Adrien Brogna & André Klénès "Luz Da Lua Illuminations" 2019
On Luz Da Lua Illuminations, roughly translated to "Moonlight Illuminations," Belgian guitarist Adrien Brogna and Belgian double bassist André Klénès bring to life ten Klénès compositions along with
interpretations of compositions from Brazilian composers Antonio Carlos Jobim, Egberto Gismonti and Caetano Veloso, and a tango from Argentine composer Mariano Mores. Improvisation is evident throughout
this collection as is the interplay between Klénès and Brogna. There is an organic fullness in these recordings that indicated each artist was absorbing what others were playing. That ability and commitment
to listen results in groove that is undeniable vibrant and alive on these performances. Guest musicians Sébastien Walnier on cello Osvaldo Hernandez Napoles on percussions an Antoine Dawans on trumpet. This
was my initiation to these globally recognized soloists and their sublime talents; I have begun to delve deeper into their respective discographies as should you.
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James Filkins
Mike Moss "Mad Man's Dance" 2019
Mike Moss is a skilled instrumentalist who plays amplified archtops and both nylon and steel-string acoustic guitars. The solo performances on this debut recording reflect his strong, original voice.
Moss's interpretations of Great American Songbook standards like "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and "It Had To Be You" brim with energy and inventiveness as he rips off fast bebop lines, octave runs,
and chord sequences reminiscent of the best big bands. "Don't Be Cruel", "Surfer Girl", and a medley titled "Well Alright, Your Mama Don't Dance Down By the Riverside" allow him to straddle rootsy rock and
jazz. Three fine originals, including the reflective "When Geoffrey Flies", add variety and round out the collection. Catch his videos on YouTube and Facebook and watch for a follow-up album in 2020
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Patrick Ragains
Daniel Lippel "Mirrored Spaces" 2019
Guitarist Daniel Lippel presents a double CD of premieres for solo
classical and electric guitar (some with electronics). The music is
stylistically diverse, but there are some common threads, including
explorations of the properties of acoustic and electric guitars,
electro-acoustic music, alternate tunings and microtonality. There are
four electro-acoustic pieces. Karin Wetzel's "Amorphose 2" opens the
album with a frequently gentle interaction between classical guitar
and electronics, sometimes blossoming into a chorus of guitars or a
deep echo. John Link's "Like Minds" casts the electronics in a more
active role, culminating in a dense pointillistic cloud. "Mirrored
Spaces" (a collaboration between Orianna Webb and the guitarist)
immediately establishes the striking sound of equal-tempered and
quarter-tone tunings. The three electric guitar works all explore
alternate tunings--Lippel's "Scaffold" closes the album with a very
electronic-sounding combination of detuning, ebow and looping.
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Mark Sullivan
Russ Daniels "Adagio" 2019
Fingerstyle guitar music is really about three dimensions: composition, technique or mood. In a perfect world the three get equal bill. Russ Daniels's new solo instrumental guitar CD "Adagio" pitches
toward the latter, mood, in a captivating way. Many of the songs are driven by an insistent acoustic strumming that recalls the heartfelt balladry of the Goo Goo Dolls, though of course voiceless. Daniels's
trademark mood is often created by piecing together drone-like fragments which dance around, and never drift from, the tonic chord. "Adagio" is a hypnotizing journey.
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Alan Fark
Debra Cowan "Greening the Dark" 2019
Debra's emotional and captivating vocals cover a variety of topics, from the vivid images of a woman in "Bones and Feathers" to the moving anti-war message of "Scarecrow." She comes from a traditional place
and while you can hear that in these songs, they have a more contemporary sound than some of her earlier work. "Hills of Greenmore" has a lilting Celtic feel as does "Anna Dixie." Her interpretation of
Richard Thompson's "The "Old Changing Way" is lovely. Supporting players on this EP include Duke Levine's tasteful guitar and Joyce Anderson's soaring fiddle.
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Jamie Anderson