Bridge Guitar Reviews
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Mike Golay    Half Pint   2003

Happily surprised I was with the debut album “Half Pint” from
Mike Golay.This acoustic guitarist is heading from Washington,
D.C., in the USA. Mike Golay has a very reflecting way of composing
and his compositions are all played in open tunings. His way of
playing reminds one of Don Ross,in the percussive “Beverly
Jane” opening track.” Waltz for Brooklyn” is veryintimate and has
some Celtic nuances which is perhaps inherent to the DADGAD
tuning. Mike Golay uses a six string blue Taylor 612 CE guitar.
“Chincoteague Drive -In Saturday Night” has a nice Celtic feeling,
on which Mike slaps and does some string pulling, which give this
compositiona dancing character. “Tune for Ruthie” has a  intimate
melody line in a DADBBE tuning with a capo. On “Jerry Said” Mike
uses a Dobro guitar and he has a real capturing, moving way to
play slide guitar. On “Baby witha Hammer” Mike uses many
hammering and pull offs which make this piecefluent and very
intimate. The tuning is CGCFGC, which has this nice deep bass.
“Morning Prayer” has a classical approach with a repeating pattern.
“St Martin's is played in open Bes tuning, the composition has a
meditative character on which you feel involvement and expression
of Mike's visions. Mike Golay is certainly a fantastic talent, not only
as an acoustic guitarist but also as a composer. His style is unique
and I guess this album will attract any acoustic guitar player.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Reviews.

Francis Doughty   Under the Sky

This great acoustic guitarist has settled in Wendell, Massachusetts.
After his debut album “Among Trees' which is a masterpiece, now
there is a new album of Francis Doughty, called “Under the Sky”.
Francis style has many influences among Leo Kottke, but than
any comparison does not hold. Francis Doughty, has a unique
own intimate style, which has a very introspective character. His
opening track is called “Pearl - Streaked Morning” which is very
compelling and has a nice drive. ”First Impression” has a very
profound character and is very touching. “Blue Darter”, a real
great composition with a nice bass pattern on an intimate
melody line. ”(We're) getting Closer” has a nice groove with
some percussion added. Francis plays as well six string as
12 sting Taylor guitars. The recording technique is well done,
the guitars reflect nice warm tones. “Elusive Cranberries” is
one of my favourites, with nice rich overtones on a great intimate
melody line, which moves you. “Steve's Pain” has this floating
character in a nice warm atmosphere. ”As Clouds Dance With
The Moon,” again Francis creates this nice reflecting warm
atmosphere, which sounds like poetry. Francis Doughty is
a lyrical guitarist which surely will impress any acoustic guitar
lover.

Bridge Reviews
Henk te Veldhuis.

Doug Smith  Alone Again  2003

When I first came in touch with acoustic guitar music, it was with
Acoustic Guitar Highlights of Solid Air Records, which I all bought.
They all contain 70 minutes of the best-selected acoustic guitarists.
I know, my first impressions were, what great acoustic music, why
have not I heard this before. That was my first meeting with Doug
Smith his great guitar music. Since than he released several
albums which all are great, especially “Labyrinth” and ”Order of
Magnitude”.Now he just released “Alone Again”, which is again a
masterpiece.The first track “Beyond the Clouds” reflects the great
way of intimacy and a great way of composing. You can't easy
compare Doug his guitar music with other guitarists, as he has
really created his own unique style. His music certainly reflects
Folk and Celtic influences, as on “Dance of the Gnomes”.
“Millennium Force” has a  percussive character, with tapping
and rich overtones on this nice bass pattern,on a nice melody
line and a fantastic  playing technique. Doug mostly plays in
open tunings, but he has this skilled technique that you hardly
hear he plays in altered tunings, this only a few acoustic guitarists
achieve like Pierre Bensusan, Larry Pattis, Francis Doughty and
Lucas Michailidis. On “Impression” he plays again a wonderful
piece with nice chord changes on a great melody line, in standard
tuning.On “Out of the Darkness” a wonderful melody line combined
with a nice flowing character, in a poetic scenery. Doug Smith's new
album“Alone Again” shows how a guitar player can be a poet, a
composer a painter all in one person.  

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Reviews.

