A Flamenco Journey by Scott Mateo Davies

On his latest CD, Mateo covers some interesting territory: a Spanish Knocking on Heaven’s Door “por Tanguillos,” an Arabic vocal piece driven by darbuka and electronic percussion and featuring Flamenco guitars, a Middle-Eastern adaptation of Manuel de Falla’s Danza del Fuego, a lush rendition of Satie’s first Gymnopedie, a beachy Bolero, a solo guitar Milonga, plus the more traditional Flamenco guitar Mineras, Farrucas, Solea por Bulerias, and a couple of Bulerias. Intense interpretations of modern and traditional flamenco…and more.

Scott “Mateo” Davies: vocals, guitar, with: Stefon Taylor, Cristian Almodovar, Steven Spaise, Colette Illarde, James Miller & Maria Elena

“Scott Mateo Davies is the carrier of flamenco in his native land of Minnesota and with this disc he shows us that to bear the weight of suffering winters that even Eskimos can’t love, there is, in fact, heat in those lands.”

Reviewed by ALMA 100