Eddie Reyes Lost World CD

"Eddie Reyes seamlessly melds authentic-sounding Spanish flamenco with Cuban bata and touches of Brazilian, Argentinian, Puerto Rican and Caribbean styles...fans of Al Di Meola and flamenco star Vicente Amigo will want to pick up on this highly ambitious world music-informed offering."BILL MILKOWSKI - JAZZ TIMESA unique world jazz sound.Eddie Reyes, composer/guitarist/pianist has an extensive background in Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz. His long standing interest in ceremonial Bata drumming as it is performed in Cuba, the Caribbean and America, coupled with a deep love for flamenco music gave birth to Lost World. Begun in collaboration with Puerto Rican percussionist Ricardo Isaac, the project is an exploration of world rhythms, from the intricate percussion traditions that started in Africa and have made their way to the Caribbean and South America, to the Indo/European streams that have fertilized the gypsy and flamenco traditions and on to Indian, Celtic and Aboriginal groove elements. Added to this is a mix of contemporary jazz, classical, rock and folkloric influences.Joining him as the core of this joyous effort is Venezuelan drummer Aaron Serfaty, Mexican-American bassist Rene Camacho and guest artists Gonzalo Rubalcaba, the Cuban jazz pianist, jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney and Alex Acuña, Peruvian drummer/percussionist. Also performing is the Spanish flamenco dancer Yolanda Arroyo, who lends her voice, hands and feet to the project, Lazaro Gallaraga, Cuban percussionist, singer and original member of the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, Pedro Eustache, Venezuelan wind multi-instumentalist, Grammy nominated Cuban choir Raices Habaneras, Palestinian vocalist and mawal expert Woroud Antabil, Indian Vocalist and Carnatic music specialist Geetha Ramanathan, and Charlie Bisharat, Arab-American classical and world music violinist - among others.Eddie has performed in Europe, Brazil, Mexico and Africa and has played in the groups of legendary jazz drummer Chico Hamilton and flautist Dave Valentin. He has also recorded and performed with Kenny Kirkland, Harvey Swartz, Luis Conte, Jorge Dalto, Claudio Roditi, Lonette McKee and Blossom Dearie. He is a native of the San Francisco Bay area and a graduate of Berklee College of Music. Although he has now developed a style of flamenco guitar that merges with his Afro/Cuban/Brazilian approach, he continues to study traditional flamenco with masters in Spain.He is also a composer of music for the theatre having recently had a world premiere of "Dorian Gray", his musical theatre adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic novella. Other original music theatre scores include "Esperanza" and "The Circus of Dr. Lao". He also writes film music, from the underscore to the classic David Lynch film, "Blue Velvet", to 90's era features "Shell Shock", "The Chair" and "The Fires Within", to contemporary films, the latest of which are "Myron's Movie" and "The Painting".JAZZ TIMES REVIEW by BILL MILKOWSKIMay 2007"Guitartistry" EDDIE REYESLost World (Gemini Rising)Bay Area native and Berklee grad Eddie Reyes seamlessly melds authentic-sounding Spanish flamenco with Cuban bata and touches of Brazilian, Argentinian, Puerto Rican and Caribbean styles on his second outing as a leader. An accomplished player-composer-arranger-conceptualist, Reyes shifts easily from fingerstyle flamenco guitar workouts on the dramatic buleria “Muana” and the stirring solea “Lalun” to fleet-fingered electric guitar licks on high-flying, Latin-flavored fusion offerings like the spirited bomba “I Remember Esperanza” and the driving “Highland Conga.” Gonzalo Rubalcaba applies his signature touch to the bata-fueled opener “Beast on the Moon” and the title track, a percolating guaguanco that has him stretching in typically heroic fashion on piano.Multi-instrumentalist Reyes also doubles on organ on the haunting Bitches-Brew-styled jam “Homo Sapiens” and summons up a bandoneon sample on tango-flavored danzon