Bridge Guitar Reviews  
        Divergence

Dominic Frasca  “Deviations”  2006  Cantaloupe Records

One of the most progressive acoustic guitarists is surely Dominic
Frasca who studied classical guitar by well-known teachers as for
instance, Stephen Aron, Tom Patterson and Ben Verdery. The usual
classical repertoire was foremost a stage to get good techniques and
a good repertoire. Soon he discovered new dimensions to the classical
guitar by adding new composing styles, percussion and new techniques
to the traditional classical guitar repertoire. He is a genius with new
ideas about music and the possibilities on a classical guitar. Dominic
plays a 6,10 and 13 string classical guitar which are completely
customised to his own desires with all kind of experimental extra's.
The CD “Deviations” is therefore a true journey with new perspectives
to music. Dominic developed a rare own musical style which is best
described as musical journey's with the seamless integration of a multi-
coloured percussive technique with woven patterns of sound escapades.  
Dominic Frasca's inspirations come from composers as Marc Mellits,
Steve Reich and Philip Glass. “Two Pages” is a composition by Philip
Glass which is re-arranged by Dominic and which has a hypnotic effect
during the 18 minutes of challenging percussive and musical adventure.
The title track “Deviations” which lasts 23 minutes where he uses his
own invented rhythmical structures on demanding musical patterns on
as well tension building as other modulated musical patterns. The ability
to play independently skilful percussive patterns together with the going
musical concept is truly an amazing art form. Dominic Frasca is truly a
a musical wizard as a fantastic musician who gains praise for digging
into new musical ideas and concepts.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Sara K.     “Hell or High Water”    Stockfisch Records  2006

Sara K. is a singer/songwriter and guitarist from New Mexico, USA .
Her previous live album “Are We There Yet” recorded with guitarist
Chris Jones received a lot of praise by the press and her fans and
meanwhile she released her tenth album “Hell or High Water”. This
new album is an ode to several friends and musicians like Chris Jones,
Eric Larson, Rick Nafey and other friends who passed away. On this CD
Sara K. is still assisted by the phenomenal guitarist and dobro player
Chris Jones, while Sara plays her 4 string guitar. The album has an
intimate setup, with engaged lyrics about our society. The beautiful
warm and touching voice of Sara K. has great depth and chills one
out. “Trouble ”is a piece which reminds one of the best songs of Joni
Mitchell. Many songs are a kind of deep reflection on Mother Earth
and its resources, and the corruption in civilization like on “Something
More” with a melancholic setup. The title track “Hell or High Water”
has a Celtic feeling with the nice additional  tin whistle, ocarina and
fujara played by Beo Brockhausen. “Ship in a Bottle” with the added
accordion touches one deepest feelings. The ability of Sara K. to fully
absorb a listener by creating a soulful interaction between her and
the listener is a true gift. Together with her guitar skills on her four
string guitar and the sublime musicians who accompany her they
paint brilliant poetry on a true musical adventure.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Nathan Montgomery   2-5 Jive   2006

Hailing from Michigan, USA , Nathan Montgomery gained a lot
of praise from his fans and the press for his first album “ For Your
Ears Only”.  Nathan is a very percussive, finger-style guitarist who
is able to weave his music together with as well a melody line, a
bass, percussion and solo part. The music he plays reflects many
styles including jazz, funk, blues, rock and finger-style. All music
he plays is done without overdubs or effect pedals. The structure
of the music can start with a nice grooving bass line, but which
gets more and more complex adding so much parts of music on
just one acoustic guitar. Amazing and also with so much versatile
brilliant musical ideas one really needs to dig into his music to
fully understand what he is all doing on just one guitar. He uses
a lot of techniques like slapping, tapping, plucking and strumming
on his guitar. In fact he is a one man band. He just released his
second CD “2-5 Jive” which is a logical step forward to the first
album. Brilliant funky and groovy pieces like “2-5 Jive”, 'Blues
for Tuck” and  “1976 “ truly lifts ones feet. More intimate ballads
like “This Side of Tuesday” which is a gorgeous piece of art in the
style of the late Michael Hedges completely absorbs one, just as
“Unanswered Questions”  and “Just a Memory”. The last track of
the album “Circles” starts with a meditative feeling but gets on
with a  top-notch musical interlude with fantastic percussion and
ends with the touching basic melody part. Nathan Montgomery
is not only an impressive guitarist but also a magnificent composer.
Truly a wizard on a guitar.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Sandor Szabo  “The Art of The 16 String Guitar 1. “2006

This Hungarian guitarist just released his nineteenth solo
guitar album, called “The Art of The 16 String Guitar 1”
On this CD he demonstrates several16 string guitars which
are tuned in various open tunings, some never played before.
The music has an experimental character and some pieces
are dedicated to fellow guitarists like Peter Finger, Tim Sparks,
Claus Boesser Ferrari and Veronique Gillett. The CD has 18
tracks and fully explore all the possibilities of these 16 stringed
guitars build by Tihamer Romanek, Tibor Turczak and Steve
Klein. The guitars reflect a sound character between a big lute
and a harpsichord and have an Eastern sound feeling. The sound
of these guitars is very crisp. Most of the 18 compositions are
musical journeys with varied sound escapades. “Istria” is a piece
which reminds one the most of a normal 6 string guitar. Most
pieces reflect feelings of mystery with a melancholic setup and
are truly musical adventurous journeys. Sandor Szabo  truly is
a guitarist who likes to explore new dimensions in music.
Check him out!