Peppino D'Agostino   Every Step of the Way

This Italian finger style virtuous who lives now in the U.S.A has
released many great albums through his career, which do last
over 35 years guitar music. Now the best of all his albums are on
thisfantastic album “Every Step of the Way” which is truly an Anthology.
His influences come from Leo Kottke, Paco de Lucia and Santana.
Through the years he has created his own great style which really
covers a wide technical range with great compositional skills.
Peppino, is one of those virtuous altered tuning players, who has the
talent to let you feel he plays in a standard tuning, but he mostly plays
in open tunings, this is great talent, only some 15 acoustic guitarists
till yet have achieved. The first track is called “Grand Canyon” which
has great nice overtones on a floating melody line. “Mediterranean
Spark” is a very percussive composition with nice deep bass lines on
a great melody line, which has this nice Italian groove, which really
moves you. “Running Wild” played in EBEGAD has a great bass line
on a great composition, with great technical guitar skills. On “Desert
Flower”, Peppino creates a great atmosphere in intimate paintings.
Also “Mother's Tears” reflects his great intimate interactive way of
playing, which let you feel you are all connected in this large world.
“Born in the Sea” is a meditative composition you like to drift away
on a gentle sea. Peppino D'Agostino is a eminent, talented guitar
player who can really cover any style in technical top level playing,
but foremost the music he creates guitar music, which let you feel
we are all connected in some way, as he seems to weave truly this
intimate reflective music as a painting composer.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Reviews.

Amrit Sond   Circular Motion  2003

Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Amrit Sond was much involved
with Folk music. Later on he moved to the UK and Amrit Sond
learned a lot of Michael Hedges, Pierre Bensusan and Alex de
Grassi. Now his debut album “Circular Motion” is out. Amrit Sond 's
acoustic fingerstyle guitar playing has many influences from Rock,
Folk, Jazz, New Age music with tapping and slapping techniques.
His guitar tuning mostly are Open tunings with a wide various
selection in altered tunings. The first track “Vertical Time” has
many percussive elements and an intimate setting. “Circular
Motion” which is in standard tuninghas a beautiful melody line,
with percussive techniques. “Nth Degree” starts with some E-
Bow playing, but than continues in a very capturing melody line,
with absorbing emotions, which let you hear many nice sound-
scapes. “Aaina” and “Ventana” have deep entrancing feelings.
“Spiritual Crisis” is a very percussive composition with tapping
techniques in a demanding melody. “At Least for Now” has a
lyrical approach on a nice melancholic intimate setting. Amrit
Sond has made with “Circular Motion” an outstanding debut
album. His technical playing abilities are superb and his
approach to put depth in his music is outstanding. You feel
mutual reflective motions in nice percussive, melodic pieces.
Especially with the depth he creates in his guitar music,
makes of Amrit Sond a highly acclaimed acoustic guitarist.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Reviews.

Michael Gulezian   Language of the Flame   2003

“Language of the Flame” is the title of this new album of Michael
Gulezian. Earlier on he released “Snow” and “Unspoken Intentions
”.His acoustic guitar music has many influences, from Folk, Jazz,
Blues to World music. His influences come from Michael Hedges,
Leo Kottke, John Fahey and Leadbelly, to name a few. The first
track of his new album is called “I'm no Seismologist”, which let
you feel that Michael Hedges his music, has inspired a lot of
acoustic guitar players,and Hedges his heritage is still around
us. “Undo the Buncombe” has nice rhythmic patterns on a nice
melody line, with deep bass-lines and a dobro added. “The
Room of Doom” has many percussive elements on a flowing
meditative journey. “Jello Moves” a very demanding intimate
and percussive composition which personally is one of my
favourites. “All we'll never Be” has all types of nice coloured
emotions, on a perceptive melody line and gorgeous playing
techniques. On 'Michael Hedges goes to Heaven” there is a
profound slide guitar. Michael Gulezian succeeded with
“Language of the Flame” to make a very intimate, percussive
album. His guitar music is imbued with mystical, spiritual
essence. Michael Gulezian is an outstanding acoustic
guitarist which music is profound.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Reviews.

Kaki King  - Everybody loves you  -2003
Velours Music Group.

With her 23 years, a versatile renewing talent, Kaki King, knows
on her own to surprise the established acoustic guitar scene.
Of course you can say Kaki King, reminds one of Michael Hedges
and PrestonReed and others, but she is not that dark as Hedges
and  grooves more than Preston Reed. On her now new released
debut album “Everybody loves you”, you hear very varied guitar
playing techniques. From tapping, slapping, percussion and
jaw-dropping techniques to passionate intimate melody line
building, she knows to capture a listener.Kaki plays grooving
melody line structure with altered tunings and deep bass lines.
The bass line and melody line sounds if she has an extra bass
player hired,but she really does her music all in her own. On
“Kewpie Station” she shows her rhythmic and percussive
playing techniques with a deep penetrating bass-line.
She really rocks. ”Steamed juicy little bun” has some very
nice jazzy patterns in an enormous groove in repeating patterns
which make this composition very unique. “Night after Sidewalk”
is a more intimate composition played in a nice melancholic
scenery. “The Exhibition” is a very intimate touching composition
and also “Joi” is full with touching melancholic and experimenting
music. ”Fortuna” is in my opinion the most touching, revealing and
ethereal composition. “Everybody loves you' is an interactive cd with
also a video of Kaki, a photo gallery and an interview with her. Kaki
King for me personal a revelation and certainly a talent we will hear
a lot off, as she dares to explore the music, where others let go.
Together with Alex Houghton, the best I heard this last years in
acoustic guitar music!

