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 California Guitar Trio
'Pathways
( Dicipline Global Mobile DGM 9803)
There
seems to be a real glut of mediocre acoustic guitar albums
coming out lately, and luckily this IS an exception.
'Pathways' is a well-crafted collection of 14 pieces
covering many styles and degrees of skill. The trio is
comprised of Hideyo Moriya, Bert Lams, and Paul Richards all
playing custom guitars built by luither, Ervin Somogyi. The
tone is reminicent of Ovation's fiberglass bodies, but
warmer and deeper like an old Ramariez. The trio is joined
by guest artists on various cuts, including the notorious
Trey Gunn, and Bill Janssen.
The album begins with a beautiful rendition of Beethoven's "Allegro Con Brio, Symphony #5. They do a remarkable job of
translating this masterpiece into a trio format for guitars.
Other compositions by other composers worth noting here, are
the classic ( no pun intended) Mason Williams' tune,
"Classical Gas". This is actually the best version of this
composition that I've ever heard. The dynamics and arranging
are superb. Another standout is J.S. Bach's "Jesu, Joy of
Man's Desire". The five original compositions really
showcase the comunication and imprvisational skills between
the members of the trio. Classical, jazz, pop, and flamenco
elements are all skillfully blended making "Pathways" a most
auspicious, as well as enjoyable release.
Review by Ben Kettlewell
information:
email: DGM@disciplinegm.demon.co.uk
website: www.cgtrio.com
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