Diego Amador: Piano Jondo

Diego Amador

Piano Jondo

MCD 9333.2

Diego Amador, piano, guitars, mandola, vocals, handclaps; Miguel Vargas, bass; Luis Amador, box, percussion; Joaquin Grilo, dance, handclaps.

Diego Amador, a Spanish flamenco musician plays experimental flamenco-style world music in this passionate set. Flashing and instrumental in places, inventive and often fiery, "Comparito (bulerias)" is sharp and stinging; "Quiero Olvidarte (solea)" wanders about with good percussive support. "Piano Jondo" means "Deep Feeling Piano", and it is certainly his feelings we follow; "A Mi Tio Diego (rondena)" is a deeply felt piece that can erupt suddenly into a sharp blaze, as we fondly imagine the Spanish temperament might do. "Ivivan Los Gitanos! (bulerias)" overstretches our sensibilities a bit, going on for twelve and a half minutes, and "Seguiriya de Pildorilla (seguiriya)" is a darker, more thunderous exertion; ten minutes of explosive piano with just an occasional drawing of breath. Diego Amador is a strong player who strikes the piano with a percussive sharpness, his music is full of passion and explosive individuality, graceful forgiveness and an uncertain edge. Good for the risk takers.

by Ferdinand Maylin

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