Autumn 2021
Steve Gibb, "The Boatman," 2021
Steve Gibb is a native of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, but he has made the USA his home since 2000. After his studies with Hector Quine and Timothy Walker at the Royal Academy of Music in London,
Gibb has been enjoying a successful and varied music career as a performer, music director, recording and touring artist, author, and composer of tunes, concert works, and production music for television
and film. The Boatman offers twelve pristinely recorded solo guitar arrangements of traditional Celtic tunes, original pieces, and arrangements of music by Laurie Z., Roger Tallroth, Uli Roever, and
Michael Korb. Eight of the twelve tracks are performed in DADGAD tuning, including the opening piece "River Falls" which is the first tune Gibb wrote after relocating to the US, and it at once introduces
the listener to the gorgeous tones of his 2010 Matthew Mustapick Arena Custom guitar and establishes the tenor of the journey to follow. One of the many highlights on this recording is a jig titled 'Totes
Adorbs' and it hides in plain sight. Needing a jig in G to complete the set of "3 Irish Jigs," book-ended by two stalwarts from 'O'Neill's Music of Ireland,' Gibb offers this gem of a piece which earned its
title via a newly discovered phrase from his 8-year old daughter. Other highlights of the album are far less fleeting and they function as both hauntingly beautiful stand alone pieces and as excellent exemplars
of thoughtful programming for listeners who wish to experience the album as a unified whole. A minor-tinged imitative introduction gives way to a mournful tremolo melody in "Elegy for a Rainbow," a piece
written half way through the recording process after Gibb learned of the death of Timothy Walker, his classical guitar teacher, mentor, and friend from the Royal Academy of Music. "Fear a' Bhata," the
album's title track (the traditional Scottish song is Gaelic for 'The Boatman'), was the first song Gibb arranged for a chamber group in secondary school. The beautifully haunting arrangement on this
recording benefits greatly from both the decision to use CGDGCD tuning and a skillful employment of harmonics which help to convincingly impart the late eighteenth century tale. Gibb has taken great care,
in the composing, arranging, performing, programming, and recording, to create an ebb and flow that gloriously meanders its way from the opening track to the two brilliantly selected Scots reels that
conclude the album. If there can be such a thing as the perfect solo fingerstyle guitar album, The Boatman is surely a candidate.
Matt Read & Chris McQueen, "Read/McQueen," 2021
In 2017 The Austin based acoustic guitar duo of Matt Read and Chris McQueen released their debut album, Western Theater, an eclectic, hugely textured collection of six original compositions with an improvisational vibe.
Their sophomore release, the self titled album, Read/McQueen, largely picks up where their debut left off with a finer, tighter focus in terms of compositions, while expanding the overall breadth and scope of their sonic
palette. Close attention to "Möbius," "Flow," "Send off" and "Etude No. 2," opens a door to some of the jazz and classical influences bubbling under the surface. Some of the phrasing is reminiscent of Steve Howe in his finest
acoustic work of the 70's, while also demonstrating a tighter, more fluent interchange between these budding virtuosos. The sonic flavors intermingle exquisitely, from the Texas-esque "Bull Creek" and Southwest-esque,
to the ethereal and playful "E.S." and "Flow."
There is a simultaneous sense of experimentation and pureness of execution throughout this album. Read and McQueen share the lead and rhythm duties, bringing a refreshing perspective to the art of collaboration, both
in performance and composition. With a lithe and deft technique, Matt Read and Chris McQueen create truly effervescent fretwork throughout this intoxicating work of sonic nuance and verve, producing an exhilarating
and invigorating melodicism. In the past few years, I can remember only two other duos who have managed to coalesce musically with such purpose, artistry, precision, and esprit de corps: guitarist Derek Gripper and
cellist Mike Block on Saturday Morning in Boston(2019) and guitarists Eric Skye and Mark Goldenberg on Artifact (2015).
