Calima
Calimatranslates as "heat," and that's exactly whatnuevo flamencoguitar virtuoso Gerardo Núñez generates on his sophomore release. Nowhere is it better typified than on "Sancti Petri," his incendiary collaboration with two other guitarists, the duo ofStrunz & Farah, where cascades of notes go by virtually faster than the ear can take them in. Elsewhere Núñez plays a variety of flamenco styles, includingsevillanasandbulerías, as well as an ambitious paso doble. But while Núñez has his roots in the tradition, he doesn't stick to it religiously. Like mostnuevo flamencoplayers, he expands the genre, taking in jazz on the title track with sterling piano work fromDanilo Pérez. He also journeys into New Age territory as well as pure worldbeat. Núñez leaves plenty of room for sparkling improvisation on the balmy closer, "Tarifa," where bassistJohn Patituccishines. Essentially, this album shows Núñez to be a flamenco musician for the 21st century, a man coming into his prime as an artist.--Chris Nickson