Opium

"Ambitious" is a word that's inevitably used by music critics to describe Ottmar Liebert's Opium. Spread over two CDs, which also feature text and a variety of photographs, Opium clocks in at more than 125 minutes and affords the German-born guitarist (today a resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico) the broadest possible canvas to express his fascinating artistic vision, one that eludes a concise or simple explanation. Nominated for a Grammy (Best New Age Recording) in 1997, Opium comprises one CD subtitled "Wide-Eyed," which features a fairly straightforward presentation of Liebert's elegantly vibrant approach to flamenco-influenced acoustic guitar, and an even more intriguing second CD, "Dreaming." On this disc, Liebert and members of his Luna Negra band have room to indulge in various sonic explorations, probing unfamiliar atmospheric terrain that only a few other globally minded guitar adventurers, such as Steve Tibbetts, have previously charted--only without the feedback Tibbetts often favors. The results are almost always mind-expanding and often quite lovely. The moments when he intertwines electric guitar into his work, such as "Butterfly and Juniper" from disc 1 and "Chi-Wahwah Beauty" on disc 2, are especially satisfying. Other flamenco albums will strike brighter sparks than Opium, but few will equal its sustained, magical glow. --Terry Wood