Armik

Someone played this CD at work and I loved what I heard. I bought it and love playing it in my car as I drive to and from work. Great energy; exquisite playing. Fabulous music!

What a beautifully recorded passionately played Flamenco guitar CD this is. It's very melodic and lush throughout. If you like Flamenco guitar then you'll love this CD.

This is what my ears were yearning for. Armik delivers. He is truly a world-class musician. He has great technical expertise but he also knows how to make a song flavorful and not overdone. He sort of has "the magic touch." His compositions are very satisfying and good for many occasions. I rank him amongst the best guitarists in the world in this genre. Thank you Armik, can I have another?

One of the best guitar virtuoso of our time, Armik plays with intensity and great feeling. The guitar cradled in the arms of this master player, becomes a voice for passion and romance.
The title is well named, GYPSY FLAME.

This is the best CD I bought during last year. Anybody who loves guitar, flamenco, gypsy music or just understands music, will appreciate the skills and the passion of this performer. I bought 3 copies now and gave 2 to my mother and my best friend.

I own another 4 Armik albums and this one. Rain Dancer is one of his older work, but it's my favorite of all his records. With the very recent records I felt he drop back a bit on creativity. With Rain Dancer the music is more soothing and relaxing than the usual lively and active, quick beat of his newer records.

Every songs in the record is beautiful, but I must say my highlight is the two last songs, which are probably some of the most beautiful instrumental songs I ever heard, more beautiful to me than "Marooned" by Pink Floyd. It worth it to buy the album just to hear these two songs.

Armik is definitely one of the best guitarists in his genre. Every song on this album is enjoyable, and pleasing to hear. There is nothing abrasive about his smooth flowing style. Enjoy it.

I first heard his music while I was placed on hold on the telephone and had to ask the operator to put me back on hold just so I can finish listening to rest of his music.I love listening to various music, but my passion is listening to anything with a guitar.I can't tell you enough how Armiks music will put passion back into your life.I can listen to this cd among his other ones forever.You will not be disappointed.

This is the 6th album from Armik that I've just purchased today. (In chronolgical order, I've purchased "Rosas del Amor", "Gypsy Flame", "Rubia" & "Malaga"). His debut album is my latest addition to my prized Armik collection.

"Rain Dancer" is an absolutely brilliant piece of acoustic/flamenco/jazz/latin masterpiece. So good, I've only sampled 'for annette' and i parted my money. With 5 other albums from Armik already played and greatly appreciated, there's no doubt in my mind that "Rain Dancer" will prove 'bad-buy'. Right this momemet, Armik is providing me with such absorbing and involving music (via my PC), i give all my blessings for "a-cut-above" rating for "Rain Dancer. Simply magnificent !! (May i also add, that the recording (sonic) quality on all Armik albums are 'audiophile'-type. That good, if I say so myself.

What are you hestitating for? Buy "Rain Dancer" NOW (buy all entire 6 albums, if you can). No prize for guessing - i'll get 'Isla Del Sol" in a matter of days (Seriously, I want time to enjoy my latest purchase)

Mr. Armik Dashchi ... the highest honours goes to you, from the bottom of my heart. You're a CHAMPION ! Ole!!

p.s. Mr. Dashchi - any chance of doing a concert here in Kuala Lumpur?

This CD is awesome. I especially liked the 1st, 3rd, and 7th tracks. Armik's New Flamenco music exceeds all expectations; it is absolutely great!

I love all of Armik's music. This CD, as all of his CD's, is flamenco music with NO vocals. Just GREAT music. Upbeat and melodious. Listen to it, if you like it, buy it and look into his other CD's because they have slightly different ambiances.

This musis, if you like Flamenco guitar, is absolutely awesome!! All music, no words to get in the way.

I like Armik's music and his style, it's very unique and beautiful. I recommend getting this CD.

I have always loved Armik's music and this album was not dissapointing either! The song are absolutely beautiful, they crawled under my skin right away. Being a belly dance artist, I really appreciate Armik's music when I dance a Gypsy style piece! Thanks...
Adry
www.AdrySvraka.com

Purchased this for my wife for Valentines Day and she loved it. So do our children. Very romantic and uplifting music from an outstanding guitar player! Makes me want to give up trying to play :). I will definitely buy more albums from Armik.

