March/April, 2020
Don Latarski, "Frozen Moments," 2019
Don Latarski 15th album, Frozen Moments, is an intriguing, immersive work. Latarski is the former head of Guitar Studies at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance, and his expertise is in ample display
in these sophisticated compositions and in his mastery of the guitar. Despite the CD's title, this music is anything but frozen. Like a freely flowing river, the compositions move in long, meditative, seemingly freeform
peregrinations. But as with a river, underlying structures govern. Most unusual are pieces "River Speak," parts 1 and 2, where Latarski places the head of a specially created "water guitar" directly into the river
(you can watch him do this on YouTube) and moves the instrument so the water flows over the strings, producing eerie and ethereal sounds. The other seven original pieces
here are played on Goodall and Spohn baritone guitars tuned down to C and A. Latarski makes the point that the baritone guitar needs more space to breathe, resulting in slower, more meditative pieces. These compositions
have a rich, vibrant cello-like sound and great emotional depth, such as "On Winter," a poignant tender melody written in honor of his mother, and "The Dawning Moment," which features rapid arpeggiated passages that
build in intensity. Two contrasting, more uptempo pieces, are jazz-influenced funky "Shadow Crossing," which leads off with a plunkety bass line melody and meanders in surprising ways, and "Xienna," a highlight of the
CD and one of the longest at over seven minutes. The piece has a haunting melody yet is rhythmically complex and syncopated with odd meters. Throughout the CD Latarski displays gorgeous tone and clear, crisp playing.
His artistry is perhaps most apparent on the brooding "Saraband Migration," which "migrates" from Bach's Partita No. 1 in B minor through melodic and rhythmic shifts punctuated by a jazzy pizzicato-like section.
Frozen Moments is a work of austere and arresting beauty that showcases truly unique and inventive approaches to the acoustic guitar.
Aoife O'Donovan, "In the Magic Hour, Solo Sessions," 2019
Aoife O'Donovan sings lead for the innovative progressive bluegrass band, Crooked Still (currently on hiatus); is a member of the twice 2020 Grammy nominated, folk super group I'm With Her; and co-wrote its Grammy
winning tune, "Call My Name." But, In The Magic Hour EP proves more pointedly than an impressive resume that O'Donovan should be better known. Her lovely melodies use unusual intervals that make them more distinctive,
(as in: "King of All Birds"--"Everyone that I ever loved in my life / Now calls somebody else their wife"). These same lyrics demonstrate her poetical introspection, revealing so much--often about
a search for a permanent lover--while concealing what we don't need to know, the story of each love. O'Donovan's word-smithing is exquisite, as in the same tune's "I'm a Harrier hawk, a wild flock / I keep time by the city
clock," with its interior rhyme and consonance. For this "naked" session, O'Donovan accompanies herself on six string, sometimes strumming in a non-standard tuning, sometimes finger picking. "Porch Light" features an ex
who "finds solace in the bar-room girls" and wants "a little life of loneliness." The speaker's reply? "Baby, so do I" (see: "The Last Time I Saw Richard"). In fact, O'Donovan permeates this CD with the spirit of Joni
Mitchell. The central metaphor of "Stanley Park" revolves around a gull (see: "Song to a Seagull"). In the end, the singer prays, "When I die Lord bring me back / As a snow white gull I'll make my tracks / On the sandy
beach of the English bay /Then I'll fly away, I'll fly away" (see Last Time's "...a dark cocoon before I get my gorgeous wings and fly away"). A cover of "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio," closes the set. O'Donovan does
wonders with her interpretation. I love Mitchell, but always considered her version too coy, too precious; O'Donovan's smolders hotter with sexual anticipation. Nevertheless, the Solo Sessions is not an album with
more interest in the covers than the originals. It looks back to a musical influence while demonstrating a new voice worthy of standing alone.