Matt Read studied composition, arranging, and jazz guitar at the Berklee College of Music and both he and Chris McQueen studied jazz guitar at the University of North Texas. Not surprisingly, a lengthy list of prior
and current musical and recording associations can be attributed to this acoustic duo, which include McQueen's work with Grammy-winning group Snarky Puppy, the highly respected world music group Bokanté, and the creatively
adventurous instrumental quartet Forq. Matt Read has released solo acoustic work (First Song 2008 & Onward 2015) as well as collaborative acoustic work with the band First Year on Earth (Worn Road 2016) and
composer/keyboardist Nate Rendon (Safe Travels 2019), with whom he is co-owner of the Austin based Scotch and Coda Productions, composing and producing for film, TV and other media. Amazingly this only scratches
the surface for these two multi-talented musicians who seem to be into everything. Check out their respective web pages for much more of their various endeavors.
R.D. King, "Summerlast," 2021
Summerlast is the third dazzling offering of instrumental acoustic guitar music from up-and-comer R.D. King, an award-winning composer and performer. King's music is compositionally complex yet accessible,
his playing emotionally resonant and evocative. There are flashes here of virtuosic brilliance, but King is more interested in conveying emotion than in showing off. His sound evinces a range of styles and
influences, from pop to progressive (fingerstyle players such as John Renbourn, Adrian Legg, Leo Kottke, and John Fahey come to mind) as well as evident classical training. This is very confident, controlled
playing. He uses metal fingerpicks (that wrap the end of each finger), which lend a certain crispness and, with his uncanny thumb prowess on the bass strings and other techniques, creates a full ensemble sound.
Instrumental acoustic music can often have a sameness to it, but King keeps the intensity high. Each piece creates images, tells a story. The rapid arpeggios that burst from "In First Day of Spring" are reminiscent
of rushing waters bursting down a mountain, and convey a sense of hope and regeneration that fully expresses the joy of that season. The exquisite "The Hope and Despair of the Morning" sets liquid runs and rapid
cascading notes against crashing chords and minor key passages. The melodic twists and turns reflecting how emotions oscillate from hope to despair and back again, while the tour de force ending of rapid arpeggios
builds and diminishes the way moods soar and then sour. The peppy "River Dream" has a jaunty melody over a rumbling foundation and takes an unexpected turn, like a sudden bend in a river. Propulsive "Leap of Faith"
has a driving energy that is ruminative and evocative. It captures the tension and emotion of taking a leap of faith into the unknown, the melody line wandering off into different directions, like thoughts that race
ahead, as if wondering, "What might happen if…?" Wrapping up the EP is the show-stopping title track, meditative and moody, with a bittersweet, "end of summer" feeling. The lovely melody wanders the way ruminative
thoughts do, building in intensity, until it ends in an unexpected way. The piece showcases King's clean, pure, and resonant tone, mastery of dynamics, and heart. As with his previous release, Summerlast was expertly
mixed and mastered by Antoine Dufour. King's skills make it apparent why he has won competitions such as the 2017 Canadian Guitar Festival's International Fingerstyle Guitar Competition and the 2018 Walnut Valley
Festival NewSong Showcase (Instrumental Category). His is most assuredly a career to watch.
Bryce Mullins, "Cask Strength," 2021
Bryce Mullins is the real fingerpickin' deal. He's a little bit Americana, a little bit Celtic, has some serious country blues chops, and can swing like an old-time jazzer sauntering through the Great American
Songbook. Mullins' education extends to a master's in classical guitar performance, which serves him well in this, his third solo album, and his second of all-original tunes. Mullins favors composition over pure
technique, and his tunes are strong, with lovely melodies, driving bass lines, and rich harmonies. Mixed and mastered by Antoine Dufour, Mullins' guitar tones bloom with luscious reverb that really puts a
shine on his sophisticated technique and chord voicings. The album opens with "Dr. Moon," a graceful ballad in a tuning with a crazy-low A and then proceeds to alternative fast with slow tunes. The title tune
is a pentatonic rocker full of luminous harmonies and counterpoints while "E.T.", a country blues, has Mullins displaying some seriously fancy fretwork and chromaticisms hot enough to cook bacon. "Falling
Leaves" is a swinging old timey jazz tune, with lovely intervallic harmonies and some nice palm muting of a walking bass line that, indeed, makes me think of a stroll through a forest. "First Snow" is another
rocker, while "Ralfy's Jig" embraces a Celtic mood, with a strong Richard Thompson vibe. Another gentle ballad, "Moonlight Memories," is followed by the groove-laden "Sidewalkin'", which has some slick and
slithery slides and hammer-ons. Keeping the fast one-slow one pattern going, "The Calm" brings forth the soothing mists of a folk-Celtic melody decorated with great chords, rich harmonics, and a reverb-thick
swell at the end that drops straight into a country rocker, "The Storm." "Walkin' the Duke" is a jazzy-blues tune with some hot lead licks, and while sounding like Tommy Emmanuel also brings to mind Ry Cooder's
foray into 1920s jazz. The ballad "423" gives way to the closer, "Resilience," a gorgeous tune that makes full use of a bass-rich tuning and lots of big open chords.
