Saturday, December 10, 2016

USA: Luis Villegas-Eastside Democracy (2016)

Luis Villegas | Eastside Democracy 

"Eastside Democracy", the new release by Spanish guitar virtuoso Luis Villegas, is a collection of original and cover songs inspired by the sound of 70's rock/latin fusion bands such as WAR, Malo, Tierra and El Chicano. A native of East Los Angeles, Luis gives us a peek into his interpretation of the music of his youth by way of the Spanish Guitar.

This album weaves Luis' Spanish guitar with many genres from Nuevo Flamenco to Smooth Jazz to Charanga to latin rock, psychedelic rock and funk. You've never heard these songs this way before. Luis' has some legendary musicians joining him and lending their talents to the project. Rudy and Steve Salas and organist Joey Guerra from original East Los Angeles Band Tierra to drummer Sal Rodriguez from WAR to seasoned session players such as drummers Gregg Bissonette and Curt Bisquera, trumpeter Harry Kim, saxophonist Larry Klimas, guitarist Andy Abad of Jennifer Lopez and Michael O'Neil from George Benson.

Let Luis take you along this trip of modern nostalgia and allow you to re-imagine the sounds of the past with a most contemporary sound through the use of an instrument that is centuries old: The Spanish Guitar.