Customer Reviews

Mosaico

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although long since Yuppified, co-opted, and infected by the all-pervasive, nauseating, 'Gipsy Kings Virus' permeating most guitar music classified as "World," Strunz and Farah were, once upon a time, a magnificent group.

Their uncompromosing early records--"Mosaico," "Frontera," and "Guitarras"--were one-of-a-kind fusions of middle-eastern and latin acoustic guitar styles mixed with scorching doses of electrifying improvisation. These three records will always remain near the top of my list of Acoustic Fusion Classics (right up there with Shakti and Paco De Lucia Sextet).

Of special note on "Mosaico," of course, is the guest appearance of East-Indian Violin wizard L.Subramaniam. The two tunes on which he displays his awesome virtuosity (and inspires Strunz and Farah to similar heights of their own) sound like the greatest Mahavishnu Orchestra tracks Mahavishnu never recorded. Just electrifying stuff. The rest of the record is a wonderfully varied, highly melodic, deeply rooted TOUR DE FORCE of Latin style acoustic guitar which refuses to pander to the superficial tastes of the very would-be cretins who would later come to make them popular 'World Music' favorites.

This is one of the top ten most intense tunes ever conceived and played through human sweat. It is literlly impossible not to be blown away by it. It is #2 on my list right behind Weather Report's doctorate thesis on Funk "125th street Congress." "Confluence" seduces unwary listeners with an infectious groove, then grabs them in midair and drops them in the passenger seat of a Ferrari driven at top speed through a hairpin turn; that's the effect it has. Of course the drivers are Mr. Strunz, Mr. Farah, and oh yes, in case I forget, the king of testosterone violin himself: Dr. L.Subramaniam. Not that testosterone is all he's about but his solo here is such an adrenaline rush, it will give you whiplash. The rest of the record is great too, with a good thick recording all around, nowhere near New Age country. Hard to believe this record is 20 years old! Time really does fly.

For the steel string guitar afficionados, this album is heaven. It doesn't get any better than this. The melodic invention of the arabesques they weave throughout this album is unprecedented.

Ever since I've heard L.Subramaniam play on this CD, I've been searching for his other recordings, but nothing he did since this session comes even close to the intensity displayed here.

Strunz&Farah's 1st recording from 1980 sounds better now than ever before. Although different in many ways (rhythms, still string guitars, compositions style) to their more popular rumba albums of the '90, Mosaico is an outstanding album of true world fusion. Guest artist L.Subramaniam plays one of the most haunting violin solos ever on "Shadow of Heaven" and S&F define new limits for pick style acoustic guitar players with their outstanding

Hello ... how are you? Great, me too; and you .. and the family, the children ... All is well thanks. Here is the review: Needs to improve communications; otherwise, good deal, CD in good shape and received promptly. Thanks .. still...!

Before I stumbled across a set of Strunz & Farah with their band on KVIE TV, I didn't know that this kind of music existed. I primarily listen to hardcore and death metal, so when I heard and saw them play as quick, precise, and as beautifully as they did (on acoustic guitars, which inherently slows down the ability to play fast), I was blown away.
I couldn't find any of their CDs in any record stores, so I eventually came on here and got this, their first and cheapest CD. It's been a few weeks, and haven't stopped listening since!

Strunz and Farah continously out do themselves, for more low-beat softer flamenco try Gerardo Nunez and his album Calima which features Strunz and Farah in a rhumba style composition

I like to rate albums after the fact, in most cases. I remember being impressed by the artists' virtuosity on the guitar. That's all I remember. The recording style and instrumentation has a '70's feel to it. Some might not care, I do. After all, the album is from 1982. The result is that you'll listen all the way through the first time. Then, when the novelty wears off, you'll file it in your spare CD case and forget about it. If you're just checking out this style of music, this album might not be the one for you.