Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra
Lakewood Theater; Dallas, Texas
December 17, 2005

Nouveau Flamenco Comes to Dallas

Grammy-nominated Ottmar Liebert recently brought his own style of flamenco guitar to the Lakewood Theater in northeast Dallas. While Liebert’s music is sometimes difficult to categorize, it has been extremely popular with New Age, jazz and world beat fans for over fifteen years. Ottmar’s band, Luna Negra, fuses a mixture of South American rhythms along with elements of rock, jazz and pop, which has created a rather diverse fan base through the years.

Extensively touring the globe for years, Ottmar Liebert has played the Dallas area many times during the last two decades. His 2005 stop was part of what was called his “Holiday Tour.” In actuality, there was precious little in the way of holiday tunes offered to the hundreds in attendance. While anticipating a holiday-themed concert, the faithful gratefully settled for Luna Negra’s original material including songs from their latest album, Winter Rose. At one point, the band played their own version of O Little Town of Bethlehem much to the delight of the crowd, but that tune soon drifted into an original composition called City of Tijuana that was not recognizable as a holiday song. As an introduction to another original holiday composition, Bells, Ottmar told a story from his childhood in Cologne, Germany concerning a huge bell, nick-named, “Fat Pete.” This special, German bell was so large that it could only be rung at Christmas or it would have stressed the supports of the church. With this story, the Christmas portion of the concert concluded.

So, while this wasn’t a true “holiday” concert as many of the listeners were led to believe, Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra did present some skillfully constructed and memorable, Latin-influenced tunes, including some of the music that made Liebert internationally famous in the 1990s. The band for the evening consisted of Ottmar on guitar along with his bass player, Jon Gagan, and an exceptional percussionist, Davo Bryant, who showed his skill on a variety of traditional and curious Latin percussion. The band was also joined by a string quartet, which added a classical dimension to the music. The highlights of the evening were Liebert’s two tastefully played electric guitar solos as well as the rousing percussion from Davo Bryant, both leaving the fans yelling for more.  

If you have never made the pilgrimage to the Lakewood area of northeast Dallas, it might be a trip to consider. Lakewood consists of many older houses that have been carefully preserved by the residents. This has created an air of charm and exclusivity to the area. When you consider the unusual shops, restaurants and nightspots, Lakewood has much to offer the weekend adventurer. The centerpiece of Lakewood Shopping Center is the Lakewood Theater itself. The theater was built in 1938 and is now fully restored, reflecting its past as an Art Deco movie palace. The Lakewood’s 100-foot red, green, and blue Art Deco tower makes the theater easy to locate. Inside the theater, one will find golden statues, neon lights and a remarkable ceiling of green, white and red stripes. It’s a truly enjoyable place to watch a concert or experience a classic film in the midst of the elegance of yesteryear. A great concert in a great venue, what more could anyone ask?

To learn more about the historic Lakewood Theater, you can visit their website at www.lakewoodtheater.com. For more information on Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra, you can click on www.lunanegra.com.

Kirk deCordova
dallasmusic.com