Rosas del Amor
There's no mystery to the appeal of Armik's sun-warmed, note- dense excursions on guitar. An Iranian native of Armenian descent now  living in Southern California, Armik sets his new flamenco works aglow  with a blend of passion and craftsmanship that exudes an authentic,  old-world character plus a beguiling, gypsy-like charm. It is an  inviting combination that reliably draws in mainstream fans of  contemporary instrumental music who are attracted to new flamenco's  more exotic colorings. Armik's principal distinguishing quality is the  sometimes-startling quickness of his fingers, which are capable of  producing great swarms of notes that almost render listeners dizzy. On  this, the former jazz guitarist's sixth recording, Armik elects to use  a different guitar on each of the disc's 12 tracks, though it's a  nuance that ultimately matters little and will be lost on most  listeners. The attraction remains the earnest, old-school inclinations  of Armik's compositions and their almost unfailingly upbeat  disposition. Traditional flamenco listeners will likely continue to  shrug off Armik's playing, but casual listeners will just as likely  remain impressed by his dexterous, energetic displays. Expect another  string of five-star listener reviews for this consistently appealing  performer.--Terry Wood