September/October, 2018
Tengyue Zhang, "Guitar Recital," 2018
Over the past several years classical guitarist Tengyue (TY) Zhang has burst onto the international concert and competition scene, captivating audiences the world over. With so many wonderfully skilled young
classical guitarists globally, TY's meteoric rise to fame cannot be overstated. His talent was recognized early on, when at the age of seven years old, he was accepted to study with Professor Chen Zhi, who is
one of the most well-known and respected guitar pedagogues in the world, and whose other students include Yang Xuefei, Wang Yameng, Su Meng, and Li Jie. For the past several years he's been studying at the
Julliard School with Sharon Isbin, where he completed both an undergraduate and master's degree. In 2017 he placed first at the world's most prestigious classical guitar competition: the Guitar Foundation of America
(GFA) competition. His debut CD was recently released by Naxos in June of 2018, and it features TY's own selection of works that have inspired him throughout his studies. The second track on the disc immediately
stands out: the D minor Chaconne from BWV 1004 by Bach. At the GFA last year TY daringly performed this as his final piece; daring in that it is core repertoire that's been performed by countless others, yet he
won over the judges with his unique and remarkable interpretation. His recorded rendition is no less captivating, offering a musical depth and a personal sensitivity that encapsulates the full breadth of TY's
unique interpretive voice. TY's range is fully explored again on the next track, "Variations on a theme by Scriabin" by Tansman, where he carefully navigates the melodic lines, and perfectly delivers the various
motifs in the lower register. Throughout the Tadesco Caprices he enhances his range through carefully planned and effective use of rest strokes, achieving exceptional volume along with wonderfully full and rich
tone. TY finishes with works from two of the greatest classical guitar composers of our time: Leo Brouwer and Sergio Assad, which are both performed with equal mastery. With his incredible depth of interpretation
and his astounding mastery of tonal and dynamic range, there's no doubt that Tengyue Zhang is a leader in the next generation of world-class classical guitarists.
Kris Schulz, "Chasing the Light," 2018
Percussive tapping legend Bill McLaughlin had to re-learn how to play the guitar left-handed as a result of focal dystonia, a neurological disorder where your muscles stop working the way they know how, causing
in many cases extreme pain, rendering the simplest tasks almost impossible, and laying a heavy burden on the soul of anyone who uses their hands for a living. Imagine the challenge of playing guitar when one of
your hands no longer does what it has known for so long. Kris Schulz, whose CD "Chasing the Light" presents solo acoustic guitar music that reminds listeners of McLaughlin, has also suffered this debilitating ailment.
Yet this recording is full of life and inventive guitar hooks, percussive techniques, and gentle fingerpicking. The title track, "Chasing the Light," evokes images of an arduous journey, but filled with promise and hope.
"Sidearms and Sombreros" begins with an ominous mix of percussive taps and slaps, then uses chordal phrases to move us into the section where the danger becomes more real somehow. The opening cut, "Jellybeans
Melting in the Sun" is a sweet melody that belies no trace of dysfunction from of Schulz' condition. Most of us wish we could play with such feeling and clarity. Schulz provides solid rhythmic tags on several songs,
like "When Time Stands Still," keeping a solid groove all the way through. "The Happy Pinky Song" makes listeners happy as well. One of the more up tempo tunes is "La Coukareeka in Da Caboosta," with some power
chords driving the song intermittently, while cascading arpeggios provide an intriguing counter. The CD ends in "Home," the shortest piece of the record, but drenched in emotion and reflection. All 10 songs are
good listening, and I'm not sure what Kris Schulz thinks of his own guitar playing abilities these days, but I am glad he recorded this CD, because he has given us some beautiful music.
Rory Block, "A Woman's Soul," 2018
The opening lines of Blues Empress Bessie Smith's "Do Your Duty" -
" If I call three times a day baby /
Come and drive my blue away /
When you come, be ready to play /
Do your duty"
- are a fitting introduction to Rory Block's Power Women of the Blues album series. The series begins with A Woman's Soul: A Tribute to Bessie Smith. Smith's provocative and bawdy lyrics find new life in
Block's lilting raspy voice, drenched in sass and soul. Block's acoustic arrangements and peerless chops are the perfect combo and deliver a stellar recording from the opening shimmer of her steel slide on
"Do Your Duty" to the fading ramble of her vocals on "Empty Bed Blues." A Woman's Soul sizzles, shakes and satisfies with the passion and conviction that only acoustic blues can evoke.