Vin Downes, "Good Light to Go By," 2019
Vin Downes is a solo guitarist, composer, and music teacher who counts players such as Blind Blake, Mississippi John Hurt, John Fahey, Davey Graham, and John Renbourn among his early influences. He has also studied
classical guitar intensively and leads a classical program in the New Jersey high school where he teaches. He recently gained attention as a member of the Four Guitars ensemble, comprised of Downes, Will Ackerman,
Trevor Gordon Hall, and Todd Mosby, whose CD was reviewed here last year. Downes composed the music for each of his solo recordings, including this release, which puts his musical vision front and center. The tempos
and breathy resonance of his pieces call to mind New Age music, but Downes's consistently strong melodies distinguish his work across genres. The program begins with "Falling Into Place", which satisfies on several levels,
mainly due to its warm acoustic tone and lyrical melody. Much like a skilled songwriter, he develops the tune in an unhurried manner. On "Parting", Downes uses ninths and fourths to convey a wistful melancholy and
ornaments his lovely lead lines with a Celtic flair. "Oak Lane" is another strong piece, the opening of which may reminds listeners of Jackson C. Frank's classic song, "Blues Run the Game". Similarly, I can imagine
Good Light to Go By being sung. A slow waltz titled "So She Spins" caused me to visualize a dancer, which may be just what Downes intended. "The Red Shirt is for Crying" has attracted special interest, since Downes
composed it for lyrics written by David Crosby. Although Crosby has not released the song to date, he has praised Downes both as a composer and performer. This brings to mind another point - while Downes's solo
compositions lack nothing as instrumentals, he may have a productive future as a songwriter, either in collaboration with lyricists or working alone. The set closes with a bonus track, an alternate version of
"Each Other's Home", which opens with solo guitar before Mai Leisz on fretless bass and Kenny Withrow on electric guitar join in, both establishing a call and response with Downes's acoustic guitar. Downes is a master
musician who deserves increased attention from guitarists and general music lovers. Repeated listening will yield up new discoveries of his musical gifts.
Kostas Tosidis, "Cycling Modes," 2019
Atanas Ourkouzounov is one of Bulgaria's foremost composers and classical guitarists and has written prolifically for the guitar. On Cycling Modes Kostas Tosidis (a classical guitarist based in Salzburg,
Austria) plays five sonatas, composed between 1996 and 2018. The music employs the asymmetrical rhythms found in Bulgarian dances and contemporary harmony, but these are true sonatas, not modern experimental
music with a classical form attached in name only. Sonata No. 1's Allegro opens with percussive sounds (from string muting) but moves on to jagged chords with rhythmic accompaniment from slapping the guitar
body. The following movement refers to the canzon, a ballad form. Sonata No. 2 is titled "Hommage ŕ Bartók," after the great Hungarian composer who first studied Bulgarian dances. Like its subject, it is full
of tart harmonies and crooked rhythms. Both of these are early works, composed while Ourkouzounov was a student.
Sonata No. 3's title is also used for the album. It is characterized by brilliant guitar technique, featuring harmonics and rapid arpeggiation. Sonata No. 4 uses frequent shifting time signatures along
with perpetual motion. Sonata No. 5 is full of jagged, dissonant figures, especially in the second "Scherzo diabolico" movement. There is definite technical progression over the course of these sonatas, but
even the earliest display a distinctive compositional voice, all ably performed by Tosidis.
Maneli Jamal, "Tranquil Strings," 2019
Tranquil Strings, Maneli Jamal's follow up to his 2018 all electric release, Ambient Sketchbook, is a refined, distinctive and elegant return to the acoustic side of guitar. The initial notes of the opening track,
"Reunion," played by pianist Pouya Hamidi draw us in and create a lush field for Jamal's delicate fretwork to frolic and transport the listener into a restorative audio reverie. Hamidi and Jamal collaborate on track,
"Gift," in much the same manner, each nurturing a sweet melody and complementing each other in a sort of sonic symbioses. Not surprisingly, Hamidi and Jamal handle the majority of mixing work as well. With the exception
of "Dreaming in Color," a delicate duet with guitarist Lance Allen, the rest of the album is solo work from Jamal. Two surprises include the spacey ambient sounds from Kyle McEvoy on "Desolate Sky" and the solo piano on
"Vasat Part I" and "Part II," achieved via midi file of guitar tabs played through a piano VST. Jamal plays a nylon string guitar on all but two tracks and that is la différence on this nuanced collection of
compositions and performances. All of which are viewable on Jamal's YouTube channel. Subscribing to his channel is recommended for both listeners and players alike as he uploads songs on a fairly regular basis prior
to releasing them in a formal manner. This digital album is Jamal's fifth fun length release and departs from the more fiery, kinetic use of percussive and aggressive arpeggios that are the watermark of his first three
releases. In many ways, Tranquil Strings seems to be a very natural progression from Ambient Sketchbook melodically and compositionally. "Slow Spun," "Synchro Destiny," and "Abigail" are the heart of this collection and
exude the precise, delicate and finessed touch and compositional acumen that is sprinkled throughout his earlier recordings. Tranquil Strings makes Jamal's most consistent and complete album to day and portends even
greater work from the evolving artist and his broadening sonic palette.
©
Céline Keating
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Shadow Crossing"
Listen to Don Latarski at our podcast 
©
David Kleiner
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Nebraska"
©
Patrick Ragains
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Falling into Place"
©
Mark Sullivan
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Vivo"
Listen to Kostas Tosidis at our podcast
©
James Filkins
Buy it at Amazon.com
Listen to "Dreaming In Color"
