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I'd heard the rumors. I'd seen the name. Robert Fripp Guitar Craft students thinking they can go out and conquer the world. Where on earth would three guitar players with chops under the table think they could get away with making music like this - in a world of trip hop and smooth jazz? Thank God they had the nerve. Bert Lams, Paul Richards, and Hideyo Moriya are so good, it just might make you ill. From the opening Crimson-inspired, intertwined lines of "Scramble," "Rocks The West" is terrifying testimony for what a brilliant teacher like Fripp mixed with pervertedly open ears will get you. Fusing classical, rock, blues, jazz, country, and some good ole' California surf (they faithfully rip through Dick Dale's "Misirlou"), their collective command of the instrument is dazzling. And like that's not enough, oh, did I forget to mention Tony Levin plays with them as well? The tracks were cut from live performances in Boulder, Colorado, as well as Ben Lemond, Goleta and Los Angeles, California. In particular, their rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is mesmerizing, from the duplicated vocal harmonies to Brian May's solo, like the original sitting beautifully a tad behind the tempo. Other spirited performances include Duke Ellington's "Caravan," Modest Mussorgski's "Pictures At An Exhibition," and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. I might as well go public with the fact I missed an earlier show of theirs at Slim's in San Francisco. To be honest, I don't remember what my previous engagement was that night. Next time, I change plans. Review by Don Zulaica information:
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California Guitar Trio
