Santa Cruz (California) flamenco guitarist, El Douje, has just released his debut solo album. Entitled Worlds Collide, it’s a bold mixture of traditional and modern styles. From ‘jondo’ flamenco to modern day world fusion/drum and bass/techno, the flamenco guitar playing of El Douje is what unifies and sets this album apart. Containing 13 original compositions, the songs on this record gracefully stretch the stylistic bounds of tradition, while looking to the possibilities ahead. Worlds Collide is a project many years in the making. From the original vision of combining flamenco and Gypsy guitar with modern elements of electronic music, four years have passed. The musical offerings range from traditional flamenco styles such as bulerías, tangos and soleá, to experimental combinations defying classification.
Though El Douje is a solo act, the album contains extensive collaborations with a wide variety of acclaimed and accomplished musicians. Dave Weckl (of Dave Weckl Band and Chick Corea Band) lends his drumming talent on several tracks, and jazz/fusion bass legend Tom Kennedy and his 200 year old double bass also appear on numerous tracks. Members of the Gypsy fusion band Estradasphere round out the sound with bass, saxophone and violin tracks. Shamisen master Kevin Kmetz is featured
extensively on the album, adding to the unique instrumentation of the compositions.
Buy Worlds Collide
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.