Review of Incendio's "Illumination"
GRADE: A
If you don't usually dip into the new age/world beat bins, Los Angeles-based modern pop flamenco ensemble Incendio may broaden your shopping radius. Illumination blends "global excitement with urban sensibilities" and is good for both contemplating the poems of Wordsworth and getting your groove on. Composed of three Spanish guitarists, a drummer and a wide variety of ethnic influences from Middle Eastern and Latin music to African fusion - Incendio has a lot to offer.
Each song on the disc conveys a story. The mesmerizing sitar and flamenco guitar-laden first track "Prjapati" is named and inspired by the Hindu creation god of the same name and is reminiscent of India's colorful, throbbing "Bollywood"(think Indian Hollywood) pop ballads. "Caipirinha" was named after the famed Brazilian drink and pays tribute to the music and culture of the country. "Dancing with the Dead" closes the disc with a beautiful, dusky and slow, strumming lullaby of three acoustic guitars.
Incendio may not be at the level of either the legendary sitar master Ravi Shankar or the popular Gypsy Kings - both tough acts to follow. But the recently formed group stands out in the world music genre as having created an album that embraces and goes beyond the "new flamenco style" pioneered by Ottmar Liebert, among others.
At moments, hints of New-Age cheesiness creep in around the edges of the disc. That being said, the bottom line is that you will want to dance (and if necessary, cram for that impending final in equal parts) while listening to this CD. Break out the bindi and the castanets - this double-duty disc is worthy of the cheapest of cheapskates' tight budget.
Review of Incendio's "Seduction"
4/4 Stars
Almost as beautiful as the art design on the CD is the sound of Incendio`s music. A truly international style, this band who consists of Jim Stubblefield (guitar), Jean-Pierre Durand (guitar/guitar synthesizer), Liza Carbé (bass), Joe Shotwell (drums/percussion) and Nicole Falzone (drums/percussion) seems to be that blazing, bright light of fire they are named after. At times the songs are reminiscent of what you would hear at an authentic tapas bar or on a beachfront in an exotic South American country somewhere. Ultimately, it is that sense of authenticity to the music which makes Incendio seem much like…well a Seduction, as this CD title implies.
Incendio explains their music as ‘Latin guitar world fusion.’ Seduction does have a lot of Latin guitar in it, to be sure, but it seemed to have a lot of 80s Jazz influence to it as well. This sound was something reminiscent of `mood music` and heavily based in smooth saxophone. Incendio has a substantial collection of CDs and a great reputation for their originality and hard work ethic (over 200 concerts a year!). They have managed to place themselves into an arena of music that seldom gets exposure, without becoming anonymous. In fact, one could say, Incendio has helped to highlight the attributes of the Latin styled guitar playing.
Songs like `Violet` or ‘La Cabonita’ which are full of rhythm and excitement are great to move about to and in one persons recommendation on the New World Music website (www.newworldmusic.com) the CD was reported to be great to do housework to. The rhythms and dance-ability really seem to make this an enticing collection of tracks. As a nice balance, a song like ‘Ledges Road’ is emotive and tender.
At times the music felt a little too chaotic, dipping into that Jazz type style at times, which didn’t feel entirely cohesive. However, the chaotic moments are not distracting enough to be too distracting on the whole. Overall, this was a great collection by Incendio, one more CD of theirs to add to an already substantial collection.
9 out of 10!
With a sensational mixture of music from all around the globe, Incendio, which means fire in Italian and Spanish, lives up to its name. The latest installment from the band, Dia y Noche, creates the experience of a live performance wherever you listen to the album. The sultry Spanish guitar resonates through every track and is accompanied by Celtic, Middle Eastern, Jazz, and many other styles to produce incredible melodies. The talent of the musicians is evident on each track. In each song, you can hear the love and passion Incendio has for music. Dia y Noche is more than just an album, it is a showcase of excellent talent.
EDITORS PICK!
Recorded live at two separate concerts, one during daytime and the other at night, “Dia y Noche” is an exploration of the fusion of Latin rock with Latin jazz and various South American styles like bossa nova, salsa, and others. The day show was recorded at the Strawberry Festival in early 2004 while the night show was from the Countrywide Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza later that year. Both shows expose Incendio incendiary instrumentation and crafty arrangements.
A fury of flamenco flued by infectious rhythms, Misterioso, the debut album from Incendio, is a firestorm of exotic grooves. Explore with excitment the sensual style of songs like Emerald Sea and Luna, as they lure you with their lush melodies. Incendio uses a blend of global styles from the spicy dance clubs of Spain to the deserts of Northern Africa, including mambos, sambas, rumba flamenco guitars, and Middle Eastern influenced world-fusion. Guitarist/composer Jim Stubblefield will entrance you with his acoustic skills as will special guests Lisa Lynne and Novi Novog on this truly spellbinding album.
Incendio, by the group of the same name, is – as promised by its name – fiery! Combining Latin or Spanish guitar with a variety of styles – flamenco, Middle-Eastern, Celtic, trance, jazz, rock, and classical – the album is truly a global experience. I like 'Zocolo' for its powerful bass line, and 'Isis' for its Middle Eastern drums and sensuality. Fans of Latin and flamenco music will find Incendio a sexy, passionate, energetically charged album that will warm winter nights.
One of the reasons I was interested in this CD was because although I'm not particularly a lover of Spanish guitar music, I did like the sound of the flamenco, Middle-Eastern, Celtic, jazz, rock, trance and pop amalgamation. It sounded spicy and interesting and to be honest it is. The underlying sound is always the Spanish guitar but it is combined with so many other types of music, some subtle, some more obvious that it makes it a pleasure to listen to. Happy, rhythmic, yet calm and easy, I dare anyone not to have a little boogie when listening to it. It reminds me of warm evenings and good food while relaxing on holiday. Brilliant!
