Steve Stevens "Flamenco A Go Go"

Steve Stevens "Flamenco A Go Go"

album cover

Steve Stevens
Flamenco A Go Go
The Story
After several years of silence, Stevens introduces an entirely new sound and direction with "Flamenco A Go Go". It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows Steve's history, since the legendary folk musician Phil Ochs was the first person to put a guitar into his hands. Not only has be traded his trusty electrics for a nylon-string acoustic guitar, but he took a total do-it-yourself approach to the project, recording it by computer in his home and playing almost all of the parts himself. Playing flamenco brought out the best in Stevens--check out the depth and melodic majesty of tracks like "Our Man In Istanbul" or "Riviera 68." Working with percussionist Greg Ellis, Stevens has no trouble tapping into the kinetic pulse of flamenco music, yet no matter how intense the rhythmic interplay gets, there's always a strong melodic component to the music. It's as if Stevens gets the best of both worlds. Nor is he hampered by the sonic limitations of a nylon-string classical guitar. Thanks to the editing capabilities of digital recording, on "Letter to A Memory", for example, Stevens was able to have his acoustic and make it sound electric, too. Note: Only one of the vocal tracks on "Flamenco A Go Go" is a traditional vocal number ("Hanina") - the others feature an occasional female voice in an indistiguishable language adding vocal coloration.
The Music
05:16 Flamenco A Go Go Instrumental
04:58 Cinecitta Instrumental
06:13 Our Man In Istanbul ** Vocal
05:19 Letter To A Memory ** Instrumental
03:51 Feminova * Vocal
06:04 Velvet Cage Vocal
05:51 Hanina Vocal
06:39 Dementia Instrumental
04:20 Twilight In Your Hands Instrumental
06:25 Riviera '68 Instrumental
    * Electric
    ** Acoustic/Electric
The Artists
Steve Stevens Guitar, Guitar Synth, Keyboards, Bass, Production, Engineering, Arrangements
Gota Yashiki Loop
Greg Ellis Percussion, Trumpet, Flute
Azam Ali Voice
Howard Jones Piano
Mike Esposito Bass
Vinnie Colaiuta Drums
Cameron Stone Cello
Faudel Vocals on "Hanina"
Mark Schulman Drums
Takeshi Honda Guitar
Fumiaki Nishiyama Bass
Shyunichi Oshima Keyboards
Armand Sabal-Lecco Bass
David Tickle Mixing
Martin Pradler Mixing Assistance
Recorded at the Purple Room, Capitol, Hot Tin Roof Studios.

Mixed at Avalon Studios Kauaii, Hawaii.