Search - Strunz & Farah :: Mosaico

Why was the guitar invented? Part IX

TUCO H. | Los Angeles, CA | 09/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Just one word "Confluence"

TUCO H. | 05/14/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Best steel string guitar playing ever

cwnickname | Vancouver, B.C. Canada | 04/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."