Stunningly beautiful music in line with what title suggests. Suitable as background dinner music or at anytime to cheer the soul and relax the mind. Can't get enough of it.

I first heard his music while I was placed on hold on the telephone and had to ask the operator to put me back on hold just so I can finish listening to rest of his music.I love listening to various music, but my passion is listening to anything with a guitar.I can't tell you enough how Armiks music will put passion back into your life.I can listen to this cd among his other ones forever.You will not be disappointed.

ALSO RECOMMENDED: Mehdi ~ Instrumental Heaven Volume 7..A True Gem...full samples are at SoothingMusic.Com...just listen.

This is my Armik's first CD and I am very certain to tell you that it won't be my last. The entired CD is full of wonderful music. Highly recommended!

Armik has captured my heart with his beautiful, romantic, passionate, exquisite flamenco guitar artistry. I've wanted to review ROMANTIC DREAMS for awhile now but is much more pleasurable to listen over and over. Here is another of a very few cds that I struggle to find words to describe the beauty and what it does to my heart. I can say truly that ROMANTIC DREAMS is a cd that anyone who appreciates romantic, soul-stirring, skillful guitar playing full of wonder, compassion, joy, peace and a deep abiding happiness should Definitely own. I've listened to this cd so many times I've lost count. Every time is like the first time--new, fresh, inviting, gorgeous and oh so romantic. Every track is amazing and cresendos deeper into ecstasy with each passing note. My favorite track is "Love Letters." This cd will be with me Forever. ROMANTIC DREAMS...so appropriately titled. Let it take you away to visions of love that may indeed someday come to pass...

Soar!

Very nice compilation of Flamenco guitar music with a modern twist. I find this album to have the perfect selection of songs to ride my horse to. It is great music for the dressage rider as well as anyone who loves the Spanish guitar.

Purchased for a friend, who reports that it is a nice collection of flamenco music.

Flamenco or not. The album has great music. I love to play this in the night with sub-dued lightling. It gets you into a great mood. Audio quality is great at low or high volume. My favorite piece is by Mediteranean Breeze by Nova Menco.

This CD is absolutely fantastic!!! I have been listening to this almost everyday since I bought this a few months back. Its really great, especially after a long day at work - a fabulous way to unwind..it totally transforms your mood. Its soothing and at the same time invigorating, very rarely can something be both.

Also goes well with a glass of wine, with a book, for a nice evening with your partner, almost anything!! Even my 10 month old daughter just loves it!

And, oh yes, the guitar work is stupendous, out of the world - if you are a guitar aficionado, you GOT TO HAVE THIS.

Worth its weight in gold.

This CD is absolutely fantastic!!! I have been listening to this almost everyday since I bought this a few months back. Its really great, especially after a long day at work - a fabulous way to unwind..it totally transforms your mood. Its soothing and at the same time invigorating, very rarely can something be both.

Also goes well with a glass of wine, with a book, for a nice evening with your partner, almost anything!! Even my 10 month old daughter just loves it!

And, oh yes, the guitar work is stupendous, out of the world - if you are a guitar aficionado, you GOT TO HAVE THIS.

Worth its weight in gold.

If you enjoy acoustic guitar music then this CD will provide you with much enjoyment of the sounds of a spanish guitar.

Armik takes some new approach in this album. I heard a bit world element and jazzy background. But I felt his guitar style, although still with excellent talent, has still not try new things so it sound not different than many of his previous works. Almost all songs in this album is very active and lively, so pick this if you're looking for a music with uplifting mood. I have to mention that the last song, Mi Guitarra, is the one of the most amazing solo I ever heard, extremely fast Paco De Lucia-like playing. Armik is one of the few guitarist I know who can play very fast and still retain beautiful melody and emotions in the music.

One thing I have to criticize is that this album might be a bit compressed. It sound much louder than my other cds. I don't think it has a bad sound quality, it still sound good, but maybe a bit in your face. For audiophiles too much compression can lead to a lost of dynamic, the threshold between the most silent noise and loudlest noise is closer so the all the the sound have the same loudness.

