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Post by Adam Solomon on Apr 8, 2004 0:18:30 GMT -5
[glow=RED,2,300]Tell us about your first introduction to OL music:[/glow] Was it a CD, Radio Station, TV, friend, concert, or just by chance? How was that experience? Tell us more.
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MichaelV: It all started in 2000. I saw 2 very fascinating CD titles, at the local library in Fair Lawn NJ, called "Gypsy Soul" and “Gypsy Passion – New Flamenco." For 2 weeks I did nothing but listened to these 2 CD’s. One of the songs that caught my attention were from Ottmar Liebert “Driving to Madrid” and “2 The Night.“
Well! I decided to buy numerous Ottmar CD’s after that. I would even take those CD’s with me on vacation down the Jersey Shore every year. Boy! There is nothing like listening to OL music as the Sea wind and sun hits your face (as you are having a few glasses of wine with family members.) OL: God blessed you with great talent.
Thank You! For sharing such talent and not giving up sooner, as most musicians do. You marked a spot in History for yourself. Your Ancestors can be proud of that.
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Post by Adam Solomon on May 12, 2004 16:45:51 GMT -5
When I was a little, little kid (maybe 7/8 years ago?), my mom went to this store/restaurant called Sprouts, heard some beautiful music there, and asked who it was. So, soon she had NF and ¡Viva!. She started playing it in the car occasionally for the next few years, and I liked it, and ripped "Barcelona Nights" onto my computer, but that was about it. Then, this last summer at my camp, my counselor had a classical guitar, and was very into flamenco. My first guitar was classical, too, lol but I made the mistake of using it for rock, etc., I didn't know how to use it, so I never much liked it. He taught me how to properly play it, and he also got me into flamenco. I identified OL as flamenco, and had "Barcelona Nights" on my MP3 player, so during rest periods I started playing it on 25% speed with my guitar in hand, and within a week or so I had the whole thing tabbed out. When my mom came up for Visiting Day, I asked her for the two CDs, and she gave me them, and I've loved OL's music ever since  |
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Post by Naomi on May 12, 2004 17:19:43 GMT -5
Well, I heard Barcelona Nights on the Phoenix smooth jazz station KYOT, probably around 1995. It just grabbed me.
My dad was a classical pianist and he also dabbled in guitar. I remember him (and my brother also) playing Asturias and Malaguena when I was little, maybe 2 or 3 years old, so when you're little like that, things just are very overwhelming when they are that cool. After 30 or more years later, I have become interested in music without lyrics.
OL and his music just seemed to appear in my life at a time when I needed just the music, no words. Plus, living in the desert, OL's music seems to fit in where no other can. Driving on an old road with cactus and mountains...smelling the creosote after it rains, watching a thunderstorm pound a rocky mountain... need I say more?
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Post by Adam Solomon on May 12, 2004 18:58:24 GMT -5
Ah, yes, childhood music is engrained in you for life Remember OL's blog post about flamenco's roots in Sephardic music? My grandfather (maternal, so my mom bought NF after growing up with him...) is one of Israel's most accomplished violinists, always playing Sephardic and Arabic music...I've always loved that Jesse Cook does an excellent job of combining both genres (Arabic and Flamenco) in his "Nomad" album...the song Qadduka-L-Mayyas, especially...simply incredible  |
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Post by Matt Callahan on May 12, 2004 21:43:34 GMT -5
November 2002. I rode with a man I had never met before as part of a group driving from Phoenix to Many Farms ( in the middle of nowhere in northern Arizona). This fellow and I starting talking about music and he asked if I liked guitar. He dropped Nouveau Flamenco in the CD player and I made him play it over and over for about four hours. Incurable hooked from there. Over the course ofthe next six months I purchased every CD, as close to the order of release I could.
As Naomi said, the added bonus of living in the desert really makes the music hit home.
It appears that Naomi and I have more than just OL in common. There is no scent in nature I enjoy more than creosote after it rains
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Post by Adam Solomon on May 12, 2004 22:37:30 GMT -5
As Naomi said, the added bonus of living in the desert really makes the music hit home. Argh, and I thought I was enjoying it enough in suburban Long Island...lol does Southern California count as part of the desert? I want to go out to Caltech in a couple of years |
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Post by Matt Callahan on May 14, 2004 0:20:17 GMT -5
No, but it is real close. A day trip will let you experience what you need and then, back to the beach.