As Block proved with her Mentor Series, interpreting blues masters like Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Bukka White and Skip James, she is uniquely qualified
to bring Bessie Smith's material into the 21st century. Like a musical medium, Block's voice channels the infectious, bodacious essence of Bessie Smith. It is in combination with Block's guitar
work, embodying clarity of tone and superlative slide into her solo arrangements, that ultimately infuse these songs with new life. Amazingly, it all sounds so easy, which of course is the ultimate talent of a
consummate blues player. Every performance is a gem here, from "Jazzbo Brown from Memphis Town," which leaps out with Block's trademark sweet slide taking center stage, to the seductive rhythm of
"Weeping Willow Blues" and the percussive and whimsically bawdy "Need a Little Sugar in my Bowl." Block's artistry encompasses every aspect of the CD from guitars to percussion (hat boxes, oatmeal boxes,
wooden spoons, etc.), as well as production: she is truly an artist at the zenith of her musical talents in full control of her vision and direction.
The lyrics of many of these songs might surprise, but Block states, "It's important to me to mention Bessie's outrageously sexy material, her fearless, jaw-dropping delivery, her unapologetic
presentation of women as the powerfully sensual, sexual beings we know we are - but that society just didn't know how to admit in the early 1900s. Bessie's material was never dirty, it was just plain
sexy." If you are uninitiated in the songs of Bessie Smith, this is excellent starting point. In fact, I envy those who will discover Block's talents on this release - there is so much to be
discovered from a career in blues music that stretches back to 1967's How to Play Blues Guitar.
Rory Block has undertaken a task that is long overdue, shining a new light on the music and stories of the women who left their mark on the blues. In the liner notes Block points out that she
has "always reasoned that as stigmatizing as it was for a man to sing blues - often referred to as 'the music of the devil' in the early 20th century - just ponder for a moment the social outcast a
woman could become living the traveling life of a blues singer... Those who followed their dreams to become performers were going against every norm of society, risking becoming outcasts, being
mistreated, abused, or worse. The women I intend to honor in this series all lived and died bravely, forged a pathway through the hardest of times, and overcame the greatest obstacles. These
musical heroines are the mentors to a new generation of artists who have loved them and followed their example of perseverance and courage. We owe them our deepest gratitude." The legacy of these
women could be in no better hands than those of Rory Block.
Yasmin Williams, "Unwind," 2018
Unwind is the debut CD of young wunderkind acoustic guitarist Yasmin Williams. A recent graduate of NYU in music theory and composition, Williams goes beyond many virtuosic two-handed wizards in her unconventional
playing style; she positions the guitar on her lap and gets her percussive effects not just with her hands but her feet (in tap shoes!) and even a cello bow (an idea she says she got from the band Sigur Rós). The
overall effect-whether strumming, plucking, or chiming harmonics-is of a multitude of instruments, expanding the range of the guitar. Whatever the technique, her playing is lovely, clean, crisp, and authoritative,
and her compositions are melodic, mellow, at times even hypnotic. And just when her songs lull you to a place of mellow contentment they come to an end with jaw-dropping flourishes that snap you back to attention.
Overall Williams seems most interested in exploring repetition, pattern, and contrast. Viewers who watch her in person or online will be awestruck at watching her in action, but just listening is sufficiently enthralling.
The CD starts off strong with the insistent "Restless Heart" with its thumping, finger-plucked variations, that cello!-and segues to the more meditative "Song for Alex," "High Five," and "The Missing Piece," which
feature repeated melodic phrases (sometimes arpeggiated), shivery slides up the fretboard, and shimmering harmonics. "Swing," the deeper-toned "One Last Time," and "On a Friday Night" (a personal favorite) especially
highlight how she plays with intricate shifts of meter. Here her two-handed virtuosity and sense of variation, tempo, and texture is on vivid display. "Guitka," the final cut, is quite different. A xylophone-type sound
(she uses a small hammer) begins and ends the piece, which has a somewhat Latin beat that shifts into a spacey, quasi-New Age realm that amps up with a caffeinated repeating arpeggio. Whether this heralds a new
direction in her music is unclear, but whatever she is up to, one thing is clear: Williams is a guitarist to watch.
