Gypsy Boogaloo

• Artist: Willie & Lobo
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1993
• Total Time: 47:27
• Genre: New Age

Review

The guitar and gypsy violin odd couple's debut -- which made a huge splash on both new age and world music charts -- fuses metric changes and melodic intricacies (not to mention sweetness) into an eclectic package that set world music on its ear and continued to do so years later. Willie Royal (violin) and Wolfgang Fink (acoustic guitar) are about as different an act as instrumental music offered in the '90s, with stunning flamenco styled playing (they met playing at a bar in Puerto Vallarta) and lively yet unpredictable swings. While Fink is a great acoustic player, Royal seems to redefine violin playing in a style unlike any other major artist, including Jean Luc Ponty. A gentle "Sultan's Dream" may perk up thanks to Efrain Toro's percussion and co-producer Rick Braun's trumpet, while a lilting "Dance With You" goes down like a smooth Corona. "The Lonely Camel" haunts as easily as "Allegria" and "Refrus" energize. Gypsy Boogaloo may take some getting used to, but it's one of the best exotic musical dishes of the early '90s. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Amsterdam	Willie Royal	Willie & Lobo	(5:38)
Pipe Song	Wolfgang Fink	Willie & Lobo	(4:51)
Dance With You	Wolfgang Fink, Willie Royal	Willie & Lobo	(4:08)
Turkish Dessert	Willie Royal	Willie & Lobo	(4:22)
Tribute to Manolo	Manolo de Oro	Willie & Lobo	(3:39)
Allegria	Wolfgang Fink, Willie Royal	Willie & Lobo	(4:55)
They Come and They Go	Willie Royal	Willie & Lobo	(4:42)
Sultan's Dream	Wolfgang Fink, Willie Royal	Willie & Lobo	(3:57)
The Lonely Camel	Wolfgang Fink	Willie & Lobo	(2:42)
Refrus	Wolfgang Fink	Willie & Lobo	(3:08)
Salsa Verde	Willie Royal	Willie & Lobo	(5:25)

Credits

Willie & Lobo (Arranger), Willie & Lobo (Main Performer), Gary Brandt (Engineer), Gary Brandt (Mixing), Rick Braun (Synthesizer), Rick Braun (Trumpet), Rick Braun (Keyboards), Rick Braun (Producer), Russell Burt (Engineer), Russell Burt (Assistant Engineer), Wolfgang Fink (Guitar), Wolfgang Fink (Arranger), Wolfgang Fink (Composer), Wolfgang Fink (Handclapping), Wolfgang Fink (?), Wolfgang Fink (Clapping), Cliff Hugo (Bass), Cliff Hugo (Bass (Electric)), Cliff Hugo (Guitar (Bass)), Wayne James (Engineer), Wayne James (Assistant Engineer), George Nauful (Arranger), George Nauful (Guitar (12 String)), George Nauful (Producer), George Nauful (Executive Producer), Manolo de Oro (Composer), Willie Royal (Violin), Willie Royal (Composer), Willie Royal (Sound Effects), Willie Royal (Wind), Jim Snowden (Executive Producer), Efrain Toro (Percussion), Nathaniel Welch (Photography), Daniel Nevins (Art Direction), Steve Hall (Mastering), Richard Evans (Art Direction), Richard Evans (Design)