Part of the new
flamenco movement along with
Ottmar Liebert and
Strunz & Farah, the guitar duo of
Dan Young and
Lawson Rollins plays the particular Spanish style with a
contemporary jazz and
new age attitude. While acknowledging the
classical tradition carried on by such luminaries as
Paco de Lucia,
Young & Rollins also showcase their formidable guitar technique against the occasional funky, finger-slap bassline. Taken as a whole, the combination creates an interesting rub of traditions --
funk meets
flamenco. Although
Sevilla is full of real grit and passion for
Spanish music, the other, more contemporary tradition in the smooth genre of eschewing solos in favor of endlessly repeated melodic themes renders these tracks somewhat anonymous. That said,
Young & Rollins do seem to have an excitement for performing that comes through in many of the well-executed arrangements that build the tension to more than a few hot conclusions. ~ Matt Collar