Bill McCormick & Craig Wagner, "Blues Talkin'," 2017
Blues Talkin': Suite For Solo Guitar (Modern) is a six-movement collection for solo guitar which has been released in digital download format only (for now) at CD Baby and Apple, or also available to stream at Spotify, Apple and other major streaming services.
Bill McCormick is the composer. I must confess that I am now a voracious disciple of his musical mind. Bill has been composing music for the guitar in different genres for decades, and his experience and diversity of
influence shine throughout this Suite. I discussed with Bill his influences, and the names mentioned highlight this diversity: Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Count Basie, George Benson, Bach, Bartok, Prokofiev, Alberto
Ginastera, John Williams and Julian Bream.
McCormick has upped his game with Blues Talkin' by collaborating with the incredible chop-master guitarist Craig Wagner to interpret his scroll. Craig is well known in his own right as a performer, instructor
and composer (often on a 7-string guitar). Per Bill, he is exactly the right guitarist to perform this music.
Blues Enthusiasts Beware! It is possible that you may not enjoy your first listen to this collection due to the modern structure of the progressions in which Bill excels. It will require an open mind into
progressive alterations of the typical blues format and chord structures. As George Van Eps once said: "It is not good to shy away from dissonances. Let tones clash at times, continual consonant harmony soon
becomes very boring. " Contemporary blues musicians might do well to take heed of Van Eps's advice, as well as hear that very philosophy take musical shape in McCormick's compositions.
This music is going to touch some people out there, as it has me. Blues Talkin' is required listening for any serious blues and jazz musician who wishes to expand his or her musical mind. Enjoy!
Steve Tibbetts, "Life Of," 2018
The flesh of Steve Tibbetts' fingers flows across the worn frets of his father's old Martin 12-string like water over rocks in a stream. Every note is liquid, sensuous with microtonality, appearing as if
just thought of in that exact moment of performance. The music here is molten, but Life Of is a slow eruption: this is music for meditation, guitar music that luxuriates in Tibbetts' long-time collaborator
Mark Anderson's relaxed percussion grooves, the cello drones of new collaborator Michelle Kinney, and Tibbetts' own reverby piano. The spiritual heir to 1988's Big Map Idea, Life Of is a sonic practice
compressed over many years into a diamond sutra of theory where everything sounds easy, the impossible techniques now all second-nature muscle memory. Tibbetts is an alchemist, the wise guy on top of the
mountain who, when you finally gain the summit looking for enlightenment, just grins at you and keeps on playing. The wisdom, you realize, was never going to be in words but rather is in this ancient-sounding
music that bathes your brain with distant memories of melancholic bliss. Life Of is photos of family and friends, photographs not so much gazed at fondly as held to the chest to let the heart do the seeing. Hard
to explain Tibbetts, in other words, which is why the most common descriptors of his music are "unique" and "one of kind." He's been releasing albums since 1977, a lot of them on ECM, and is criminally underknown.
His oeuvre spans not just decades but continents: every album he's done sounds like it's from elsewhere, some explicitly so, as his collaborations with Tibetan Buddhist nun Chöying Drolma, Chö and Selwa. Others,
such as 1994's The Fall of Us All or 2002's A Man about a Horse, are transcendental metal music from a galaxy where fuzz pedals and high-gain amps are cures for depression and anxiety. For fans of the ECM label,
Bill Frisell, Terje Rypdal, David Torn, or anyone seeking sonic transportation.
Various Artists, "Epilogue: A Tribute to John Duffey," 2018
John Duffey, a founding member of the Country Gentlemen and the Seldom Scene, has been dubbed "The Father of Modern Bluegrass." A larger than life tenor and mandolin player, Duffey helped bring a more sophisticated
sound and a broader song selection to the genre. But… Duffey's 1996 death begs the question, "Why a tribute record now?" The interesting, detailed liner notes-down to a history of Duffey's axes-don't answer but do
explain that the tribute was conceived in 2002, completed sometime after 2015, and includes no less than 53 musicians. We're talking the familiar artists I'll name check below, most everyone associated with Duffey,
and surprises like Nils Lofgren and Jonathan Edwards. Readers of Minor7th disappointed by the infrequent 6-string solos should prepare themselves to be blown away by the mandolin picking. "Sunrise," a Duffey
instrumental, is a great place to start, with Sam Bush and Bela Fleck tearing up the place. Singer/songwriter types like me will be pleased to hear respectful versions of Tim Hardin's "If I were a Carpenter"
(vocals by Edwards) and "Girl of the North Country," with one more incredible mando solo (Adam Steffey). Dylan's tune, born in the folk tradition, sounds quite comfortable dressed in the close harmony around Steve
Gulley's tenor. "He was a Friend of Mine," with a brief Tony Rice lead setting up a lovely dobro solo by Jerry Douglas, is touching, only one of the tunes here about friendship. Kenny Smith's 6-string is a standout
on "Cold Wind Blowin,'" a politically tinged Duffey original. "Reason for Being," a Duffey tune about friendship, features excellent guitar and dobro. There's a bit of everything bluegrass here including a murder
ballad ("Poor Ellen Smith," with Tim O'Brien), a ghost tale ("Bringing Mary Home," with John Starling), a Ralph Stanley number ("If That's the Way You Feel"), and a sweet Christmas song performed by an all-star cast.
