Referred to as “the Spanish King Of The Five String Banjo” by Alison Brown, Lluís Gómez has combined elements of bluegrass and flamenco music in his versatile style of picking. His third solo effort, Dotze Temps, is a continued exploration of his instrumental capabilities, and includes vocal selections sung in various languages.
The opening tune, T’ho Vaig Dir, is the most straightforward bluegrass composition on this project. Paying homage to both Earl Scruggs and Tony Trischka, it’s evident that Gómez has studied these banjo masters in great detail. As with all the tracks on this project, Lluis is supported by Raphaël Maillet on fiddle, Ondra Kozák on guitar, and Maribel Rivero on bass.
Alma is a composition which pairs the banjo alongside palmas, a hand clapping technique which plays an essential role in flamenco music. This is one of those tracks where you can tell Gómez feels right at home musically.
The most unique pieces on this release are Gómez’s renditions of traditional material. Walk On Boy, popularized by Doc Watson in the 1960s, carries a similar bluesy arrangement to the pioneering flatpicker, but with even deeper improvisational liberties. The following track, Zrádný Banjo (Polka On A Banjo), the Flatt & Scruggs classic, begins with lyrics in Czech and ends with lyrics from the Spanish song, La Polca del Barril de Cerveza, both of which are sung by Kozák. It wouldn’t feel right to call either of these two tracks covers as both are incredibly fresh and unique interpretations.
Crunch Sister by Maribel Rivero is a piece inspired by the Punch Brothers. The group is joined by Frank Solivan on mandolin who adds brilliant spontaneity to this piece. Barcelona Castaway is on the opposite end of the spectrum as it features fiddle and banjo from Ondra Kozák and Lluis Gomez. Kozák, who was inspired to write this tune after a visit to this part of northeastern Spain, brings a clear Spanish flavor to his instrumental work on this track.
Dotze Temps is an intriguing effort. Like Béla Fleck and Noam Pikelny, Lluís Gómez has taken the banjo into an even further realm. With stout improvisational prowess and exemplary sensibilities as a composer, Gómez has produced a recording that should capture the ear of any adventurous listener.