"Incendio" is the Italian word for fire. Considering the aural pyrotechnics on display with this release, it's not hard to see that the name is quite fitting. INCENDIO is an album of Spanish guitar virtuosity with a healthy dose of ethnic spice thrown into the mix. The music has a smooth fluidity, reminiscent of "nouveau flamenco" innovators like Ottmar Liebert or Jesse Cook. The four-member group gets points for style with their sinuous Middle Eastern flavors, energetic Latin rhythms and playful jazz. Passion, however, remains the music's central attribute, and INCENDIO proves that the group can still balance fire and romance with the greatest of ease.
Describing music has got to be one of the most difficult things for me to do. Would it help if I told you I audibly gasped when I heard the first strains of this recording? And that when I accidentally left it at a friend's house, it ended up in his car's CD player for a solid week? The group Incendio (Italian and Spanish word for fire) is comprised of five culturally diverse artists — three are North Americans, one is French, and one is Peruvian. Talk about a global musical experience. This release features Spanish flamenco guitar, energetic Latin rhythms, exotic Middle Eastern flair, as well as a touch of Celtic and Jazz influences.
JAZZIZ
Review of Incendio's "Misterioso"
The four-piece ensemble Incendio's debut, Misterioso, is driven to varied-tempo levels of exotica and energetic excitement by the Strunz & Farah-like dual-guitar interaction of leader Jim Stubblefield (who plays the lead melodies) and Jean-Pierre Durand (who carries the rhythm lines). The two are certainly capable of those astounding, lightning quick passages that sound like dueling bumble bees. On "Luna," for instance, Stubblefield darts off the main melody line every few bars for sparkling solos that dare Durand to roll along faster.
But the real joys of the disc come when the two go after a more lilting sound closer to that of Ottmar Liebert, but with more aggressive percussion pizzazz. The title track is a fitting example: the guitars swirl like hypnotic harp strings over a tender soundscape and then Nicole Falzone's pitter-patter percussion. Stubblefield and Durand then sway along beneath a lush, emotional violin solo by guest Novi Novog. While the guitar and percussion weavings are the core of the Incendio sound, Novog's few appearances and the staccato horn-section accents of "Festival Del Luces" add some necessary color. Durand also reveals a nice touch on acoustic piano, calling forth lush harmonies beneath Stubblefield's sweet, loping melody on "Emerald Sea."
In the limelight - Hot Summer Nights
The second Hot Summer Nights, Cool Music show at the Noel Heritage Park in Odessa featured the California-based band Incendio. A perfect temperature, lightish winds and a picturesque sky drew out a large audience who were rewarded with some virtuosic guitar work from the two lead guitars, some competent bass work and a percussionist who used nothing but his hands on a variety of instruments.
While I love traditional drums as much as the next man, Incendio has made precisely the right choice in limiting its percussion to subtler use of hands on drums. So Brian Brock has a quiet but essential role to play in underpinning the work of the guitars in front of him.
And what guitarists they are.
Jim Stubblefield does not say much, his expression barely changes throughout the show, and he often simply stands virtually still - yet his presence is quietly mesmerizing as his fingers fly up and down the neck with smooth precision. His pick hand often speeds into a blur of movement. Incendio members call themselves a "world music" band - a genre that is by design eclectic rather than proscribed - and Stubblefield is equally virtuosic in flamenco, classical, jazz riffs and even an occasional reference to slash playing. His performance was a master-class for any guitarist in the audience.
Incendio's ostensible front-man is Jean-Pierre Durand, who writes he has spent his time "generally ignoring any disciplined approach to music." If his easy rapport and blinding guitar-work are the result of such an approach, then we should introduce his anarchic method to every school music department. I remember Durand from his bar gigs at UC Berkeley in the 1990s, and while he has obviously moved far beyond those early days, he maintains the same smiling joy at making music. He is the constantly-moving, Tigger-like enthusiast who bounces around the stage in contrast to Stubblefield's fascinating but moody introspection.
The highlight of the first half was "Dragons," a number that has firmly Greek themes that slide easily into a Turkish feel. A poppy-smoke filled bar in Istanbul with belly-dancers in the early hours of the morning came to mind.
Incendio uses guitar synthesizers to produce a range of sound from accordion to piano and on to more exotic world instruments. Durand actually showed the sounds were being produced live rather than from a recording with a brief solo between songs - perhaps unneeded evidence, but it served to show just how rich a sound those three guitars can produce. They use synthesizer-boards to create symphonic complexity rather than the mush of sound that often occurs with lesser performers.
"Barcelona" is a fond homage to that great Spanish city, featuring Stubblefield solos that seemed to require several more hands than the two he was actually using. He and Durand make a mockery of the simplistic divisions between lead and rhythm work that occur in most bands, juxtaposing musical ideas.
The only problems with the evening stemmed from local causes. The sound men took some time getting the mix of sound right, but once they got there, the guitars complemented one another perfectly. The stage lighting was a more stubborn problem. Once night fell, the musicians had to find their lights in a kaleidoscopic darkness. At one moment Durand's guitar was the only thing visible, and then Stubblefield's Byronic features would appear alarmingly disembodied. It made for an interesting visual show, albeit one surely unintended.
But Incendio offered a great performance, one all the more amazing because it was totally free for the audience. Hot Summer Nights is getting off to a fiery start.