In the end, the question becomes not, "Why now?" but rather, "Why did you wait so long?"
Gerard Guse, "Allotropes," 2017
This beautiful acoustic solo guitar album from German guitarist Gerard Guse was inspired by his then-new guitar Ottillie, a replica of an old guitar that had belonged to his grandmother. Aside from the sentimental
associations, it is a parlor guitar with an especially sweet, clear voice for fingerstyle playing. Guse works in Spain (he grew up in Barcelona and had formal conservatory training there), and the album was recorded
in the Ibiza studio of renowned German jazz pianist Joachim Kühn, who suggested the project and produced it. Much of the four recording sessions was improvised, from which the best 12 tracks were chosen. In addition
to being part of the title of one of the tracks, allotropes are existing forms of an element: graphite and diamond are allotropes of carbon. Perhaps Guse thinks of all of these performances as aspects of his playing.
"No Action Required" establishes the style of the record: rapid fingerstyle lines, punctuated by chords (frequently employing jazz harmonies). The tune then slows down for a lyrical section. The "title tune" is Ornette
Coleman's "Allotropes, Elements Different Forms Or Same." It sounds like a traditional jazz ballad, not the style usually associated with Ornette. Producer Joachim Kühn (who is one of the few pianists to have worked with
Ornette, recording a duet album with him) recorded a solo piano version on Piano Works I: Allegro Vivace (ACT, 2005). "2nd Floor, Casa Nuestro" employs a rhythmic riff which differentiates it from the other improvisations.
"What Did She Say?" (the longest track, at almost six minutes) is notable for its use of chord-melody playing. "Speaking Tacheles" is built almost entirely on rhythmic chordal strumming. The other composed pieces each
make a unique contribution to the set. "Gurdjieff Nr. 40" is a selection from the George Gurdjieff/Thomas de Harmann collection "Asian Songs and Rhythms." Its haunting melody sounds like an Armenian folk tune. Kühn's
"Because Of Mouloud" has a strummed introduction in Guse's arrangement, taking it from piano to guitar. The piece is melodic contemporary jazz--reminiscent of someone like pianist Keith Jarrett--giving it a tone and
formal structure that stands out here. The final track "Sasha" is the shortest selection. It is brief and contemplative, the only one employing string bending, and the Guse selection that sounds the most like a
pre-composed song. Allotropes is a splendid solo debut from Guse. Mention should also be made of Kühn's fine, intimate recorded guitar sound. He may be a pianist, but he clearly loves and respects the guitar.
John Renbourn, "Live in Kyoto 1978," 2018
John Renbourn had a long and multifaceted musical career. He was a skilled, early exponent of British fingerstyle guitar, a knowledgeable interpreter of early music, a composer, and a wicked lead guitarist. In the wake of
this and several other posthumous releases, it is now apparent that, rather than reinventing himself, he developed and maintained many interests concurrently throughout his professional life. This recording of a strong
1978 performance fills a gap in Renbourn's official discography, since it is the first release of a live solo set from this period.
