Search - Govi :: Havana Sunset: The Best of Govi

Havana Sunset is a collection of 11 previously released tracks (60 minutes' worth) selected from the German-born guitarist's four Higher Octave recordings: Saffron & Silk, Mosaico, Andalusian Nights, and Seventh Heaven. As one would expect, it's an easy-on-the-ear showcase for Govi's unerringly pleasant flamenco stylings--warm, graceful, and sanguine. Govi clearly does not create music for flamenco purists; instead, he targets listeners who enjoy the gentler side of flamenco's cheery colors, and he obliges by creating smooth, catchy, midtempo selections that are imbued with refined playing and a nonblistering pace. It is what it is: Nice, undisruptive background music well-suited for a patio party ("Persuasion" sets a particularly attractive mood) or a top-down cruise along an oceanfront highway. Put Govi in approximately the same league as Johannes Linstead (though Linstead's melodies and arrangements can be more complex) or Oscar Lopez (a skilled player who often favors a more spirited flamenco sound). --Terry Wood