Ottmar Liebert, born February 1, 1959, in Cologne, Germany, to a Chinese-German father and Hungarian mother, started playing guitar at age 11. After traveling through Europe and Asia and briefly pursuing rock music in Boston, he settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1986, where he developed his acoustic guitar style blending Spanish, Mexican, and world music elements with strong melodies and rhythmic balance. In 1988, Liebert founded his band Luna Negra and self-released Marita: Shadows and Storms, later remastered as Nouveau Flamenco (1990) by Higher Octave Music, which achieved double-platinum status in the US and 14X platinum on Latin charts. A five-time Grammy nominee, he earned 38 Gold and Platinum certifications across multiple countries and Billboard's New Age Artist of the Year twice. Key releases include Euphoria (1995), Opium (1996), and Leaning into the Night (1997). Liebert and Luna Negra are known for live performances featuring their 'Nouveau Flamenco' ensemble sound, drawing from flamenco, rumba, bossa nova, and other styles.