WORLD RENOWNED guitar and mandolin master Sergio Lara has recorded once again with long time partner Joe Reyes to perform 11 new original compositions in "LARA & REYES", their 7th CD together. Both guitarists are recognised as two of the finest exponents of their individual styles and the quality of music they have created as an ensemble during their long career has seldom been surpassed.
This new collection, entitled "LARA & REYES", reflects a fresh new approach on progressive acoustic music and captures their incredible rapport.
Together they both play acoustic steel string and nylon string guitars, as well as Sergio playing mandolin and Joe playing slide guitar and ukulele with special guest and long time collaborator Greg Norris on acoustic upright bass and electric bass guitar.
For over 20 years, guitarist Sergio Lara has been respected and considered as one of the best artists in acoustic contemporary instrumental music. His last recording with Lara & Reyes "World Jazz", received a "Latin Grammy Award" nomination for "Best Instrumental Pop Album" in 2001.
Perhaps better known as the founder and leader of the Latin guitar duo Lara & Reyes, Sergio has explored a great variety of styles that show his eclectic taste. During his collaboration with Lara & Reyes, which included 6 albums recorded for the Higher Octave Music label, they adapted musical traditions from all over the world, with rhythms from Africa and the Caribbean, chord structures from Mexico and Spain, and melodic scales from the Middle East and India, but always with an original stamp, that is basically the Latin guitar within the spirit of improvisation.
Sergio has played different styles, including Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass and Flamenco as well as several fusion forms. His music belongs to what is known as New Acoustic Music, which falls under the category of Contemporary Instrumental Music and World Music.
Sergio Lara appears in the international music scene in 1983 with the release of his first solo album entitled "Sergiology." In this album he explores various styles influenced by Jazz and Bluegrass. During the following years he participated and collaborated with various artists in Mexico and also with his own band the "New Acoustic Unit" in Nashville, TN and San Antonio, TX and in 1994 releases the album "Guitarras Hermanas," the first one for Higher Octave Music. This album of all original music, also included a new instrumental version of the very popular and romantic song "Sabor a Mi".
Guillermo Juan Christie, from Guitar Player magazine, described the music of Sergio Lara as: "...the Latin guitar served with plenty of Flamenco flavor and with an important contribution to Latin Jazz..." this exotic combination of modern Jazz melodies with powerful Latin rhythms quickly called the attention of various radio stations in the United States and important cities around the world.
Sergio started playing guitar at age nine and very early he discovered and began studying several musical styles. His greatest influences have been the great English Jazz guitarist, John McLaughlin; mandolin master Sam Bush, Costa Rican guitarist Jorge Strunz; Flamenco Spanish genius, Paco de Lucia; Bluegrass and Jazz guitarist, Tony Rice, the great guitarist Norman Blake, blues master Robert Johnson and eclectic mandolin player David Grisman, among many others.
In 1996, Sergio released his next production entitled "Two Guitars-One Passion," which received worldwide attention because of its original combination of different musical styles. This album included an instrumental version of the well-known Mexican classic "La Bikina," which it is still very popular on many Jazz radio programs around the world.
His next project was in 1997 with the album "Exotico," which incorporated different instruments for the first time, like the piano, flute, sax and violin, making a new mixture of sounds with his guitar. With mostly original compositions this album also includes new instrumental versions of the classic "Mi Ciudad" and the standard "Brazil".
In 1998, with the album "Riverwalk," he gives a twist in regard to his compositions creating new rhythms and melodies. This record includes a medley of 2 wonderful romantic Latin songs, "Solamente una Vez" and "Amor, Amor, Amor," and in the year 2000, in celebration of the millennium he releases "Navidad," on which he enters fully into the music of the Christmas season, playing new instrumental versions of 18 standard songs, incorporating the mandolin with the guitar. This album still enjoys great sales and has had great acceptance from the public.
Currently in 2007, Sergio Lara has immersed himself in several new productions. He has recorded 3 new albums for his new independent label "Fusion Acustica Music." The first one, a CD of new original instrumental music entitled "Con la Lluvia," which includes a new version of the haunting traditional song "La Llorona."
The second project is a collection of traditional American folk songs , performed by Sergio playing all the guitars, mandolin and 5 string banjo.
The third project is the new highly anticipated return of guitar duo Lara & Reyes with a new collection of eleven original compositions, performed on both acoustic nylon and steel string guitars.
With a career that covers many years and more than ten albums under his name, Sergio Lara has appeared in several concerts and participated in important festivals, such as the San Antonio's "Jazz's Alive Festival"; the "Jazz Expressions" series in the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City; the "Lake Tahoe Jazz Festival" and the "Catalina Island Jazz Festival" among many others; where he has shared the stage with great artists like Al Di Meola, Larry Carlton, Bireli Lagrene, Dr. John, Craig Chaquico, Joe Sample, Strunz & Farah, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush and Paquito D'Rivera, as well as Julio Iglesias and Ray Charles. He has also been included in various record compilations with artists like Paco de Lucia, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Strunz & Farah and Vicente Amigo and lately he has collaborated on the new Peter Rowan recording with The Rowan Brothers.
With his new album, "Con la Lluvia," Sergio Lara explores in more depth his original style, creating new possibilities inside the world of contemporary instrumental music, sharing improvisation and the spirit of adventure with his guitar and seductive rhythms, giving this art a new vitality and expression and winning new admirers worldwide.