I must admit that I was slightly disappointed in this CD. I bought it based upon some songs i heard on radio, which were very nice...But the CD as a whole becomes a little tedious to listen to, with the same type of sound repeated over and over. I don't like the fakish strings/brass ensemble used as accompaniment - sounds like cheap synth sounds to me, the guitaring/song structures are very nice though and enjoyable to listen to. Were I to make a buying decision knowing what I know now, I would have bought just a few individual mp3's from this CD...Notably Passion, Magico, Mystical breezes, Mi Guitarra...

I can't believe anyone has reviewed this remarkable work. I have 5-6 CDs by Armik but this one is definitely the best one. Treasures, Passion, Timeless, Moonrise, Together, and Blue Paradise are my favorites. It makes you feel exotic, seriously.

I own several Armik discs, many more by the masters of flamenco and all it's variances and find that Armik does have a deserving niche on the flamenco market. His technical abilities are very good, some might even say dazzling and on this disc you can be the judge yourself as it is represenative of his abundant catalogue. I only own two or three of his discs because the music tends to sound very similar; if you have a successful formula stick to it I guess. If you are a purist than stay away; this disc is anomalous to what you prefer. If you like pop flamenco that is jazz inspired as well, with a world music sound thrown in for flavor than this disc is for you. If you like Esteban, Strunz and Farah, Ottmar Liebert or Jesse Cook than you will love this. Some songs are more "authentic"(but unlike the real deal) than others like "Andalucia La Luna," "Ritmos Flamenco" and "Toreros" but the Armik sound prevails for a popish flamenco sound ; this is not a bad thing, it is just different. Personally I enjoy this disc very much and include songs on my flamenco playlists for my I-Pod. It is a good contrast to various other styles that stands on it's own ground. If you like beautiful, furious fast fret work with a flamenco edge than this is for you.

Armik is pretty much mainstream in the way of flamenco but that's the appeal and probably why selections such as these do so well with the masses here on Amazon. If you are looking for some basic flamenco, this isn't it. This might be what is misconstrued as traditional Spanish flamenco. And that music fan from NY has some decent suggestions. It's just too bad he doesn't know how to spell bouzouki. By the way, it's an instrument with Greek origins. If you hear them in the flamenco music you can guess it is for the flashy sort of mass appeal Armik goes for and not for the folky flavors typical of the real deal flamenco.

Armik is the greatest musician on earth!!! There is no doubt. The passion and flair in his music cannot be put into words. Now some stupid people say things like this is not real flamenco and other junk but who the hell wants to hear real flamenco! It is nothing but less than stinking! Armik's real talent is that he makes fabulous tunes. And in flamenco there are no tunes at all! No melody. And in this album, just listen to the tunes. They will make you jump from your seat and you will be dancing to the energetic and passionate melodies of Malaga in no time! The problem is that the junk we have nowadays (I cannot call it music) has people believing it that it's good. People like bazooki think that. Well I guess that's what you hear in a cheese shop! And I have heard Strunz and Farah. And same old story. No tunes!!! Armik is a gifted musician which is hard to find in any era. Take a listen to any album, you will find good tunes!! He plays guitar as if they are not being played by any human. People who want to listen to REAL music please give Armik a try. I don't know how he comes up with fabulous tunes every time!! And some people say they are all the same. I don't know what different they are talking about. Armik, you are the greatest. Keep those great tunes coming. Leave flamenco. Nothing is in flamenco, no tunes nothing! Thank God you don't play flamenco. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart and keep those tunes coming!! You are the best!!!

Armik is the best guitarist in the world. His undeniable and incomparable talent is evident in his six albums. His style is wonderfully unique. You'll find flavors of Flamenco in his style, but overall his music is much better than Flamenco. The warmth and passion in his melodies along with his MAGICAL guitar playing techniques & his Golden touch are not found in any other styles or artists.
All of Armik's albums are excellent & they are treasured in everyone's collection.
MALAGA IS FANTASTIC.

I have appreciated real flamenco music (Sabicas, Ramon Montoya, Manolo Sanlucar, Tomatito), new/fusion flamenco (Paco de Lucia, Gerardo Nunez), "pop" flamenco (Ketama, Pata Negra) and flamenco-influenced music (John Mclaughlin, Strunz and Farah) for many years. However, I'm saddened by the amount of poor "pseudo-flamenco" around.

