Ottmar Liebert to Bring Evening of Solo Guitar to Live at The RRazz, 3/7-10

Live at The RRazz, San Francisco's premier nightclub, will welcome Ottmar Liebert with an evening of solo guitar from March 7 to 10 to celebrate his latest CD "Dune." Liebert - the six-time Grammy nominated guitarist and composer - is considered to be one of the most talented, creative and influential guitarists of all time. His legendary debut release, the double-platinum Nouveau Flamenco is the biggest selling guitar album in history. Liebert has released over 20 albums and received more than 30 gold and platinum awards.

There is a change in the weather and sound for Ottmar Liebert's release entitled "Dune." Magic men are said to be drawn to the desert sands. Sometimes they come as sculptors like Christo that put up strange and beautiful environments that inspire. Sometimes they come as Native American medicine men or old Japanese Kyoto masters to meditate and postulate. And sometimes, just plain and simple great artists disguised as guitar players. Liebert's new release "Dune" sits firmly in the crosshairs of it all. Random beauty - airy, rhythmic and sometimes funky; sounds to put you inside of full and empty spaces, at the same time. Ottmar is always exceptionally brilliant and mysterious.

Ottmar is a skilled practitioner of contemporary flamenco guitar and always a surprise. He plays with lots of textures in this set - contrasting traditional and electric instruments and adding accordion, Memphis bass lines, trumpets and a drum machine - in addition to lots of percussion. This release features Ottmar on acoustic and electric guitars; Jon Gagan on acoustic upright bass, electric bass guitars, and keyboards, including clavinet; Char Rothschild on accordion; Robby Rothschild on percussion.

Ottmar adds "I'm following the idea of contrasting traditional and electric instruments like we did on the 'Opium' release. There are also beautiful treatments and sound design by Andrew Gaskins on three tracks. For the opening track, 'Fallin In' (to a dream), for example, I sent Andrew single notes and chords I played on my guitar, which he then stretched and manipulated. Ottmar plays with an Arabic scale he found on the internet on track #3 'Horse', switches between rumba and a 6/8 beat on 'Shadow', records a beautiful piece in 5/4, track #11 'Five Clouds, Lenticular', and trades melodies with the accordion on track 9, 'Smoke' (while Jon plays three basses and a clavinet) - the influences on this project cover the globe, and take you there. That's the thing about Ottmar - as you listen, the environment seems to change and the music projects you into a different space. The dreamscape starts and creates room for your own 'Dune' encounter.

Liebert's 2008 releases, the Grammy nominated The Scent of Light, and Up Close, earned him the Silver Award for Best Flamenco Guitarist from Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Critics have hailed his album Petals On The Path as "a tantalizing journey that is Ottmar Liebert at his best."

Live at the RRazz takes place at the Historic Cadillac Building, 1000 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, Calif. Ottmar will perform Thursday, 3/7, 8:00pm; Friday, 3/8, 9:00pm; Saturday, 3/9, 7:00pm; Saturday, 3/9, 9:00pm; and Sunday, 3/10, 7:00pm. Tickets $42.59 - $45.00. Call 800-380-3095 or 415-394-1189.