Gregg Belisle-Chi, "Koi: Performing the Music of Tim Berne," 2021
Guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi was inspired to interpret composer/saxophonist Tim Berne's music by hearing pianist Matt Mitchell's interpretations on his solo piano album Fřrage (Screwgun Records, 2017), although
he does not repeat any of the compositions from it. It was Berne's suggestion that acoustic guitar be used, and he sent music for the guitarist to work with. Berne's usual performance setting is a small group--his
most active band currently is the quartet Snakeoil--with the music combining composition and free improvisation in sometimes expansive compositional forms. It is not unusual for the thematic material to be revealed
slowly. So these arrangements have a directness and economy that are a revelation, stripping Berne's compositions down to their essentials. "Chance" opens the set with a composition from the Berne/Mitchell duo album
Angel Dusk (also the source of "Reception" and "Starfish Blues"), music that requires less distillation than some of the other pieces. After a memorable theme it slowly unfolds before a bit of polyphonic activity at
the end. "Giant Squids" is a study in lyrical pointillism, gentle yet relentlessly in motion. The two blues both make enough reference to blues gestures to dismiss the notion that the titles might be ironic. They
are both slow blues, but "Middle Seat Blues" is an especially lovely slide guitar excursion. "Huevos" opened the 2002 Science Friction album, and has the distinction of having an acoustic guitar (played by Marc
Ducret) in the original recording. This arrangement has a different take on the tune's jerky groove, but comes to an ending that echoes Ducret's gentle concluding section. Koi makes a strong case for Berne as
composer, stripped of both his playing and interaction with bandmates. It is also an acoustic guitar album like no other, combining adventurous harmonies and rhythms into a lyrical whole; the closest comparison
would probably be Ralph Towner's solo works.
Chris Gill, "Between Midnight and Louise," 2021
One listen to road tested Bluesman Chris Gill's "Back to Paradise" and "You Never Know (That's What Love Will Do)" on his Between Midnight and Louise CD and it becomes crystal clear that the blues are
indelibly tattooed on his musical soul. With a voice imbued with passion and an occasional growl, Gill sings of despair and optimism that is spot-on as commentary and moral compass for world affairs.
Between Midnight and Louise is a contemporary acoustic blues tour de force. There are no technical embellishments here, just unadulterated, straight forward, gritty, smoke-tinged, blues licks, rhythm, and
vocals, not to mention deft and articulate finger picking with a few melancholy soul-searching tunes like the aforementioned "You Never Know" and "Long Distance Highways" mixed in for good measure. Production
value is high conveying Gill's fret and vocal work with clarity and a fair amount of gusto.
In an interview for Keep the Blues Alive website, Gill describes his music as "a mix of acoustic Mississippi/Piedmont Blues and electric Chicago/Delta/Hill Country Blues." Hailing from Mississippi,
you might think that Gill comes by the Bentonia style Delta Blues naturally. However, it was a bit of determination that brought about his encounter and subsequent relationships with legendary bluesman Jack
Owens and harmonica legend Bud Spires. Gill cites both as inspirations and influences, along with more mainstream guitar legends from Taj Mahal, B.B. King, Eric Clapton to Duane Allman, as well as the
usual suspects like Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt to Elizabeth Cotten and Lightnin Hopkins. Informed by a solid listening pedigree, and as he sings in "Rollin Man," I come from where I've been,"
Gill has carved out his blues-prowess through 20 years of touring and live shows throughout the mid-South.
