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: : The First Decade : :
Once in a while I hear an album that absolutely stuns me. The First Decade
by the California Trio has done it. This album features some of the finest ensemble
acoustic playing I’ve yet heard. The players meld so well, I get the feeling I’m
listening to one huge, complex guitar. Really folks; it borders upon unreal.
Hideyo Moriya,
Bert Lams and Paul Richards are talented musicians and clever composers. They cover
a great deal of stylistic ground in their compositions, keeping the listener engaged
and excited. This album is apparently a compilation of music spanning a decade, and
I must say it flows together well. One doesn’t get the feeling that this is a
patched-together project. Rather, there is a pleasing continuity of tone and
composition throughout the album.
As a fellow
guitarist, I must also compliment the players both their excellent guitar tone, and
the sound quality of the album. This music is very well recorded. The guitar sounds
are rich and complex. I enjoyed the detail and aural depth of the mix.
My sole
critique lies in the area of composition. I felt that some of the songs were too
frenetic in terms of the melody lines. I’m talking about places where the musicians
play very long musical phrases without pause or let-up.
I often compare
soloing to breathing. I like to hear phrases, and pauses in between phrases to catch
my breath. Applying this analogy to the California Guitar Trio, I would say that
some songs left me short of breath. Of course, this may be the effect they were
going for!
Altogether, this is a wonderful album by talented musicians. If you’re a fan of
acoustic guitar music and would like some adventurous listening, I highly recommend
The First Decade by the California Guitar Trio.
9 out of 10
stars.
Reviewer: Jeffrey Ryan Smoots
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
The Bridge Between (1993) as Robert
Fripp String Quartet
Yamanashi Blues (1993)
Invitation (1995)
Pathways (1998)
An Opening Act: Live On Tour With King Crimson (1999)
Rocks The West (2000)
Monday Night In San Francisco (2000)
Robert Fripp String Quartet - Live In Japan (1992) (video)
Live At The Key Club (2001)
CG3+2
(2002)
A Christmas Album - 2002
The First Decade - 2003 |
