Website:
Music Style:
Latin Instrumental Pop
Hometown:
Bocholt
Country:
Germany
Band Description
Luna Blanca's best songs especially formated for radio airplay. By popular demand we produced a CD with some of our best songs in a radiofriendly version, that means especially, that no song is longer than 4:10 min.
Additional Band Websites
Artist Biography
Richard Hecks and His Nouveau Flamenco Band Luna Blanca
Luna Blanca, based in Bocholt, Germany, was founded at the beginning of the millennium by acoustic lead guitarist Richard Hecks. The other mainstay of the group is pianist Helmut Graebe, who joined the group just before they recorded the first album, and now co-writes the music with Hecks. Both on record and in concert they add other musicians as needed to create their sound with drums, percussion, bass, one or more acoustic rhythm guitars, organ, occasional vocalizing, etc. Since the third album, Hecks and Graebe have been joined by rhythm guitarist Bino Dola (a flamenco player much respected throughout Europe) and Clemens Paskert (who adds bass, percussion and additional keyboards). Paskert, who runs Capitol Sound Studios where the CDs were recorded, also serves as arranger and co-producer with Hecks.
"El Dorado Best World Album 2012" (ZMR Music Awards, New Orleans May 2013):
Helmed by classical guitarist Richard Hecks, Luna Blanca has become one of the most popular nouveau flamenco groups in the world. Their 2012 release, El Dorado, was the recipient of the Best World Album award by Zone Music Reporter for that year. According to Richard Hecks, listening to El Dorado is “a musical adventure that simulates a journey and search through South America looking for riches, but encountering both bandits and the good native people, music, rivers to cross, and the beauty of a new land including warm breezes and sunsets. El Dorado also is a symbol of everyone’s search in life for love, wealth, accomplishment and happiness.”
Press Release
El Dorado - reviewed by Bill Binkelmann (ZoneMusicReporter.com)
You can never tell where great music will spring forth from, geographically speaking. The musical world is shrinking all the time due to incredible advances in recording technology. As a result, it shouldn't come as a surprise that one of the hottest nuevo flamenco ensembles currently recording has its roots in Germany. Luna Blanca is poised to ascend to the top tier of that sub genre thanks to their newest release, the energizing and hugely unique El Dorado. Here is an album to play if you need to perk things up, as many of the 14 tracks are infused with enough sizzle and spice to make even tired and cranky music reviewers want to get up and get down! It's not as if nuevo flamenco is a staid, boring style of music (far from it), but what these cats do with it is like taking a recipe for some hot Thai dish and then, just for the lulz, throwing in some ghost chili peppers (the hottest peppers available). As if jalapeno or habanero peppers weren't hot enough, they go and really spice things up a bit.
The brilliance of El Dorado is how Luna Blanca put their individual stamp of fusion on flamenco music. Whether this is due to their German roots or some other factor is irrelevant. However founding members Richard Hecks (lead guitar) and Helmut Graebe (piano, organ, blues harp [harmonica]) happened upon this enjoyable wrinkle to the flamenco subgenre, I, for one, am grateful. Working with band mates Bino Dola (rhythm and second lead guitar) and Clemens Paskert (bass, percussion, additional keyboards), and joined by guest artist Christian Landgraf (additional keyboards on four tracks), the musicians start from a traditional base of Latin guitars and sensuous rhythms and spin out in bold directions, infusing rock, jazz, chill-out, and a few less definable but still noticeable touches. The result is music which combines the usual power, passion, and playfulness of flamenco with an assortment of new and exciting elements.
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