Amy White & Al Petteway     Golden Wing  Maggie's Music  2004

Al Petteway is an authority on fingerstyle guitar. His last album Shades of
Blue was quite a success. Together with his wife, Amy White, they made a
new album called Golden Wing. Amy White's voice is a bit of a mix between
Sarah McLachlan and Dido. Most of the songs on Golden Wing are written by
them both. Al is able to play almost any genre: from bluegrass, blues, rock,
country, and jazz to Celtic music. On this album he plays rhythm and solo
guitar but he also manages to meld his own remarkable sound, influences
and moods together with those of Amy's in passionate compositions. Raglan
Road has brilliant Celtic influences along with Amy's reflecting voice and the
additional Irish Bouzouki, dobro and Uilleann pipes. Let the Wind Cry has a very
nice groove with Amy on guitar, Ashiko drum and shaker, and Al is impressive
on the Irish Bouzouki. The Snow they Melt the Soonest is an intimate ballad in
which Amy's voice fits perfectly into the scenery created by the whistles and the
melancholic sounding guitar. More highlights are If I was a Blackbird and Hide
and Go Seek, with the melancholic atmosphere they both know how to create
on guitar and bass. Amy manages very well on guitar (perhaps one of the great
advantages of living with a first-class guitarist), and her guitar playing and
voice is reminiscent of Joni Mitchell on this piece. On Lagan Love you feel a
soothing interaction between the two, which radiates out to the listener.
Golden Wing is a portrait of two musicians reflecting mutual soulful feelings
and who are accomplished at a highly skilled artistic level.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews

Rainbow Sleeves   Painted Songs   Acoustic Music Records   2004

Eddy Nünning is a well-known guitarist in the German guitar scene, he plays
as well classical as jazz guitar and performs a lot in the jazz scene and he
often gives workshops in Germany and other countries. Eddy works together
with the singer Lara Schallenberg and form  together the duo Rainbow Sleeves,
and they just released their new album Painted Songs. The music they represent
are arrangements of pop artists as Neil Young, Tori Amos, Ricky Lee Jones, Tom
Waits and many other pop artists. Eddy Nünning is a master in rearranging songs.
His classical guitar achievements mix  well with his jazz and blues influences. Lara
Schallenberg is an educated jazz singer with a wide vocal range as well in jazz as
pop music. Leather has a typical soothing sound; Eddy manages in an inspiring
technique to get the typical staccato playing style used by Tori  Amos on piano.
On Time Out you hear Eddy Nünning's skilful guitar techniques in a nice soulful
ambiance. On Painted Songs you will be impressed by the chemistry the two are
reflecting, as on Don't Let it Bring you Down (Neil Young) and a jazzy approach to
The Fool on the Hill in an amazing moving touch. The qualities of Rainbow
Sleeves are without any doubt remarkable and of a very high standard.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews.

Some Reviews were edited by Susan Kazenel

Will West     Reconstruction   2004

This in Oregon living acoustic guitarist started playing guitar when he
was 11 years old. Will was a jamming guitarist/singer for many years.
Now in 2004 he just released his new album Reconstruction. Will West
plays guitar, harmonica, hand drums and is a remarkable singer. Will
creates atmosphere in involved lyrics about live and his surrounding.
His guitar playing has a solid percussive approach and his fingerstyle
playing represent variations in arpeggio playing techniques. His music
is energizing and is very pure, as on compositions as Reconstruction,
Hello Shoes and Last Thoughts which have a nice groove too. More
intimate songs are Miles and Miles, Razor's Edge, Savior Song and
Lost Thoughts which sound like exploring journeys with a melancholic
undertone. To Inspire is one of his beautiful ballads and on Midnight
he expresses a lot of pondering thoughts with a philosophical touch.
Will West succeeds on this album to absorb a listener in moody and
soulful created compositions.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews

Michael Young      I  Listen to my Feet    May 2004

Influenced by Tim Sparks and Richard Gilewitz, Michael Young started playing
guitar when he was 14 years old. Now ( 21) he launched his debut album I Listen
to my Feet. Michael's approach to guitar music is one with less similarities to the
most players in the guitar circuit when we are talking about melody line building.
Nevertheless he created his very own signature, his pieces have fine cadenced
patterns in a staccato way played. Michael uses a 12 string Taylor guitar and a
6 string Rainbow guitar which is made of graphite. New Mexican Star  is a top-
notch guitar piece with a nice theme and Michael is building a nice atmosphere
on it with his stylistic playing techniques. Empty Hallway surprises one as you
tend to think you listen to a added cello playing but it is an upright bass played
in a very skilled way by Dave Berg. With a fantastic alluring reverberation he
knows to impress a listener with the Cello sound. Leo Kottke inspired Michael
on First Step with some basic ideas for this instrumental, which is reflecting and
with solid harmonics. Further impressing pieces are Head, Point North with a
soothing feeling, I'm Sad with the additional slide guitar and the cello sounding
bass, (Michael knows to balance quite well here) and I'm Tired with an uplifting
character. Michael Young is  renewing in his approach to fingerstyle guitar and
he likes to explore and add new directions to acoustic guitar music. Check him
out on I Listen to my Feet !