The addictive nature of Between Midnight and Louise can, in large part, be attributed Gill's compositional skill and sequencing; these songs grab a hold of the listener and don't let go, like the proverbial
dog and his bone. The simple but catchy melody of the instrumental, "Thank You for Another Day," sets the stage for nine originals and two covers of his late friend and fellow bluesman, Virgil Brawley, while
another instrumental, the Duane Allman-esque title track, lays down an achingly beautiful exclamation point to the tracks in between.
Gill's moody slide work and lyrics on "Rollin Man" and "Souvenir of the Blues" epitomize the essence of the blues milieu. With regard to slide work, there are no high-flying trapeze theatrics on display
here, rather, Gill's exceptional slide skills always serve the songs, as both "Song for Honeyboy" and "Fleas and Ticks" attest. The same could be said of his rhythmic Piedmont style finger picking, the
engine behind the melodies of "Back to Paradise," "Fleas and Ticks," and "Walking Through Eden." A quick listen to his work with percussionist, Derrick L. Martin, as the duo D'mar & Gill, will give you
another window into this bluesman's contagious repertoire. Chris Gill is deserving of more exposure on the national and world wide blues scene, and I can't help but expect to see that come his way in
the near future.
Tim Sparks, "My Guitar Heroes," 2021
To say Tim Sparks is an eclectic fingerstyle player only begins to suggest the range of his interests. Over more than three decades he's scored and played "The Nutcracker," and immersed himself in Jewish and Balkan music,
as well as blues and American pop. In this TrueFire course, Sparks presents six original etudes, each focused on one of his prominent influences, or "guitar heroes" - Jimi Hendrix, Doc Watson, Agustin Barrios, Kenny Burrell,
Lenny Breau, and Ted Greene. Sparks plays each piece on a steel string acoustic guitar. The course begins with "Jimi in Morocco," a blues in three choruses, which starts out based on "Rollin' and Tumblin'," although fretted
normally, without a slide. In the first chorus, Sparks inserts chord voicings at the sixth and seventh frets that lead into a chorus of gentle triplet phrases. Much of what Sparks plays would have been unusual choices for
Hendrix, although it's clear he's using the "Rollin' and Tumblin'" theme as a launching pad for explorations in melody, rhythm, and tonality that interest him. Here, Sparks tacitly stresses the importance of studying great
players while concurrently developing an individual musical voice. "Deep in the River" is a nice variation on Doc Watson's version of "Deep River Blues." Sparks plays it in dropped D tuning, although Watson played
"Deep River" using E chord shapes. Again, Sparks introduces his own chordal and melodic ideas, which give the student more choices than simply learning Watson's arrangement by rote. Turning to Paraguayan guitarist and
composer Augustin Barrios, Sparks presents "A Dream in the Forest," in the key of G. This piece recalls some of the Latin influence on US musicians, since the initial G to D chord sequence (the latter chord sometimes
written as Am11), played with pedal tones on top, recalls Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Hot Dogs," Merle Travis's "Cannonball Rag," and the fiddle tune, "Beaumont Rag." Sparks briefly modulates from G to C, then returns to G,
and includes a familiar III, VI, II, V sequence that leads back to his theme. It's a great little piece on its own, but could also serve as a foundation for single-string melodic lines. Jazz icon Kenny Burrell provides the
inspiration for "Shout it Out," two choruses of twelve-bar blues in E. It's a great icebreaker for acoustic players who want ideas for hip chord substitutions in a call and response format. "Colors for a Blue Day," Sparks's
homage to Lenny Breau, is another blues in E, although it differs from "Shout it Out" by placing melodic lines directly on top of chord stabs. This etude will familiarize players with convenient and pleasing tritone-based
voicings, commonly used in jazz. A jazzy "Danny Boy," dedicated to Ted Greene, ends My Guitar Heroes, and serves as a culmination of Sparks's harmonic explorations. Guitarists who study this arrangement and compare it with
more straightforward settings of "Danny Boy" will be on a path to develop sophisticated harmonic settings to accompany familiar melodies. Intermediate and advanced guitarists will find challenging material in Sparks's pieces.
