Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Acoustic Guitar Summit - S/T
 | This 1998 release is interesting only for a couple of surf standards arranged for four acoustic guitars. The players here are Terry Robb, Doug Smith, Mark Hanson, and Paul Chasman. |
Picks: Bye Bye Blues, Apache / The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Sunday Sonata, Windy and Warm, Claire de Lune, Sweet Rotunda, Gramma Jean, Steel Guitar Rag, Drake's Passage, Cascade Lightning, Grandpa's Boy, Stars and Stripes Forever, The Water Is Wide, Lady Madonna
Track by Track Review
Bye Bye Blues Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
This is a very competant but otherwise very pedestrian cover of "Bye Bye Blues."
Apache / The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Acoustic Spaghetti Surf (Instrumental)
A pair of often surfable classics melded into a cohesive flow. The lead and rhythm playing on "Apache" is very affective, though lacking the arrows flying (string swipes). The gentle double picking in the break is very smooth. Very pretty. The transition to "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" seems so natural, and the song itself works really well acoustically, especially the bottleneck leads and totally infectious rhythm guitar. A real grinner.
Sunday Sonata Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Soft and squishy, "Sunday Sonata" makes a fine backdrop for an afternoon lunch on the front porch.
Windy and Warm Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
John D. Loudermilk's "Windy and Warm" is well delivered, with fun and spunk.
Claire de Lune Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Ultra soft and romantic, "Claire de Lune" is a little jazzy and very suave.
Sweet Rotunda Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Bouncy and fun, and on the optimistic side, "Sweet Rotunda" flows with an afternoon softness.
Gramma Jean Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
The antiquarian granny rocks mightily in her chair on the porch in the Appalachia.
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Hot steel guitar work and lots of fun launch this into near-Leo Kottke territory. Very cool track.
Drake's Passage Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Lush and soft, this finger pick style piece moves slowly across the seas in search of new lands.
Cascade Lightning Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
A bouncy blues for acoustic guitar, well done, but not really discernible from a million others like it.
Grandpa's Boy Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
A jazzy look at generational family smoosh. Too intellectual.
Stars and Stripes Forever Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Making this brass band standard over into a rousing and fun acoustic guitar piece is likely no easy feat. Very fun.
The Water Is Wide Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Easy flowing wide river gentleness flows through the guitar. Pretty.
Lady Madonna Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Bouncy but pedestrian interpretation of the Beatles' tune.