Guitarras

Strunz & Farah | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 15, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Milestone
• ASIN: B000000XS0
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #231,890 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Curandero (Healer)

2. Chumash

3. Sueños, Pt. 1: Dreams

4. Sueños, Pt. 2

5. Zambalera

6. Trópico

7. Talisman

8. The Feathered Serpent

9. Mirage

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Melodic and Inventive., May 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Guitarras (Audio CD)

This CD came out right after "Frontera", which was truly a milestone in the recording history of this gifted duo. Although it does not reach the majestic level of "Frontera", nonetheless it has its share of brilliancy and creativity. It is a more intimate setting than the others, with Strunz playing acoustic nylon guitar for most of the CD, while Farah keeps to steel string. The result is a powerful blend of silk and steel that produces several unforgettable cuts: "Zambalera", based on a South American rhythm; "Sueños (Part I)" which starts out as a fantasy theme and delivers outstanding solos; and "The Feathered Serpent." Don't let the corny title fool you, this cut is just amazing, incorporating the sarod, brilliantly played by Ashish Khan. "Zambalera", in turn, features Enrique Cruz on zampoña and kena, and Hugo Pedroza on charango. These three gems well justify the purchase of this work. On the first listen, this CD might sound way too exotic and "out there", but it grows on you with further listening. Great job, guys.

3.0 out of 5 stars Early Pickings, July 7, 2007

By 

Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Guitarras (Audio CD)

Digging through my old cassettes the other day looking to listen to something I hadn't heard in a long time, I stumbled upon Guitarras. So I pulled it out and let it play continuously all day in the office. So, while there are some treasures here I have been missing out on, there are also a lot of cuts, pleasant and relaxing as they may be, which just don't qualify as everyday fare.
I first heard Strunz and Farah on an Austin radio station back when Primal Magic first came out. Now that is a stunning piece of work and one which brought the duo a bit of recognition. I liked that very much and also the subsequent album Americas which proved to me that they were more than just a one album wonder. So not only did I follow their music forward from that point, I went back to their beginnings as well.
First issued in the mid-1980s, Guitarras can be characterized as "early pickings" on which the fan can hear the genesis of their style. They search, experiment, and often just noodle around trying to find the chemistry that will eventually propel them to world music stardom and a place on the playlist of every coffee house and high-end Mexican restaurant in the country. That last is ironic, because neither the duo nor its music are Mexican, although some elements of Mexican styles can be heard throughout their now extensive oeuvre.
The best song is definitely Zambalera. Now that is something that I could hear with pleasure on a daily basis. At around just 40 minutes, this recording is short by today's standards and if there is a remastered reissue in the future, it behooves the record company to add some out-takes or alternate versions so that the listener can get his/her money's worth.
I give this only three stars because that's all it deserves when you measure it against what Strunz and Farah accomplished later. That may not be exactly fair but in no way is Guitarras of near the quality of Primal Magic, Americas, or Heat of the Sun. The lightning-fast guitars are front and center, but their melodic style here is relatively undeveloped.
I will listen to this in the future and maybe even buy the CD hoping for better liner notes than the cassette has. But if you are new to the duo and are looking for highlights, try out one of the others I mentioned before you buy this.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best world,latin,arabic, eastern, jazz fusion guitar, February 18, 2010

By 

Joseph A. Skarulis "Motivator" (Valley Stream) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Guitarras (Audio CD)

best world,latin,arabic, eastern, jazz fusion guitar
there is always at least one Strunz and Farah CD in my car stereo at all times.
this cd is their playing at its best. really great instrumental guitar playing