Search - Govi :: Mosaico

The nuevo flamenco trend in America has influenced many artists to jump on the Latin guitar bandwagon, especially within a smooth jazz format. With his latest album, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Govi strives for a pop-friendly Latin guitar brew that stirs in subtle musical flavors, but the end results are not as dynamic as one might expect. In fact, two of the songs sound like Strunz & Farah lite, as Govi attempts a similarly modern sound but without the impressive technical virtuosity. To his credit, Govi does try different approaches, whether integrating sitar into the low-key "Spicy Dream," playing subdued electric guitar on the sentimental "This Precious Moment," or exploring an upbeat soukous vibe on "Afrodisiac." He has some ideas here, but it's surprising how he can take a potentially intriguing combination--specifically the acoustic guitar strums, bluesy electric axework, dancing panpipes, and bouncing bass found on "Carousel"--and make it sound so safe. --Bryan Reesman