The Santa Fe Sessions Higher Octave Music + Spiral Subwave Records International (SSRI) Flamenco without the attitude is one way to describe the captivating sound of Ottmar Liebert. He succeeds in smoothing out the hard edges, while retaining some of the flavor of traditional flamenco by softening the mood, making it more melodic and romantic. His music is sensual and seductive with an almost mystical quality. One piece caresses and lulls the listener, ever so gently, into an enchanting and intoxicating trance, while the next brings him back to the present as the tempo increases or the atmosphere is spiced with horns and driving drums. While traditional flamenco aficionados may not appreciate Liebert's loose, relaxed interpretations, he does make flamenco more palatable for the masses. Like his music, Liebert is the personification of a melting pot. Liebert has a rich, mixed heritage with a Chinese-German father and Hungarian mother. "I also feel that I'm a citizen of this whole planet, with its wealth of different flavors, sounds and colors," he says on his label website at Epic Records. Born in Cologne, Liebert spent several years in Boston before settling in Santa Fe. He has traveled extensively and studied the traditional ethnic music of the areas he visited. Trained in classical guitar, he was later lured away by jazz and rock. These influences, plus a dash of latin rhythm, swirl together in a most pleasant way to create Liebert's unique quintessential mood music. Things weren't always so smooth for Liebert. His career got off to a bumpy start. Disillusioned after years of frustration with the music business and several bands that didn't go anywhere, Liebert decided to chuck it all and go west. He ended up in Santa Fe, where he finally felt liberated, and in this unconstrained atmosphere he began making music purely for his own pleasure. Local audiences were so receptive that he eventually formed a band, Luna Negra, and produced Marita: Shadows and Storms, which was distributed in local art galleries. This recording found its way to radio stations and was picked up and re-released by Higher Octave as Nouveau Flamenco. In 1992, Liebert signed with Epic Records. From that point, Liebert's chart-topping albums have received gold and platinum certificates and Grammy nominations. He was named Billboard's New Age Artist of the Year for two consecutive years. A few of his critically praised recordings include 1991's Poets & Angels: Music 4 The Holidays, 1992's Solo Para Ti, 1998's Rumba Collection: 1992-1997, 2000's Nouveau Flamenco 1990-2000 Special Edition, and 2001's Barcelona Nights: The Best of Ottmar Liebert, Vol. 1. Also in 2001, Ottmar Liebert + Luna Negra XL released Little Wing. In 2002, Liebert released In the Arms of Love: Lullabies 4 Children + Adults. To the gratification of his ever-growing number of fans, Liebert is very prolific and he continues to write, record and perform his unique style of soul-soothing instrumental melodies. Back to Press