He covers important concepts I haven't found in other fingerstyle-based video lessons.
Like the rest of TrueFire's offerings, the course is available for streaming or download. TrueFire's platform syncs a printed score with Sparks's playing, allows scores to be downloaded and printed, and includes options
for looping or switching to various views. Tim Sparks has produced a thoughtful and valuable course of study - I highly recommend it.
Rob Lutes, "Come Around," 2021
Rob Lutes writes like there's no tomorrow - at least he does on Come Around, his eighth album, which is loaded with thoughtful insights about life, love and loss. Recording during the Covid freefall of
autumn 2020, the Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist worked in six different studios because of Covid restrictions. It becomes apparent that Covid weighed heavily on Lutes' psyche for much of this
collection. The harsh reality of facing one's mortality and how we find our way through the world are interwoven throughout. But despite the weighty subjects, the collection is far from depressing;
rather, this work is life-affirming in the way that blues-based compositions often are: they celebrate life in the face of death. Existentialism's got nothing on Rob Lutes. Singing in an emotive rasp,
and backed by a stellar band of musicians - most pointedly Bob Staggs, whose keys create a cohesive atmosphere - Lutes works his way through Americana, folk and blues to fine effect. The title track
features his steady tempo, fingerstyle acoustic work, along with harmony vocals from Annabelle Chvostek. The importance of human contact is paramount here: "Won't you come around/the day is almost over/And
there's a space in the world/For another lonely traveller." In "Knives," he wrestles with the will to move forward: "I guess I'd scream if I knew what to say/Tell me that it ain't so/And help me put the
knives away." He writes with a poet's economy and sureness; while his lyrics are filled with power, no words are wasted. His thoughts are achingly elegant on the lovely "Work of Art": "People throw away
the plate of love that they are handed/Forgetting that that's what life is for/If I was going to tell you what I think would have whispered on that breeze/About how you brought me to my knees/And how you
captured me with ease." In "Fisherman's Rest," Lutes offhands a line that is so great -"Time doesn't fly/It floats away" - but that's only because each song is filled with such gems. Lutes is also adept at
evoking memories of long ago, and how they continue to be a part of us with such tracks as "Shediac Bridge," "Amsterdam," and "By and By." The lone cover is the traditional "In My Time of Dyin", which Lutes
says in the liner notes that he learned from Bob Dylan's first album: "Its unapologetic darkness is pure magic for me." The production is absolutely stellar, with a full soundstage, which makes this work a
joy to the ears. Lutes co-produced with his longtime collaborator Rob MacDonald, and they are on the same page from the first note. This is such a strong, affirmative work.
Nelson Veras, "Rouge Sur Blanc," 2020
Brazilian born nylon stringed guitarist Nelson Veras's Rouge Sur Blanc is an
exemplary collection of original compositions and eclectic covers. A child prodigy, the aspiring guitarist began to incorporate classical, jazz, and Brazilian musical forms into a unique musical voice at an early age.
Upon moving to Paris at fourteen he soon found himself performing at festivals across Europe and playing with Pat Metheny on a television special. Veras taught at the Conservatoire de Paris as well as toured with Steve
Coleman's Five Elements and the late Michel Petrucciani sextet "Young Loins." Joining Veras on this release is Thomas Morgan on upright bass and Stephane Gallard on drums. The recording opens with Benoit Delbecq's post
modern, film noir-esque composition "Binoculars." The dissonant, meandering guitar lines are enhanced by the spacious accompaniment of the rhythm section. Together they paint an ethereal but captivating musical landscape.