Seven of the first eight selections feature Renbourn's vocals and guitar. He begins with the Reverend Gary Davis's "Candyman," featuring intricate right-hand picking and polyrhythms. The bluesy "Anji" is Renbourn's
homage to Davey Graham and an effective precursor to "I Know My Babe," which arguably displays some of Renbourn's best blues picking. He remakes "The Cuckoo" in the much the same manner as the opening blues tunes,
although in this instance with heightened drama. Next, Renbourn plays "Banks of the Sweet Primroses" and "John Barleycorn," both strong performances. The remainder of the program is instrumental, beginning with
"Peacock Rag," Renbourn's take on an American fiddle tune. He follows with some of his most popular pieces, "The Earle of Salisbury," Charles Lloyd's "Transfusion," and a medley of "Lamentation For Owen Roe O'Neill,"
"The Orphan," and "The English Dance." The encore medley, "Gypsy Dance/Jew's Dance" conveys Renbourn's playfulness and humor as he plays two parts simultaneously in different keys, after trying to convince his audience
that, by doing so, he's staying true to what may have been a mistake by the composer. Renbourn recorded most of these pieces elsewhere, either solo or with other musicians, but these lively renditions stand quite well on
their own, and it's exciting to hear his guitar parts unaccompanied. Notably, his guitar's tone is strong and clear on this live recording, which was not always the case when Renbourn played with a pickup. Live in Kyoto
1978 is an important release that also provides fine listening.
Frederic Hand, "Samatureya," 2018
Frederic Hand's music is like a fine sophisticated port, demanding to be savored. Hand is justifiably renowned as a player and composer, with a resume so extensive it could take up an entire review. He has been the
appointed guitarist and lutenist with the Metropolitan Opera since 1984. He is a Grammy-nominated and Emmy-winning television composer and recording artist, his playing and improvisations heard on innumerable films and
TV shows. He has taught masterclasses and given residencies at the most prestigious music schools, and currently serves on the faculty of Mannes College the New School for Music, and is the creator and director of the
group Jazzantiqua. His latest CD, Samatureya, features all-original compositions of great complexity and beauty. With influences that range from jazz to avant-garde to classical to contemporary, the music evenly divides
between chamber compositions and solo work. Trio Virado (Amy Porter on flute, Juan-Miguel Hernandez on viola, and Joao Luiz on guitar) play Hand's "Light Through the Trees" and "Samatureya," intricately rhythmic mellow
pieces with a Brazillian essence, while The Brasil Guitar Duo (Joao Luiz and Douglas Lora) perform the radiant and arresting "Still," which Hand wrote expressly for them. On "The Maverick," a work for guitar and flute,
Hand joins flutist Paula Robinson in a four-part piece he composed in honor of a music venue and concert series of that name in Woodstock, New York. But it is on the solo pieces where one can most appreciate Hand's
extraordinary playing and musicianship. Ironically, "Chorale for Guitar Quartet" (commissioned by the New York City Classical Guitar Society for the New York City Guitar Orchestra) is played by Hand alone, doing all
four parts. Inspired by the Bach Chorales, it is a cerebral, delicate, and abstract piece, with a lilting jazzy feel, that showcases Hand's exquisite tone and control of color and dynamics. "Heart's Song" is an
exceptionally beautiful piece, inspired by Brahms' Intermezzo No. 2 in A major, whose tremolo passages are every bit as exquisite as those of Tárrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" and breathtakingly performed. For
more tour de force playing, Hand offers "Samba," four minutes of jaw-dropping, proficient joy. On two slower, more abstract pieces written in tribute of famous men - "On Lenny" (written for Leonard Bernstein) and
"Elegy for Dr. Marin Luther King Jr." - he wrests every ounce of beauty from every note, in the most expressive playing imaginable. "About Time, is just that - an exploration of meter and rhythm; improvisatory,
playful, and inventive. The last solo offering, which closes the CD, is "Lesley's Song," written for his wife, a gorgeous piece that combines a beautiful melody with a kind of wistful Mid-Eastern figure. Samatureya
is an exceptional CD that showcases why Hand is among the finest composers and masters of guitar today.
©
Timothy Smith
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Scarlatti Keyboard Sonata in D major"
©
Kirk Albrecht
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "A Warm Blanket For Sheila"
©
James Filkins
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Kitchen Man"
©
Céline Keating
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Guitka"
Listen to Yasmin Williams at our podcast 
©
Mark Bayer
Bill McCormick's Website | Craig Wagner's Website
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "She Pretty"
Listen to Bill McCormick & Craig Wagner at our podcast
©
Brian Clark
Buy it at Amazon.com
©
David Kleiner
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Cold Wind A Blowin"
©
Mark Sullivan
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "No Action Required"
©
Patrick Ragains
Buy it at Amazon.com
©
Céline Keating
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Chorale"
