1. Tierra del Fuego The opening track to the cd is fuelled with passion, fire and energy, living up to its name which translates as ‘land of fire.’ The addictive riff will have you humming long after the track has finished and the dynamic rhythm section, Bryan Brock on percussion and Liza Carbé on bass, gives this track a ‘live’ feel. 2. Surco Latino A laid back, rhythmic Latin Jazz number, a vibrant soundscape with just the right balance of bass from Liza and Mark on lead guitar with Jean-Pierre who provides a great gypsy-jazz style solo. Sultry saxophone from Helen and subtle percussion from Ramon complete the picture whilst the inimitable piano parts from Chris are the icing on the cake. 3. Incendio A fiery, uplifting number that builds up gradually with the layering of guitars, then blazes out of control with a climactic key-change section before being brought under control again for a strong conclusion. With 3 musicians from the South West of England and 3 from California, this Latin Jazz fusion is a prime example of how people can work incredibly well together while being 6000 miles apart. This song is dedicated to the World Fusion band “Incendio”. I discovered their fabulous music back in 2003 when I bought their cd in the local Cornish seaside town of Looe. It was the start of my musical journey that took me to where I am today as a guitarist and composer, opening my eyes and ears to a whole new genre. Jim, JP, Liza and Bryan from the band “Incendio” all play on this track and I am truly honoured to be playing with them on a song, something that 13 years ago was simply beyond my wildest dreams! They have all since become good friends, and I was lucky enough to hang out with Jim in Cornwall when he visited in 2015, an amazing experience! 4. Moonstone After the heat and excitement of the last three songs, ‘Moonstone’ is a cooling serenade - gentle, romantic and contemplative. Not too dramatic, yet mildly emotional, inviting the listener to take a moment’s solace and reflection. 5. Sundance After the calming serenity of the moon comes the dawning of a new day with ‘Sundance.’ Awakened by the early morning rays, the listener is invited to celebrate with a gentle but lively Spanish dance. An interlude between cooling ‘Moonstone’ and the adventures that are yet to come. 6. Moroccan Skies A long, mournful introduction (by the Armenian Duduk) defines the track and sets the mood for a daunting, yet mystifying trek across the Maghreb, witnessing a miraculous sight along the way – the sky capturing the deep red, purple, yellow and orange hues. This song was inspired by Ramon, who plays percussion on it, when he simply posted a short video from the stage of his Moroccan festival appearance with J-Lo, with the caption “Moroccan Skies.” I saw this, and knew immediately that I had to translate those two words into music. Jim also joins me on guitar for this one, playing the harmony guitar parts to the main melody and chorus, along the climax of us each playing a fiery guitar solo towards the end of the song. 7. Potchka The word “Potchka” is a Yiddish word that means “To fool around; to be busy without a clear goal”, which I thought perfectly befitting of this song as it’s a fun, light-hearted ditty that goes nowhere in particular but has great fun whilst doing so. The main melody and chorus line on this is given that added “Klezmer” vibe by the violin and guitar playing together. 8. Endless Rain Inspired by the weather in the South West of England, and how it can make you feel. Reflective, melancholy, yet with a glimmer of hope for that illusive sun that you know will one day return. This track combines the passionate and emotive violin playing of Jonathan Stromberg, who I met a few years ago when he and his partner, Dolly, started ballroom dancing to one of my Salsa style tracks in a Tapas bar in Plymouth. I love how the chance meetings like this turn into something special. 9. Sahara My most epic track to date, inspired by my love of exotic Eastern melodies and using to inspire the listeners imagination in a “film soundtrack” type way. This starts off with a deep drone and myself and Jonathan taking it in turns to improvise away on our respective instruments (Spanish guitar and violin). In both the intro and the outro sections, all the of the parts played are “on the spot” improvisations, which can bring a certain magical element to music. The guitar and violin continue to share the melodic roles, accompanied by the superb percussion of Bryan and bass playing of Liza. The icing on the cake for this piece is the addition of the Turkish Saz (doubled tracked along with Spanish guitar) of Yannaki, which adds a finishing touch of mystique and magic to the overall journey. 10. Mandala Inspired by the likes of Prem Joshua and Omar Shokran, this is very much a foray into “New Age” territory style of music – which although often much maligned, can be fabulous if done well, and with real instruments (as with the two aforementioned artists). The magic of this piece is created by the addition of Jude’s haunting flute melodies that compliment and interplay with the guitar, and the sprinkling of magic from the piano of musical genius Chris MaGrath. Every note he plays on this piece is so inspired and so perfect – yet he recorded the whole thing after just one listen in about 10 minutes at 2am one morning. A perfect end to a magical journey.