Review of Ojos De Brujo CD Techari

Review of musical group Techari.

This group is a mix of flamenco,world, hip hop and reggae. The basic structure is flamenco but they mix rhythms of other cultures to great effect.

Here is a song by song review.

"Color" A pop/weather report style song with lots of palmas keeping you off balance. The road twists through Stanley Clarke style bass riffs, choppy guitar parts, hip hop, salsa, and a mind bending tabla interlude.

"Sultanas De Merkaíllo" By far my absolute favorite song of theirs. Way way infectous rhythm with salsa conga bell meeting the great alzapua mid-passage driving to greater things. Oh yeah !!

"Todo Tiende" Nice tabla rumba intro. Hard to stay sitting down with this song playing. Nice groove cuts a swath through the spanish night air. Then we take a left turn to old morocco returning to the gypsy caravan. Whew !

"Runalí" Oh yeah this one pulls on my ear, pulls me in tight to the music. Swaying
lyrical vocals call me up to the dance floor as the music fills me with good vibes. " Bartender send me another rum and cola please" Afro drumming shakes hands with tablas, nice light touch on the guitar.

"El Confort No Reconforta" Heavy techno groove brings us into this song. Dreamy
vocals contrasting hip hop undercurrents lace this one. Not flamenco but a great
song.

"Tanguillos marineros" A nice throwback to one of my favorite styles. This has
tabla and tar drumming to add a worldly edge. Nice guitar and vocals throughout

"Silencio" another one of my favorites. Heavy world beat with sampled music added in.
Nice use of tablas here adds a raga beat. The vocals remind me of Paco de lucias 2nd to last "Lucia" cd. Oh yeah this one grooves.

"No somos maquinas" Nice dreamy intro leads into jazzy middle section.
Staccato vocals give an urgency to drive the song along to a Chick Corea piano style section, very nice.

"Bailaores" Another great rumba reminicent of gipsy kings cerca "Este Mundo when Tonino was still a flashy young guitarist. Greatdanceable song.

"Corre lola corre" Al dimeola meets Tonino Baliardo. Gipsy kings guitar
with a jazzy feel. This would be a great song for a movie soundtrack.

"Feedback" A jazzy rumba with Chick Corea and Iranian overtones. Nice groove throughout, good alzapua thumb action leading into a raga ending.

"Piedras vs. tanques" a technorumba worthy of some serious booty shaking. Some rock overtones, with a splash of "Azucar Moreno" for good taste.

"Respira" Starts out as a solea, slides into a Paco de lucia style groove cerca his Zyrab period. Lots of "scratching and sampling on this track. Good dancable song.

"Nana" a nice tarantas opening that goes into a zambra/heavy middle east- east indian middle section. Nice vocals from Marina, guitar reminds me of Sabicas. Not a traditional
flamenco song at all but played with much feeling.

I will keep a lookout for this band next time they come around.