Ottmar Liebert, guitar master, performs Saturday at Birchmere

WASHINGTON - Guitarist and composer Ottmar Liebert helped to establish "new flamenco" music in the early '90s. Think flamenco guitar mixed with Latin, jazz, and even Middle Eastern influences.

Liebert and his band Luna Negra are scheduled to perform at the Birchmere Saturday, June 1.

For more than 20 years, Liebert's masterful guitar work has garnered several Grammy nominations and thousands of fans worldwide.

"Dune," Liebert's 25th studio album, finds the guitarist exploring new territory, including adding accordionist Char Rothschild into the mix.

"I had never been a huge fan of accordion," Liebert tells WTOP in an interview. He changed his mind after hearing raï music -- a form of Algerian folk/pop.

Rothschild's accordion playing is prominent throughout "Dune," and adds a new texture to Liebert's signature hybrid guitar style.

"It's a great foil for the guitar on the album," Liebert says.

One of the standout tracks on the album, "Horse," employs an Arabic scale that Liebert discovered through an internet search.

Read more: http://www.wtop.com/41/3341926/Ottmar-Liebert-guitar-master-performs-Saturday-at-Birchmere