genre anchored by Ottmar Liebert, Johannes Linstead, and others. On ANDALUSIAN NIGHTS, Govi collaborates with two other German New Age stalwarts, Anugama and Karunesh, to come up with the arrangements. ANDALUSIAN NIGHTS opens with the warm atmospheres of "Persuasion," the low bass murmurs and hand drums offset by Govi's delicate finger picking. "Rumba Tumba" and the brisk title track build in intensity, adopting the rapid, flamenco-style clapping strongly associated with the Gipsy Kings' most danceable tunes.

A beautiful little record, with some of the slight exotic touches you might expect from the title - as the group features Kazumi Watanabe on acoustic and electric guitar, and Yuji Imamura on percussion - both musicians who help open up the sound of the trio core into much warmer territory! Masaru Imada plays piano with a sharply sparkling tone, but also a strong sense of rhythm - one that's often amplified by the excellent bass work of Mitsuaki Furuno, who may well be the real star of the set - given his subtle talent for moving things forward.