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Post by boris on May 14, 2004 5:52:57 GMT -5
I guess it was back in 1995 where I spent a lot of time with a friend of mind discussing, drinking tea + listening to W.G. Snuffy Walden (The Stand) + Dire Straits. While I was looking for instrumental guitar music, there came up an article about Ottmar in the magazine of the german weekly newspaper "Die Zeit". The article was about his singing garden in Santa Fe, his origins of course, and the production of Opium. The same day I went to a local record store in Konstanz (which is at the Lake of Constance in Southern Germany). I found + bought without listening into it "The Hours between night + day". That day, I went down the Rhein river with a friend to see the Rhein falls. It was a lovely summer day. I had listened into Bombay at home + the melody of this song didn't leave me the whole trip. In the evening, we made Chili con carne. I had too much of it + too much red wine too. I stumbled to my room, the window was open + outside (which was not far away from the lake) you could here the mosquitos. I put in THBND + didn't get up for the rest of the night, just listening to the music...
No desert, though...
But I know thunderstorms in the mountains. Yesterday we had one.
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Post by Naomi on May 14, 2004 10:26:38 GMT -5
Matt; Yep, the living in the desert really intensifies the experience. I have visited or lived nearly all over the state, and it seems that the different albums fit each region of the state specifically...I like listening to Immorare when I go from Tucson to Florence to Mesa on the Pinal Parkway. I prefer the Opium and NF CD's when I'm in Prescott, and The Santa Fe Sessions seem to fit the area around Tombstone quite nicely... Adam, there is noplace like Arizona and NM anywhere in the world. You can go from 110 degree deserts to cool mountains in about an hour or two. I have been taking alot of photos of the blooming cactus, when the Mexican monsoon comes in July, we will have some awesome thunderstorms. I may be biased, however.  |
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Liz
Full Member
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Posts: 93
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Post by Liz on May 15, 2004 12:54:40 GMT -5
The first time I heard OL was on VH1. They were having a weekend where they played every video they had (back when they played videos.) I flipped it on to see what they were playing and "Snakecharmer" happened to be on. I was captivated by the music. (And OL wasn't bad either!) Then a couple of years later, I saw the 10 year anniversary edition of Nouveau Flamenco in a bookstore. I rememberd liking OL from TV, so I picked it up and have been hooked ever since! By now, I have picked up most of his albums and am eagerly awaiting the new one! (Like everyone else!) I have only seen him once in concert, but I really enjoyed it! I hope we are able to make arrangements to see him sometime this year - especially since he is talking about taking a year off. |
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Post by Adam Solomon on May 15, 2004 15:19:10 GMT -5
liz! i NEED to see the snakecharmer video...lol...where can you find it??? also, which album is the video off of? and has he recorded any other videos?
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Liz
Full Member
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Posts: 93
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Post by Liz on May 18, 2004 12:04:11 GMT -5
I thought OL posted the Snakecharmer video to Integral Naked? I know he talked about posting it somewhere so people could see it. I do believe he recorded it (Snakecharmer) originally on "The Hours between Night + Day ". I don't think he made any other videos, but I could be wrong. Maybe OL will consider adding the video as a "bonus track" on the DVD of the Bravo special. I would like to have a copy of it too. (Was that a subtle enough hint?) |
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Post by Adam Solomon on May 18, 2004 13:10:55 GMT -5
The Snakecharmer video on Integral Naked is live, very much in the style of the Santa Fe Sessions version, and likely from around 1999, as it appears to be with the XL band.
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Post by marcus on May 18, 2004 13:21:20 GMT -5
I have been playing guitar since I was 15 years old . I grew up listening to a wide veriety of music ... but I perfered the heavy music of course .
I happened to be in a over priced music store and there was Opium in the new release section . I listened to it and thats that .... I sold all my heavy metal and bought all of Ottmars cd's . Not too long ago I picked up a flamenco guitar grew out my nails and to this day I am learning .
Ottmar is awesome !!!!
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Post by MichaelV on May 18, 2004 14:20:37 GMT -5
Marcus,
Welcome to the CLUB. Your life won't be the same after getting hooked on OL music. Enjoy the trip to great music.
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