The intricate and intuitive interplay between the trio is one of many standouts of this release. On the self penned title track, "Rouge Sur Blanc," Veras creates long, sinuous single note flurries navigating through
challenging chord changes. His guitar style is fluid and sophisticated, demonstrating an extraordinary command of the instrument. "Nevoa Seca," another original, highlights Thomas Morgan's passionate bass playing. On
the intricate readings of Vinicius De Morales's "Medo De Amar" and Caetano Velosa's "Coracao Vagabundo" the guitarist pays homage to his Brazilian roots. There is also a blistering deconstruction of Joe Henderson's iconic
"Inner Urge," showcasing Vera's incendiary soloing driven by his formidable rhythm section. The album ends with a creative reading of Robert Schumann's opus "The Prophetic Bird," marking an appropriate culmination to
this remarkable recording. Although this release can be challenging at times, repeated listens will yield numerous rewards. This is contemporary improvised music played at the highest level imaginable and is highly
recommended for adventurous and discerning listeners of innovative music.
Duo Mantar, "Music From the Promised Land," 2021
A shared passion for Israeli music, Hebrew and Jewish songs, and a commitment to expand the repertoire for guitar and mandolin by commissioning contemporary composers brought American classical guitarist
Adam Levin and Israeli mandolinist Jacob Reuven together as Duo Mantar in 2017. Music From the Promised Land, sponsored by the Israeli Composers' League and the Israeli Music Institute, proffers works by
seven composers of different backgrounds and time periods, including three world premiere recordings and four world premiere recordings of arrangements for mandolin and guitar. Embracing the field of folk
song and syncopated modal sensibilities, Marc Lavry's "3 Jewish Dances, Opus 192" (1945) and "3 Songs Without Words" (1952) by Israel's forebear of the Mediterranean style, Paul Ben-Haim, serve as an apt
way to open a diverse program that includes European klezmer music, Balkan Ladino songs, and jazz and country elements which embrace the influence of American culture. Two pieces by Jan Freidlin follow,
including a 2018 version for mandolin and guitar of "Mist Over the Lake" (1985) which functions both as an excellent contrast to the recording's opening suites and a brilliant lead-in to the album's
centerpiece Yehezkel Braun's "Sonata for Mandolin and Guitar" (2004). Braun's Sonata is inviting from the start, and it brings the mandolin and guitar together in such a way that they seemingly function
as one instrument throughout much of the work. The final movement, set in the form of a passacaglia, functions as a classic series of 17th century-style variations with a modern, modal twist that contrast
the free variations of the piece that follows, Josef Bardanashvili's "The Memories" (2017). The sheer brilliance of the disc's penultimate piece cannot be overstated. "Ahava" (2018) by the youngest composer
on the program, Oren Lok, is a masterpiece. The sustained intimacy, wide dynamic range, intuitive interplay, and brilliant use of silence intimate that this piece could not be successfully performed with
any other instrumentation. Ittai Rosenbaum's "Duet for Mandolin and Guitar" (2006), originally composed for mandolin and piano and arranged by Greg Nestor in 2019, with its constantly shifting tempos and
tonalities, is the perfect way to end this program. As individual musicians, Reuven and Levin are masters of their respective instruments. As Duo Mantar, they are a truly egalitarian, collaborative
collective that perform with the clarity, musicality, nuance, and balance required to convince the listener that their presentation of these pieces is both definitive and peerless.
©
David Pedrick
Buy it at Bandcamp
Listen to "River Falls"
Listen to Steve Gibb at our podcast 
©
James Filkins
Buy it at Bandcamp
Listen to "Send Off"
Listen to Read/McQueen at our podcast
©
Céline Keating
Buy it at CandyRat Records
Listen to "The Hope and Despair of the Morning"
©
Brian Clark
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "E.T."
©
Mark Sullivan
Buy it at Bandcamp
Listen to "Chance"
©
James Filkins
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Thank You For Another Day"
©
Patrick Ragains
Buy it (and preview) at TrueFire
©
Fred Kraus
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Knives"
©
James Scott
Buy it at Bandcamp
Listen to "Inner Urge"
©
David Pedrick
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "3 Jewish Dances"