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews

Bob Evans     The Voice in the Grain     Acoustic Tonic Music  2004

National finger picking champion 2003 Bob Evans released a new album
called The Voice in the Grain. His earlier release Caffeinated Coffee gained
a lot of praise by the press and his fans. The Voice in the Grain contains as
well his own fine compositions as arrangements from The Beatles, a version
of the Theme from Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini and some arrangements
from fellow finger style guitarists. Dune is a soothing piece with a soulful touch
with a well-executed bass pattern. Cat's Meow has a cadenced theme with a
bluesy feel. Yesterday and Got to get you into my Life get an extra dimension
by playing these pieces in open tunings. The title track The Voice in the Grain
is a superb composition with an ode to his 30 years old Dean guitar. Dickie's
Blues has an uplifting character and Wisenheimer shows Bob's composing
skills. The Voice in the Grain is a  versatile album with as well new material
as new elements in playing skills of well-known artists. Check it out!

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews

Maggie Sansone    Mystic Dance     Maggie's Music    2004

The instruments Maggie Sansone plays are a chromatic hammered
dulcimer and a Persian santur. Both instruments are often used in Celtic
music. Celtic music is the perfect language for her to express her feelings
and to communicate between several cultures. Maggie released several
albums where she impressively plays with Celtic cadenced music patterns
and progressive World music, which reflect a mystical thread. Mystic Dance,
her just released album, combines the past and the present on a captivating
musical journey, where she is assisted by many guest musicians who have
also earned a lot of praise in this area, like Karen Ashbrook (Irish flute), Robin
Bullock (guitar and mandolin) and many other musical friends. On Medieval
Set (1-2), the opening track, you hear her remarkable skills and intimate moods
she creates on the dulcimer. On Mystic Dance rich harmonic patterns are used
in combination with a mystical moody scenery. Persian Dialogue is a question-
answer theme between the dulcimer and the Persian santur with a spiritual
ambiance. Further highlights are Improvisation in 3 parts which is based on
an Arabic scale, and Celtic Wedding Set which contains 4 separate pieces
which are divided into Jigs and Waltzes. All pieces have a very personal style
and many variations are used with additional instrumentalists from fiddle and
cittern, to guitar, flute and mandolin. Maggie Sansone and friends impress
one with skilled techniques as well as their soulful approach to centuries of
enticing music.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews.

Franklin Moore    Motive Force   2004

This from North Carolina, USA, finger style guitarist is a self-taught guitarist
who started playing when he was 13 years old. His guitar music has influences
from Michael Hedges, Preston Reed and Leo Kottke and some electric guitarists
as  Steve Morse and Yngwie Malmsteen. Franklin uses a lot of slap and tapping
techniques. He plays a mix of genres like rock, classical, folk, blues and country.
Motive Force is Franklin's debut album, the sound he creates is indeed a mix of
the above inspirers, like on his opening song Flyboy where Franklin slaps and
also creates stimulating melodic an rhythmical patterns. Motive Force the title
piece has as well energizing as intimate phrases with a top-notch melody line.
Nice overtones and a steady beat follow on Cherokee Trail. Snowfall is such a
beautiful ballad with nice arpeggio play. Franklin plays in open tunings to get the
typical open strings sound,which have always these painting feelings in it and
some nice melancholic motives. One of my favourite tunes is In Your Heart,
with this touching feeling which really thrills one in a very intimate setting.
Rioja was inspired by the flamenco guitar with stunning speed playing and
tapping and slapping  techniques. Remember When a very dynamic song with
a driving pace and an intimate interlude. A combination of  Brahms / Malmsteen
is extremely well executed in Paprika to Taste. The interweaving melodies and
rhythms an balance and structures Franklin creates are stunningly well played.
This guy unquestionably is a new talent which actually plays any style with ease.
Although Franklin has lots of influences of the above inspirers, he manages to
create a unique own style with his entrancing approach to acoustic guitar music.
Highly recommended!

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews.

Joël Fafard      Rocking Horse     July 2004

This Canadian acoustic guitarist plays as well finger-picking as slide guitar.
The styles Joël represents are blues, bluegrass, country, jazz and classical
music. On Rocking Horse Joël is accompanied by Richard Moody on violin
and Gilles Fournier on double bass. When you listen to Rocking Horse you
hear many influences to folk and Celtic music as on Squirrel as the Waltz of
John Kordic. Joël Fafard is a very versatile guitarist which uses all the areas
as above described, some with driving pace as Fire Breathing Trout, Unless
it is Not and Shoshanna I don't Wanna, with the violin and bass having a very
prominent role in his pieces. Street Mosquito Buzz, LaRonge, Voodoo Hoodoo,
and The Big Thaw have a more dramatic character by the double bass which
is creating intense deep sounds which reminds one of a cello feeling. All songs
have a unique approach in slide and finger-style guitar with a high standard of
techniques being used. There are 5 bonus tracks included with solo slide and
finger-style guitar on which you discover the pure roots and character of Joël
Fafard, which have beyond any doubt a remarkable and rousing signature.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews.

HAL   Infinity   2004   Dancing Bear Records

Hal, (his full name is Damir Halilic) is a Croatian finger-style guitar player, who
made some albums before as Ocean and Gemini. He played with international
guitarists as Tommy Emmanuel, Woody Mann, Daniele Bazzani and also Franco
Morone, to mention a few. His influences in music hail from bluegrass, Celtic,
classical, world, folk and other styles. His new album Infinity, contains as well
solo works as pieces with a band. Hal has a melodic approach to composing
as his first track Open News. Leo's Dance has a folk feeling by adding clapping
hands. Speak to Me with assistance of a band and a singer is a pop song with
folk influences and the additional mandolin Hal plays too. There are many pop
related songs with added vocals by divers singers. One of the solo works is
Desejo with a brilliant melodic structure. At Court has a classical ambiance
and Torrente refers to a blues pattern with nice percussion and picking patterns
as Hal demonstrates on his last track Strings Special. In 67 minutes you hear
18 songs with a journey through numerous styles and techniques.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews