PlayBoy Magazine, El Deseo, Album Review, July 2000.

El Deseo, Thomas Lorenzo, Ottomani Records, 2000.

Guitars in pure state. Influences all the way fromPaco de Lucía to Steve Vay Vaughan. 10 tracks, 43.26.

The first track SEX is music to make love. Will take you to pleasures beyond a simple orgasm.

Download full playboy magazine pdf reviews sharing top 6 albums of the month with Tony Braxtin, Neil Young, Lou Reed and Gloria Estefan.

Guitar Player number 89, September 2000

THOMAS LORENZO , El Deseo Ottomani  (Download the Original Spanish Version of Guitar Player)

It´s possible that some of you remember the name of Thomas Lorenzo, born in Australia, Spanish in the heart and musically international, dedicating his efforts to express his deep inner feelings, through his guitar and music.

The Immigrant

We say possible, because in these same pages, we have already talked about his previous work, The Immigrant,a musical suite commissioned in 1997 by the UK National Arts Lottery and The Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts, founded by Paul McCartney. If we take into consideration that Lipa founding members as Mc Cartney, Elvis Costello y George Martin, were part of the jury awarding this commission, we can state that this boy comes with good references.

His desires come to life

\”El deseo\” is a composition in which the only instrument used is the guitar, in it´s multiple variations, with multiple sounds in an effort to use all possible techniques towards achieving the goal of expression, even though the final sound is eminently acoustic. With this album, Thomas has tried to transmit his experiences of how desires can be accomplished in life. Each person understands his desires in different ways. (to be more exact each individual has his own desires), and the way to express them is also different for each individual, but what we can not deny is that Lorenzo, with this album, shows us a thorough job of introspection, he has undressed his being and has tried to portray what he sees inside himself through his instrument.

Virtuoso

As one would expect of a person who has been a member of the pedagogical commission of the L\’Aula de Música Moderna ¡ Jazz del Conservatorio del Liceo of Barcelona, of one who has studied at Berklee College of Music and of one who teaches at LIPA, his technique is of a high standard, even though this has no meaning if it does not serve the purpose of composition. But Thomas does use it in this way and \”El deseo\” is proof of it.

Jazz Chicago Review  Spanish Breeze

This is the full extract of their review found on this link 

Thomas Lorenzo – “Spanish Breeze”
(Barcelona Music)

Guitarist Thomas Lorenzo’s family escaped fascism by moving from Spain to Australia – where he grew up. He returned to Barcelona a few years ago and this is the forth release from him.

With a title like Spanish Breeze, you might be forgiven for expecting some light-hearted acoustic guitar melodies, and while there are some of these – the album starts off with five straight electric guitar tracks that range from jazz fusion (opener “You’re Cute”), to smooth contemporary (“Giggles and Whispers”), rock (“!-2-3, Let’s Go,” “A Happy Dream”) and even country blues (“Blue Secrets”).

The band

Assisting in this endeavor is pianist Dave Garfield, drummer/percussionist Walfredo Reyes, Jr., and bassist Alphonso Johnson – whose stints playing with Weather Report and the Crusaders are balanced by time spent playing the music of the Grateful Dead in both the Jazz is Dead and The Other Ones Dead tribute bands – making him the perfect choice to keep the low end in line on this project.

But on the second 2/3rds of the album, Lorenzo suddenly shifts gears and brings out the nylon-string classical guitar on “Dulzura Con Rabia,” “Contigo Aprendi,” “Mi Alma,” “Belleza De Agua Dulce,” “Merry Go Round,” and the luscious “Bailas?” -demonstrating a refined melodic sense and nice feathery touch on the instrument.

Schizophrenic nature

The somewhat schizophrenic nature of the studio recording may or may not have been better served by spacing the electric pieces throughout, but Lorenzo isn’t done yet, as a dreamy version of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia” ends this album showcasing another of Lorenzo’s talents. .