EL VALS DE LOS DUENDES

'El Vals de los Duendes' is one of the greatest prog efforts that came out of Spain in recent years. This Andalusian ensemble is highly influenced by their 70s forefathers Cai, Imán and Guadalquivir, as well as by Camel and 'W&W'-era Genesis, adding a notable bunch of latin-jazz fusion touches into their sonic palette (particularly, tracks 4 and 6). The magical and fluid interplay between all six musicians is punctuated by the constant successive soloing of lead guitar, wind instruments and keyboards, but all this soloing remains solidly faithful to the melodic demands of the respectiva themes, not to the logic of mere pyrothecnics; simultaneously, the rhythm section of drummer/bassist/rhythm guitarrist shows its precision and sensibility with ease and subtle proficiency. All in all, the repertoire is elaborate and sophisticated, without being too complex, which helps to highlight the catchiness of the major tunes. In my opinion, the first three tracks are the zenith of this album. The opener 'Casapuerta' exhibits progressive majesty all over itself, from the ethereal intro to the brief Flamenco-tinged center motif and, finally, the dreamy colsing section. The title track comprises the biggest amount of diversity throughout its various motifs, all of them linked to each other in perfect fluidity. the track begins in a frontal Celtic mood until it reaches a more avidly Camelesque vibe, only to further pursue a series of melodic lines that remind us of vintage Spanish prog with bombast and elegance. 'Ronda de las Dunas' is the most inclined to the introduction of Arabic colours and nuances, particularly in its captivatingly catchy interlude -- these three tracks are simply terrific and compelling. Other notable numbers are the obviously Camel-esque 'Como la Noche y el Día' and the introspective closing track, 'Mexicali', whose serene beauty I find irresistibly evocative, like a homefire that keeps the room warm after a hard day's work. 'Faro de Trafalgar' is a duet of flute and percussion, a world music-like attempt which works as a peculiar intro to the closing number, which I've previously commented on. Tracks 4 and 6 are the least symphonic ones, seeing the band going for a road of fusion on a Flamenco rumba basis: given the mood and tempo they chose, it is no wonder that the band's sonic textures stop being evocative and become more joyful. Overall conclusion: as my 4 star rating points out, this is an 'excellent addition to any prog collection'.

Spanish prog's exalted tradition lives on with this extremely enjoyable opus. Omni has created quite a stir in prog circles , not only with the release of this stunning collection of songs but with their live performances (Baja Prog) as well. It is impossible to argue that the spirit of Camel permeates the spirit of these top-notch "caballeros", the proceedings deeply tinged with the aromas of the humped-one: the main focus is on the electric guitar display of Michael Starry, who has obviously studied the master Bedouin himself, Andy Latimer! With such a talented maestro guiding them, the boys in the band deliver a spirited concoction of hymn like pieces that immediatly grab your senses, liberally spiced with the flute and sax playing of Pepe Torres. The title track "The Waltz of the Elves" is confirmation of the talent here, a soaring ode to the magical tendencies of Prog, combining virtuoso Celtic arrangements with spiraling leads both fused to the musical concept. Muchas Gracias! The next piece, the Floydian" Rondo de las Dunas" nails this one shut, as the sax wails it's plaintive lament and the bass blurts its intentions..... Track four, introduces a worthy synth solo in an otherwise Santanaesque romp with a heavy Spanish flavour. Okay, I give up : end of story, great record, great band, great future! Adios! 4 sangrias

3,5 stars. Very interesting spanish band that has some nice sounds. Their mix of folk, new age, prog and some jazzy overtones is very interesting. The only negative part are some sax interventions that makes their music sound blend FM musak. Fortunatly those moments are not very frequent (but were the main reason I did not rate El Vals De Los Duendes higher). Those guys do play well and the record would be even better if it was all instrumental. Not that the vocals are bad, but surely this is not their forte (again they were fortunate to include only two tracks that has vocals on it). As an instrumental band they really show what they are capable of: fine keyboards/guitar interplay (the title track is an excellent exemple), nice flute and a strong rhythm section.

The music is varied and although it is also clear they are still struggling to find their own sound, the result is quite convincing. Production is very good and the mxing was well balanced, you can hear every nuance and detail. So I found this CD to be very good and promising. Michael Starry is an excellent musician very much influenced by the likes of Carlos Santana, Al Dimeola and to a lesser extend, Andy Latimer I´m looking forward to hear their next release.