The Resophonic Guitar, also known as Dobro or National: is an instrument from the guitar family. Created with the purpose of having a louder guitar to be heard over brass instruments, it fell out of interest when the electric guitar was discovered. Throughout the years, Blues, Country and Hawaiian players adopted it for their music, helping but narrowing its use to only three styles. In my music quest for new, genuine sounds in this beautiful instrument called guitar, I came across resophonic guitars which inspired and offer me horizons I never imagined. Using my passion for cultures and this new discovery, I wanted to reflect throughout music the link we all have as human beings, one more time proving, that the only differences and barriers between us are just the ones we created.

One of the main ways of playing the Resophonic guitar is using a bottleneck or slide, sliding on top of the strings this creates what most people agree on being the closest sound to the human voice achieved on a guitar. Most players also use what we call 'Open Tunings', meaning the guitar is tuned differently than a 'standard tuning' that is what most guitar players use to play guitar. Although there are a great variety of open tunings I've also used others developed specially for the particular piece, such is the case for 'Ame' as it is explained later.

Among the songs in this CD you will hear echoes of the Hawaiian islands, 'Kalani','Ahi', 'Hawaiian Dream' and 'Wiki Wiki' are examples of it. You can notice a certain spanish Bolero air in 'Ahi', as well as the Ragtime rhythm in 'Wiki Wiki'. 'Spooky' is simply some Jazz with lots of weirdness while 'Rain Forest' and 'LaNika' are straight up contemporary acoustic piecs. From Asia I have a traditional Japanese piece for Koto called 'Ame', and inspired by the old asian 'Samurai Song' I wrote 'Oriental'. From central and south america comes 'Tango', remembrances of the argentinean style with a short Habanera from Cuba. 'Top of the Mountain' contains a so called 12/8 rhythm popular all around Africa, while 'Afrikan Melody' came from Mali, in the west side of the continent. And in 'Arabian' I used a style learned from the gypsies in Spain, although the origins of this Rumba style have been traced to Middle East and Africa.

Kalani... Composed in the beautiful beach of Lahaina Road in Maui, this piece is dedicated to the beauty of a Lady, whose polynesian name means The Heavens. In the intro you can hear a chimes effect produced by a needle hanging on the strings, I learn this trick from a hawaiian Kupuna (elder) slack key player called 'Uncle Sol', the only difference is that he would hang the needle in his ear to be able to sing, while I hang it on my mouth. >>listen

Spooky... I wrote this tune as my first experiment with a minor tuning, if for a moment in the tune you think 1930's, mystery, and you start dreaming in black & white, that means I achieved my purpose. Lots of spookyness, weirdness and anything can happen is what this piece is made out of. >>listen

Tango... Here is a combination of an Argentinean Tango and Cuban Habanera. The Tango is one of the most passionate and sensual style of dancing from south america, on the other hand Habanera can be very mellow and sweet. So here you have the best of both worlds. >>listen

Oriental... Inspired by the Tao, Japanese folk tales, Grouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon, Confucius and other things from that side of the planet. Just imagine an asian name, and this monk: as I would imagine him: is walking thru the forest of a mountain in Japan, on his way to the emperor's palace to help freeing some spirit like a fox, or maybe getting rid of a Tengu, you know... one of those japanese folk kind of demons...! >>listen