Reviews
Over the years, Nicholas has reviewed literally thousands of recordings for magazines such as Maclean’s, Inside Entertainment and Hello! Canada. The artists and genres range from superstars to cult heroes and from mainstream pop to underground sounds.
Browse our archive of reviews, organized by year. Or use the search engine to seek out reviews on specific artists, albums or genres.

This archive will be continually updated with reviews and images.



Jorge Miguel - Guitarra Flamenca/Flamenco Guitar PDF Print E-mail
Written by Nicholas Jennings   

jorgemiguelThe simple title suggests a dry introduction to the Spanish style known for its virtuosity. But there’s nothing perfunctory about Miguel’s second album. From its tastefully designed DigiPack cover to the eight fiery tracks inside, this is flamenco at its finest. Miguel, whose family comes from the birthplace of flamenco in Spain’s Andalucia region, studied with masters such as Carlos del Rio and Augustin ‘Bola’ Carbonell. Now living in Toronto, where he works with his own ensemble and companies like Esmeralda Enrique’s Academy of Spanish Dance, he performs with a gusto he calls “full contact, hard-core” flamenco. Tracks like the tempo-shifting Alegrias en La and the spirited Rumba Tangos are take-no-prisoner affairs, full of rousing vocals, percussive handclaps or “palmas” and Miguel’s fleet-fingered guitar playing. Even quieter numbers like the meditative Trocitus (Solea) and the gentle Silencio por Alegrias are brimming with emotion. Siguirlyas en La Bemol, which starts out slowly and builds to a furious finish with rapid-fire strumming known as “rasgueado,” best showcases Miguel’s style: fast, fluid and full of passion.

 
  • «
  •  Start 
  •  Prev 
  •  1 
  •  2 
  •  3 
  •  4 
  •  5 
  •  6 
  •  7 
  •  8 
  •  9 
  •  10 
  •  Next 
  •  End 
  • »


Page 1 of 1329

Reviews

News image

Sting - Sting: 25 Years

2011 | Administrator | Saturday, 1 October 2011

Sting, who turns 60 on Oct. 2, marks his 25 years as a solo artist with this box set, featuring three CDs and a DVD. Fans will drool over the...

News image

Various artists - Mad Men: A Musical Companion (1960-1965)

2011 | Administrator | Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Reflecting the changing mood of 1960s America, TV’s Mad Men has been hailed for its historical accuracy. This two-CD set captures the cocktail party sounds of the era, from the...

News image

Julio Iglesias - 1

2012 | Administrator | Sunday, 16 September 2012

Iglesias has sold more albums than any other Latin artist. For this double CD collection, the romantic crooner re-recorded many of his Spanish hits and remastered his English chart-toppers, including...

News image

Loreena McKennitt - Troubadours on the Rhine

2012 | Administrator | Tuesday, 13 March 2012

A radiant star with sales of over 14 million, McKennitt holds audiences spellbound with her otherworldly Celtic sound. Here, in an intimate live performance for a German radio station, the...

Features

News image

The Sadies

2013 | Administrator | Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Dallas and Travis Good have worked with Neil Young, author Margaret Atwood, Randy Bachman, Buffy Sainte-Marie and actor Gordon Pinsent. But it was another Canadian icon—one with whom they’ve yet to collaborate—who offered some crucial wisdom....

News image

The Messengers

2013 | Administrator | Wednesday, 13 March 2013

For Adam Messinger and Nasri Atweh, success has come from having the right songs at the right time.             Within a month of relocating to Los Angeles from Toronto in 2007, the songwriting-producing duo known as...

News image

The Midway State - From Riches to Rags and Back Again

2012 | Administrator | Wednesday, 31 August 2011

Nathan Ferraro doesn’t seem the least bit bitter—which is surprising, given everything he’s been through. In fact, the affable, afro-haired frontman exudes all the serenity of a Buddhist monk, as he sits in a Toronto café...

News image

The Midway State - From Riches to Rags and Back Again

2011 | Administrator | Wednesday, 31 August 2011

Nathan Ferraro doesn’t seem the least bit bitter—which is surprising, given everything he’s been through. In fact, the affable, afro-haired frontman exudes all the serenity of a Buddhist monk, as he sits in a Toronto café...