Until recently, top of the list of shame was Otmar Liebert, whose tedious melodies, unimaginative songs structure and poor technique make tiring listening. Even sadder, though, is to hear what appears to be a reasonable Bazooki player trying to be a flamenco artist.

Like finding an Indian restaurant in the heart of Amish Pennsylvania, this album bears little resemblance to the real thing. It is not flamenco, yet seems to attempt to "wear Spain like a badge". The attempt does not convince. The songs are contrived, cliched and overly "sugar-sweet", like "The Osmonds for Spanish Guitar". This is sad to hear from what sounds like an otherwise accomplished musician. Still, as they say, "Art's for art"s sake..........."

This album was a severe disappointment to me and will be to any serious Spanish music fan. This genre is potentially a rich vein of musical invention, and yet is being flooded by cynical romantic stylists, targeting poorly educated listeners. I can describe Armik's music as, at best, kitsch; at worst, sickly-sweet contrived romantic "holiday music" for people who have never been to Spain.

For accessible, good Spanish guitar, I'd recommend instead Ketama, whose roots in true Flamenco translate to well thought out, surprisingly catchy, but ultimately satisying songs, with sound musical values.

As for Bazooki music, try listening to Zagros on Strunz and Farah's "Wild Muse", to see how beautiful this instrument can be.

And as for Armik, well I leave the final comment to John Cleese in Monty Python's "Cheese Shop" sketch - "SHUT THAT BL**DY BAZOOKI UP!"

Almost every track is excellent. Good music to accompany web surfing or to add to the ipod.

Armik puts an enormous talent for guitar into a rousing collection of rythmic pieces which delight the ear. You find yourself engulfed in glorius sound and emotion.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3IR0P9R511KNE The only comparison I can come up with is Jesse Cook - The Ultimate Jesse Cook (2-CD Set), but they are both masters each in their distinctive way - at least to my ear. To me, it's all Spanish classical guitar, which I love, but in a casual way. These guys reach out and make me want to own their stuff so I can play it whenever I want.

I posted the video review to show how great "Rubia" is for jumping.

RUBIA : great cd , wonderful music. Amirk makes that quitqr talk, laugh and cry, and me live all thoses emotionals together. I have make a wonderful choise.

Armik is Master of the music.In Rubia all tracks are really good and i would determine that no one can make the album like armik.In rubia the track Mi Amor and seduction r best track of Rubia. It is very cool and i like it very much.i would say that it is again a great performance by Armik.

I have written reviews about all Armik's albums including 'Rubia' but I think this particular tune called 'Mi Amor' deserves a review of its own.

I have been listening to romantic music all my life including instrumental as well but I must admit that I have never come across anything with such passion and romance.

Mi Amor is a timeless classic. It is a joy forever. It is the stuff dreams are made off. It is the language of the heart. It is the melody that angels play in the heavens. It is the heart warming, pulse quickening, hallucinatory tune that drowns you in its love.

The song is so well written that while listening to it, time seems to come to a standstill. The world stops revolving and the whole world around you simply disappears. You come to a place where you are all alone and the only sounds are of your heart beating in sync with the rhythms of Mi Amor.

Mi Amor carries you on its wings to a fairytale land. A land where human emotions are still free and unbound and have not yet been rusted by the mechanical routine of today's life. Mi Amor is the song that every heart yearns to sing to someone. It is the song that every heart yearns to hear from another. I swear that listening to it really makes me feel as if I have been transported to a land that time forgot. It feels I have become part of somebody's dream.

Mi Amor makes you feel as if you are in a boat without oars or a motor. The boat is gently travelling along the water currents. You feel as if you are caught in a time when the world was still brand new.

Mi Amor makes you sweat and it makes you thirsty. It makes you love everyone and everything.

It reminds you what music should be like.

Mi Amor is one of Armik's best and I think that says it all.

A million salutes to the tune and its creator.

I have listened to all of ARMIK CD'S , and I must say that his music made feel the love of life , feel the pain and make me cry.Armic by all standard he is awesome very talented and I adore his music...It is hard for me to express the feeling of me toward his music in a word or sentences.