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Marius Gundersen  “Una Dia de Noviembre” 2006

This classical guitarist from Norway gained a lot of praise for
the album he released together with Gjermund Titlestad with
the name Duo Gvito. Marius received a lot of prices for his work
and he had the privilege to have teachers like Per Kjetil Farstad,
amongst others and visited some master classes with Roland
Dyens and for instance the Assad Brothers. Now his new album
“Una Dia de Noviembre” is out where he plays solo with  a very
varied repertoire. Marius plays a very intimate program with
as well the established names like Agustin Barrios Mangore,
Leo Brouwer and Roland Dyens. Also some well-known works
of Stanley Myers with “Cavatina and “Over The Rainbow” of
H. Arlen are played. The beautiful lyrical piece “Sur Vesdre”
of the Belgian finger-style guitarist Jacques Stotzem and also
compositions of Vicento Emilio Sojo, Jorge Gomes Grespo
and a lot of other inspiring classical guitarists. All the works
are played with fantastic techniques and a very moving touch.
One enjoys the intimacy and romantic nuances of Gundersen's
approach to classical guitar. This CD is truly an inspiration and
a joy to listen too, even if one is not much classical orientated.
The atmosphere and moods make it a very enjoyable journey.
Truly a gifted guitar player.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Hands on Strings  “Offroad” 2006   Ozella Music
Stephan Bormann & Thomas Fellow

This German guitar duo just released their second CD “Offroad”.
Both guitarist are well-known in Germany and Europe and released
earlier their debut album "Panamericana" which was well received
by the press and their fans. Now their second album “Offroad” is
out and it shows the versatility of both guitarists who play as well
acoustic as electric guitars. The overall sound is one of an acoustic
character. The compositions which are played are well arranged
pieces of Astor Piazolla, Luis Bonfa, Egberto Gismonto and Gianni
Ferrio. Luis Bonfa's " Manha De Carnaval " is a wonderful piece of
art  just as Astor Piazzolla's  “Libertango”. Most works have artistic
jazz influences. The pieces composed by Stephan Bormann  and as
well Thomas Fellow like the title track “Offroad” are as well splendid
written as played with top-notch techniques, just as “Feria” and the
touching intimate ballad by Thomas Fellow called “Back Home”. The
harmonics and structures and the chemistry between the two players
is excellent and expresses feelings of homogeneity, emotion and as
well mystery. Hands on Strings  is certainly a duo who is able to
absorb an audience with a varied repertoire and know to create a
fantastic atmosphere.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Ged Brockie “The Last View From Mary's Place” 2006
Circular Records 2006  

Ged Brockie is a member of the Scottish Guitar Quartet who
released together a CD which was well received by the press and
their fans. Now there his solo album “The Last View From Mary's
Place” which contains nine compositions, written by Ged Brockie.
There are 2 solo pieces on this CD and on the other tracks he is
assisted by wonderful musicians on keyboard, bass and drums.
The music which is played finds its origin in jazz. “All The Streams
Through” is a solo piece with a fine melody line and has a good
structure and good balance just like the other solo part “The End
of the Beginning”. The works reflect intimacy and spiritual moods.
The tracks with the band reveal a fine chemistry between all players
with top-notch compositions and noteworthy techniques, like on
“Spring In My Step”, “The Day You Waved Goodbye” and “Love
Spring Eternal”. Ged Brockie knows to entertain his listeners and
his composing skills are of a superb quality.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Tim Pacheco   “A Gathering of Guides”  Solid Air Records 2006

This acoustic guitarist who lives at the moment in California, USA,
started playing guitar when he was nine years old. When he gets
older Tim Pacheco gets inspired by guitar players like Leo Kottke,
Will Ackerman and John Fahey and by the singer of The Doors, Jim
Morrison. Tim Pacheco's guitar style is rather intimate, reflective
and have as well good structure as a good melody line. Tim is no
guitarist for the killer chops but rather concentrates on emotion
and leads one to beautiful soundscapes full of poetic musical trips.
Tim plays in altered tunings on a Breedlove acoustic guitar (Ed
Gerhard signature model), which has a very warm and balanced
sound.  The album opens with a track called “Moonstone” which
is very uplifting with a fantastic atmosphere. Most pieces have
a meditative ambiance just as “Christa's Song” “Satie” which is
an ode to Erik Satie and for instance “Birds on Paper”. “Abe and
Ed” and Shaman's Dance are more extrovert and “Shaman's Dance”
has some extra percussion by Tim Beckwith. On “Fallen Angel” Tim
is assisted by Bob Leipman on the cello, who plays with a melancholic
touch. This piece is a bit reminiscent to the music Will Ackerman, one
of the Narada label players. Tim Pacheco released an album which
has top-notch melody lines and his composing skills are noteworthy.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006

Lasse Johansson  Fingerstyle Guitar Classics 2006
Acoustic Music Resource

Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Lasse Johansson started playing
the guitar when he was very young. He played a lot guitar in the
Swedish folk scene, where he met players like Stefan Grossman.
Lasse released a book about finger-style guitar and a also one
about early jazz guitar at Mel Bay. At the moment he gives some
guitar workshops and is also touring with Woody Mann. The album
“Fingerstyle Guitar Classics' he just released contains as well ragtime
guitar music as finger-style originals. There are 20 pieces on this CD,
like Scott Joplin's “Stoptime Rag”, James Scott's “Ragtime Oriole”,
George Gerswin's “The Man I Love” and “Prelude no 2” which is also
an ode to George Gerswin. Django Reinhardt's “Blue Drag” and also
“Tears” are truly beautiful nostalgic tunes. The legendary Fast Waller's
“Alligator Crawl” and some blues tracks like “Basin Street Blues”,
“Church Street Sobbin' Blues”  and “Dead Man Blues”. Lasse Johansson
plays all those pieces with that typical cadenced ragtime feeling. Truly
a gifted guitarist who honours those legendary musicians.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Copyright © 2006