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review by Michael Debbage Eric Hansen is certainly masterful on the flamenco guitar and Colores Del Alma reflects a man comfortable with his craft. Integrating the aforementioned with ingredients of classical, jazz and salsa flavors, Hansen manages to create his own slant on this growing genre. Hansen is located out of Florida and has been seriously studying guitar since the tender age of 14 years. While the flamenco influence is obvious, the underlying classical and jazz experience comes from his formal years of study at Florida Atlantic University. These influences are best heard via "Bach In Miami" that incorporates JS Bach's "Fugue In C Minor" with Hansen's high-octane sultry salsa. "Odd," you might say, but it is an utterly successful merger. Other overstated salsa influences includes the appropriately titled "Salsera" that incorporates the precise and jazzy horn arrangements of Ed Calle. Combined with Hansen's funky fast fluttering guitar picking the results are majestic. Similar horn arrangements are present on "Playa Delray" though musical the tempo is a little slower. However, the same outstanding results are secured but unfortunately these are the only appearances by Ed Calle. Please, may I have some more horns next time, as such instrumentation helps bring the project a little more variety. Otherwise, the songs tend to wander around with mid tempo arrangements that, while well executed, lack obvious memorable melodies. Though there is some success even here with the temperamental "Desert Moon" that has some superb guitar work as the song concludes. Also "Lost In Bruges" includes some underlying jazz influences with vocal chanting that I can only assume is attributed to Eric Hansen. The jazz tone is revisited courtesy of "Gato Negro" while "For Our Heroes" has an almost folksy tone to it. With precise production to facilitate in the delivery of the material, this fine album delivers some very memorable moments despite some fillers. Though comparisons with mainstream flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook and Johannes Linstead are inevitable, to do so would be a mistake as Hansen brings his own unique colors to the musical canvas. |
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