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Yoshi Kato LIKE A a culinary creation by a globe-trotting chef, guitarist Ottmar Liebert's ``nouveau flamenco'' style of music seems both familiar and exotic. Rooted in the Spanish flamenco tradition but full of contemporary and cosmopolitan touches, his guitar work and compositions strike a chord with listeners around the world. ``It's instrumental music, so it's not bound to a language,'' says the guitarist. ``And the music itself is such a melting pot that it appeals to a lot of people. It doesn't sound American or European. . . . I can't Xput my finger on it myself, but it's really touching how many people from around the world leave notes in the guest book on our Web site (www.lunanegra.com) or send letters and notes.'' Born in Cologne to a German-Chinese father and a Hungarian mother, Liebert took up the guitar at age 11. By the time he reached his teens, he had begun to study European classical music. ``I turned to the (classical) guitar because I saw a bunch of great guitar bands and performances on TV as a kid -- people like Hendrix and all them'' says Liebert, who performs next Thursday through Feb. 27 at Yoshi's in Oakland. ``At the time, I myself realized you need a foundation for it, anywhere you go. There's a lot of different things you can do with the guitar, but you can never do wrong by starting with the proper technique.'' At 18, Liebert hitchhiked to Paris, traveled by rail through the then-Soviet Union and visited several Asian countries. Along the way, he performed with local musicians and delved into native musical traditions. He still likes to travel and perform with musicians from around the world. ``I've always enjoyed sitting in with different elements,'' he says. ``I've played with classical Chinese musicians, African kora players and Indian instrumentalists.'' He also has recorded with a pan-Asian band based in Singapore. He sees such musical melding as the wave of the future. ``It's looking forward to fusing a new world culture,'' he says, ``because the cultures have changed and are changing rapidly. In other words, music will never be the same, and even traditional music will slowly change. We cannot expect a kid who sits in front of a computer, whether it's in Kenya or Singapore, not to be influenced by what he hears. ``There will always be people who want to learn the old parts, but there's also kids in India who play sitar and love the way Jimmy Page plays. And I think, `More power to that.' '' Inspirational trip Liebert's latest CD -- ``Innamorare/Summer Flamenco'' (Epic, 1999) -- was inspired by a trip he and his bride took to Tuscany in 1997. (``Innamorare'' means love and enchantment.) The album features some instruments that are new to Liebert's sound, including a drum kit, steel and slide guitars and a horn section. The music itself incorporates Caribbean, mariachi, East Indian and soul-music elements. When Liebert brings his group, Luna Negra, to Yoshi's, he'll continue to stir the mix. On his last tour, he had eight players in Luna Negra and used a tractor-trailer to carry the equipment. This time, it's a group of three others: trumpeter Mike Middleton, percussionist Mark Clark and bassist Jon Gagan. Liebert's guitar is the only chordal instrument. The Oakland appearance comes just a month before the 10-year anniversary of Liebert's first commercial album, ``Nouveau Flamenco'' (Higher Octave), a more polished version of his self-produced debut disc, ``Marita: Shadows and Storms,'' which had been released independently in Santa Fe. He had moved to New Mexico after living in Boston from 1979 to '85, where he played in bands while holding down various day jobs. No hype to help Speaking of ``Nouveau Flamenco,'' he says, ``There was never much advertising for this record, and somehow it managed to sell millions of copies around the world. Besides the U.S., it's double-platinum in Australia, Canada and New Zealand and has sold quite a few copies in parts of Europe, as well.'' On March 28, Higher Octave will issue a ``1999-2000 Special Edition'' of the album, which has been re-mastered and features five previously unreleased tracks.
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