Strunz & Farah
Strunz & Farah | |
---|---|
Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Genres | Flamenco, World, Jazz, Latin, Instrumental |
Years active | 1979–present |
Labels | Selva, Milestone, AudioQuest, Mesa |
Members | Jorge Strunz Ardeshir Farah |
Website | www.strunzandfarah.com |
Strunz & Farah is a guitar duo with an eclectic sound that has been described as a cross between world fusion and flamenco.[1]
History
Jorge Strunz, born in Costa Rica, and Ardeshir Farah, hailing from Iran, met in the United States in 1979. Jorge Strunz was one of the founders of the Latin jazz band Caldera. Caldera combined jazz, funk and rock with a wide variety of Latin music, influenced by 1970s fusion explorers like Return to Forever and Weather Report. The four albums Caldera released (none of which have been reissued on CD) did not sell, and the band called it quits in 1979.
Having both played guitar professionally since their early teens, Strunz and Iranian guitarist Ardeshir Farah soon teamed up and released their self-produced first album, "Mosaico", in 1980, which started their own label, Selva Records. They soon caught the attention of Richard Bock, an important figure in jazz radio, who helped the duo land a contract with the jazz label Milestone.
Strunz & Farah have since released nineteen recordings together, several albums as a duo and collaborating with Rubén Blades ("Joseph and His Brothers" BMG, 1993) and with L. Subramaniam on two tracks ("Confluence" and "Shadow of Heaven") on their debut recording, "Mosaico".
The duo also worked with Sting on the album The Living Sea: Soundtrack from the IMAX Film as session musicians.
Their latest album, "Moods and Visions", was released in April 15, 2014.
Discography
Studio Albums
- Mosaico (1982)
- Frontera (1984)
- Guitarras (1985)
- Misterio (1989)
- Primal Magic (1990)
- Américas (1992) Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best World Music Album of the Year
- Heat of the Sun (1995)
- Live (1997)
- Wild Muse (1998)
- The Best of Strunz & Farah (2000)
- Stringweave (2001)
- Strunz & Farah In Performance (2003); DVD
- Rio de Colores (2003)
- Zona Tórrida (2004)
- Desert Guitars (2005)
- Jungle Guitars (2006)
- Fantaseo (2006)
- Journey Around the Sun (2011)
- Moods and Visions (2014)
Jorge Strunz
- Neotropical Nocturnes (2010)
As featured artists
- Sting - The Living Sea: Soundtrack from the IMAX Film (1995) (feat. Strunz & Farah); Soundtrack
- Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11 (2009); Track #6 (Master Maqui)
Other Compilation Appearances
- Guitar Music For Small Rooms (1997) (WEA)
- Gypsy Passion: New Flamenco (1997) (Narada)
- Gypsy Fire (2000) (Narada)
- Guitar Greats: The Best of New Flamenco - Volume I (2000) (Baja/TSR Records)
- Camino Latino / Latin Journey - Liona Maria Boyd (2002) (Moston)
- The World Of The Spanish Guitar Vol. 1 (2011) (Higher Octave Music)