Willie & Lobo - Live in Concert (CD)

All Music Guide

Gypsy flamenco duo Willie Lobo were one of worldbeat music's most offbeat surprises in the '90s, smoothly blending the violin gyrations of Willie Royal and the playful strumming of Wolfgang "Lobo" Fink. Some of their studio offerings were highly produced affairs, but their best work reflected their humble beginnings as a wildly inventive duo at a cantina in Mexico. The spirit of that duality comes across perfectly on this wonderful live CD, which captures the energizing live performances and the sounds of Spain, Mexico, and sometimes the Middle East. The opening track, "El Faro," blends their typical two approaches: gentle and rhythmic, then more aggressive as Royal builds up to a crazy percussive violin crescendo. "Midnight Dream" is moody and mystical, showing a reflective side, while the nine-minute "Moorish Reunion" takes the listener overseas for a dramatic story that begins with a gentle swaying groove and then finds Royal twisting his sound until it almost sounds like a screami...ng rock guitar breaking free from a Middle Eastern harem. "Flamenco Mexicana" finds Lobo in the swirling guitar mode, while Royal creates emphatic flourishes between seductive melodic passages. "Andale" is one of the more conventional jazzed-up flamenco tunes here, maybe a bit less exotic than the other tunes, but still tasty. The two also take some of the disc time to tell personal stories about some of the songs, and the intimacy will please longtime fans the most. - Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide Read more Less