Armik - Malaga - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

With combined sales of 300,000+ units domestically on his first two albums, Armik has taken his rightful place among the masters of flamenco guitar. Rubia features 12 original compositions filled with Old World-style melodies and sultry Latin/Caribbean rhythms.

The Best of Armik features two tracks each from the Latin/gypsy/jazz guitarist's six albums, all released on Baja/TSr. Gypsy Flame (BAJ*526) and Isla Del Sol (BAJ*534) both received extensive national smooth jazz radio play and Armik's cumulative album sales top 700,000 units. This greatest hits compilation should provide his fans with their favorites and introduce new listeners to this flamenco virtuoso's sultry Latin rhythms and Spanish melodies fused with jazzy improvisation and rapidfire guitar riffs.

MINIMAL marks the Percussions de Strasbourg's first foray into the world of minimalist music. Faithful to their legendary history, yet open to other sonic horizons, the ensemble asserts a plural identity, nourished by a sensitive dialogue between heritage, aesthetic diversity, and creative freedom. This recording, centered on Steve Reich's famous Mallet Quartet, brings together works such as Avant, pendant, et pourtant by Camille Pepin, where formal rigor and emotion intertwine, and Sunday by Shelley Washington, imbued with a gentle melancholy. Nik Bartsch adds his rhythmic textures and Inchritual grooveInch. Conceived by Minh-Tâm Nguyen and shaped by the inspired ear of Vincent Peirani, MINIMAL reflects an openness to jazz, pop, and classical influences. It marks a turning point a record conceived before the stage, envisioned as a living manifesto of contemporary creation.