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Reviews.

Daniele Bazzani  Truss Roads   2003  

As a major transcriber of guitar music from Tommy Emmanuel,
and other major acoustic guitarists, Daniele Bazzani has dedicated
his guitar music to Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins and
Tommy Emmanuel to name a few.His first new solo acoustic guitar
album “Truss Roads” has become a real masterwork. Most of
the pieces are written by Daniele himself, except some nice
arrangements of J.R. Hubbard. When you hear him play on his
Larrivee guitar on his firsttrack  “Settembre” you hear how talented
this 33 year old, in Rome living guy is. “Dannato Fingerpicker” is,
if you hear Tommy Emmanuel play on his best, with this typical
Tommy Emmanuel percussive and melodic passionate playing.
“Flowin” does remind one a bit of Don Ross his best percussive
works and melodies. Of course Chet Atkins style is represented
in “Mr. Atkins, C.P.G.” “DADGAD” has a nice melancholic feeling,
but it is always uplifting. “Melody” has this amazing tonal pattern
with this warm embracing feeling. Through this whole album you
hear a great acoustic guitar player and a fantastic composer.
Danielle Bazzani his music is uplifting, melodic and of a great
artistic talent. As a guitarist he can compete with Emmanuel
pure with his music, but than again Tommy Emmanuel has this
great gift, which only a few people in the guitar scene have, a
great show. The skills of Danielle Bazzani are great, the recording
of “Truss Roads” he did himself are superb. The tunings on this
album are mainly standard, Dadgad and DGDGAD (Settembre,
La Fata) DGDEBD. Danielle is that talented he should be
nominated to Certified Guitar Player C.P.G.

Bridge Guitar Reviews.
Henk te Veldhuis.

Pierre Bensusan - Anthology  -  2003

After his just released solo album “Intuite”, Pierre Bensusan
now has already a new album “Anthology”. The best of 11
albums of Pierre Bensusan are now on one great album,
“Anthology”. Compositions from the first hour to his latest
“Intuite” album. It is always great to hear Pierre play, as he
knows to capture you always in divers styles and moods.
For any Pierre fan ofBensusan there will be some favourites
on this 15-track album with 62 minutes Dadgad music.
From the famous “Wu Wei”, Voyage pour L'Irlande to the
jazzy “Fetish” the previously unreleased tracks like
“Albaricoque” and “Lunar Tide”.Also “So long Michael”
from the new “Intuite” album which really moves you and
also “Le Roid Renaud” from 1976  from one of Pierre his
first albums is great to recall these songs. “Anthology”
certainly a gift for the passionate lovers of his earlier and
latest releases and those who like to check Pierre's music
out, truly an exceptional masterpiece.

Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Reviews.

Neil Stacey     AND…?      2003

Neil Stacey plays acoustic, electric and synthesised guitars, and
is a composer and arranger. He played with Dominic Miller
(guitarist of Sting) the fantasticalbum “New Dawn” and has his
own group the Neil Stacey Group. He has a new album out called
AND?.. On this album Neil Stacey plays as well acoustic as electric
guitar and uses a Roland GR30 guitar synthesizer. Yet the sound
has a very acoustic feeling, like a guitar which has a piezo electric
element. Neiluses Yamaha acoustic and Charvel electric guitars.
The music he plays is mainly jazz, blues, ballads, funk, melodic
and foremost very atmospheric. The first track of  this album is
from George Gershwin, “Summertime”. Neil Stacey has this
great skill as a composer/arranger to fully make a dazzling and
amazing fully new pieces of it, you fully recognize the theme, but
than Neil plays extraordinary percussive and great bass lines in
a fully new “Summertime”, amazing how he does this all. Also
“Killing me Softly” this great standard tune has this newborn face,
the basses are very deep and smooth. “Ballad of Vukovar”, “New
Dawn” and “El Fado” are compositions of Neil himself. Nice
sound palettes and imaginary roads you hear, in intimate
settings, with rich overtones. “New Dawn” has a very altered
tuning withgypsy feelings, which flow in intimate staccato melody
play. “Cantaloupe Island” of Herbie Hancock what a arrangement
Neil makes of this piece. “All the things you are” of Jerome Kern
what a talent Neil is, he establishes a very own new work of it, in
a dazzling guitar improvisation. “Nuages” of the great Django
Reinhardt, what a superb new arrangement of this well-known
work. “Friends” the 13th  track of this album has this repeating
theme, which is very groovy, smooth and very percussive. This
album has so many styles in it,  that is interesting for any kind
of music lover, jazz, acoustic, any style is represented on it.  
AND?.. a pure masterwork of a very exceptional talented
guitarist, composer and arranger.  

Bridge Reviews.
Henk te Veldhuis.