Press

"This music transports you to another world, and does so with some excellent musicianship and captivating song structure. Barnwell's style is very traditional, but his speed and lyrical poise adds a nice bit of flash at times. The song that best exemplifies this bravado is "Potchka". Potchka is a Yiddish word meaning "to fool around," and this song supplies that clownish playfulness in spades. Sounding a bit like a Romanian-style polka at times, "Potchka" is a fast-fingered foray into one of the most lyrically expressive pieces of music in the genre."

"This is a record that puts your rear end in a first class seat and transports you to an entirely different world. It may not always be the taste of sangria on my lips after going on this journey, but it is definitely something very unique and oh so tasty. "

"Mandala" - Review by Dr. Music - June 2017

"There were a couple of instrumental albums that arrived last year from independent artists Mark Barnwell and Strat Andriotis. Both musicians have been climbing up the independent artist ladder with their latest releases. First up is Flamenco guitarist Mark Barnwell and his new album "Mandala."

It features 10-tracks that capture the timeless tradition of World and Flamenco guitar. With the help of a dozen other artists, Barnwell showcases his talents on the Latin-flair of the album's opening track "Tierra del Fuego." He delivers the sweet shuffle of "Surco Latino," before displaying his heartfelt tones on the emotions of "Moonstone."

The short, 2-minute "Sundance" is a beautiful piece of Flamenco guitar, while "Moroccan Skies" captures the essence and passion of Barnwell's songwriting as the musicians deliver a stunning piece of music. The album finishes with the epic journey of the seven-minute "Sahara" and the relaxed, gentle flow of "Mandala." "

JP Asinski, JP's Music Blog - April 2017

"On his 2016 CD Mandala, guitarist and composer Mark Barnwell has shaped a fascinating instrumental guitar album that is a musical homage to the timeless Nuevo Flamenco guitar style and brings the guitar sound forward into the new millennium."

"Throughout the ten track Mandala CD, Mark Barnwell's expertise as a Spanish / Flamenco guitarist is first rate as his melodic approach to composition. Tasteful piano work by Chris Magrath and percussion by Bryan Brock and Ramon Yslas keeps the sound tempos moving briskly, while other players add in flutes, sax, strings and more. Adorned with cover art that is quite stunning to behold, the music is totally fascinating and the CD also features the work of esteemed music producer and mixer Bo Astrup. With ten memorable original instrumental compositions, Mark Barnwell's Mandala features some of the finest Nuevo Flamenco guitarists recording on the planet today."

Robert Silverstein, MWE3 - November 2016

"This is a killer album, this is great"

"All of this stuff is really really good, I recommend you get this"

"This is amazing, all the playing on here is just incredible"

Jeff Floro, LA Talk Radio - October 2016

"Mandala is easily Mark Barnwell's best work so far, the decision to include Incendio band members was a move of pure genius and the added instrumentation and collaborations have created a truly stylish and extremely listenable release, that I for one will be playing for many years to come, if you're a fan of acoustic guitar based music, that has both passion and flair, you really need to get Mandala by Mark Barnwell, it's guaranteed to brighten your day and lift your spirits and leave you totally chilled."

Steve Sheppard, One World Music - September 2016