Critically acclaimed guitarist Ottmar Liebert is always down for a little reinventing.

Ottmar Liebert was drawn to Santa Fe’s vast desert expanse the second he saw it. The guitarist felt the landscape was a blank canvas where his creativity could roam freely among possibilities.

“In a big city, there’s always another building in the way,” he says. “In Santa Fe, you can literally hike up a mountain, and you can see 100 miles.”

Born in Cologne, Germany to a Hungarian mother and a Chinese-German father, Liebert found himself musically in Santa Fe after moving from Boston, where he unsuccessfully tried his hand in rock music.

In Santa Fe he happened across a trio – featuring a flamenco guitarist, a classical violinist and a banjo player – that blew his mind, or as he says, “epitomized cultural cross-referencing.”

“I’ve never been a fan of banjo – I’m still not a fan – but just to see that context was really refreshing,” Liebert says.

When he began recording originals, he wanted to make sure he represented Mexican and Spanish culture.

On Liebert’s 1990 debut Nouveau Flamenco, “Barcelona Nights” features melody guitar using a third harmony with an umba bass – evocative of traditional Mariachi music – traveling alongside it.

“[‘Barcelona Nights’] was inspired by Santa Fe’s mix of cultures,” he says.

Not only did Nouveau Flamenco go double-platinum in the U.S., it became the best-selling flamenco album ever.

Nouveau redefined flamenco as a juxtaposition of old world flamenco meets new world pop music – and sometimes clearly-defined R&B rhythmic structures. It made flamenco accessible for a younger generation and helped yield a new sub-genre.

The five-time Grammy nominee’s almost-instantaneous success didn’t go down easy for some, especially legendary flamenco purist Paco De Lucio, who claimed that Liebert’s style was an insult.

“I love tradition,” Liebert says, “but I feel different ways have to be explored.”

Liebert’s flamenco overhaul continues in April 2014 with a pair of new releases: The first, 305, features equal parts electric guitar, equal parts flamenco guitar. The second, Bare Wood, isn’t an ordinary compilation: Liebert chose some of his favorite original songs from the past 10 years and removed electric parts so the tunes only feature handheld percussion, flamenco guitar and upright bass.

“I like to look at things from the view of an eagle, not a prairie dog,” Liebert says. “A prairie dog has a small range it defends, whereas an eagle isn’t very concerned with range.”

An evening with OTTMAR LIEBERT happens at 8pm Thursday, Feb. 13 at Sunset Center, San Carlos at Ninth, Carmel. $39; $49; $59. 620-2048.

HEAR MORE HERE >> ottmarliebert.com