Paulo Almeida

Oferenda

Anuk, 2023

9/10

Listen to Oferenda

The Brazilian drummer Paulo Almeida takes much influence from the rich heritage of Brazil, and this 5th album as bandleader welcomes Lorenzo Vitolo, Devin Daniels, Oscar Latorre, Thiago Alves, Lionel Loueke and Alberto Garcia to the 9 cultured tracks.

“Oké” opens the listen with Loueke’s fluid guitar and vocals alongside Almeida’s atmospheric drumming across the warm melodies, and “Raindrops” follows with Vitolo’s swift keys adding much charm to the unpredictable delivery.

Further along, “Odoya” welcomes Garcia’s cozy percussion for the dreamy climate that also benefits from Daniels’ soulful sax, while “Red As Blood” showcases great use of Alves’ skilled bass prowess amid the glowing brass and agile drumming.

The last 2 tracks are equally memorable, where the intimate “Entidade” makes for a rich and textured album highlight, and “Walking In Peace” exits with an emotive and poetic presence of eloquence.

A very unique listen that’s steeped in Afro-Brazilian rhythm and European jazz flavor, Almeida and company make for a very sophisticated, creative and worldly affair that requires multiple listens.

Travels well with: Joshua Espinoza- Songs For Yesterday; Tigeroak- Living And Living

Vin Venezia

The Venetian

Innervision, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Venetian

The esteemed guitar player Vin Venezia brings his inimitable playing to 13 tracks of mostly standards, where Richie Morales, Harvie S, David Budway, Danny Walsh and Bob Madnuson accompany him.

“Days Of Wind And Roses” opens the listen with Venezia’s elegant guitar alongside Budway’s warm piano in the romantic climate, and “Solar” follows with a frisky approach that benefits from Morales’ swift drums and Magnuson’s bright tenor sax prowess that carries a distinct Pat Methany influence.

In the middle, “Windows”, by Chick Corea, is layered precisely thanks to Walsh’s soulful sax and Harvie S’s skilled bass, while “Nardis”, a Miles Davis original, offers an animated and dynamic album highlight of timeless jazz flavor that’s guided by Venezia’s meticulous guitar playing.

Close to the end, the swift “I Love You” has the rhythm section interacting with much playfulness amid Venezia’s radiant guitar tone, and 2 versions of “Without A Sound” exit the listen, where the acoustic guitar fueled closer emits much beauty and grace, and then finishes with animated synth guitar.

An excellent sophomore album, Venezia’s arrangements are creative and skilled, and the company he keeps makes each of these classics shine in an entirely new light.

Travels well with: Nic Vardanega- New Beginning; Jimmy Haslip- New Dreams

Gary Brewer

Gary Brewer’s House Of Axes

SGM, 2023

8/10

Listen to Gary Brewer’s House Of Axes

The bluegrass legend Gary Brewer takes on a novel idea here, where each song is a one-take guitar-only effort where he plays different ones from his collection, and each track gets its own intro as well.

“Old Brown Case” opens the listen with Brewer’s swift finger acrobatics via a 1941 Martin D-28 Herringbone for the flowing climate, and “Southern Flavor” follows with a 2007 Martin D-41 Porter Wagoner Custom Signature emitting meticulous progressions thanks to Brewer’s timeless vision.

The best selections land in the middle, where “Old Minor Joe Clark” radiates much warmth with a hint of intimacy as Brewer makes great use of a 1948 Martin D-28, while “The Little Rosewood” is full of swirling melodies that benefit from a 1959 Martin D-28 E.

Close to the end, the dreamy “Foggy Mountain Top/Lonesome Road Blues” is populated by a 1899 Martin 0-28 Herringbone, and “Little Brown Jug” exits with a raw recording where Brewer’s soft singing suits the agile 1957 Silvertone.

Brewer has an impressive resume that includes touring with Bill Monroe, J.D. Crowe, Uncle Josh Graves, Doyle Lawson and Larry Sparks, among others, and he’s made plenty of great music with the Kentucky Gamblers. This unique project explores another avenue of his talent, and is sure to appeal to those with an interest in guitar focused roots, Americana and bluegrass sounds.

Travels well with: Nu-Blu- The Stories We Can Tell; The Farm Hands- Good Things

Joy Zimmerman

Where The Light Lives

Cultivate Joy, 2023

8/10

Listen to Where The Light Lives

The multi-instrumentalist and thoughtful songwriter Joy Zimmerman discusses topics like immigration, divorce, identity and perseverance via these uplifting 11 tracks that welcomes 17 musicians to the lush atmosphere.

“How We Shall Sing” opens the listen with a Celtic influence, where Zimmerman’s elegant violin suits her expressive singing and Chrstine Broxterman’s elegant cello that helps the warm ballad flow, and “We Are A Bell” follows with plenty of rhythm and power thanks to Jeff Freeling’s spirited electric guitar and several guest vocalists.

In the middle, “Hoping For A Click” emits Joel Tyrone’s skilled mandolin for the textured, humorous climate, while the dreamy “Hear My Voice” showcases Ryan Dugan’s electric bass amid the poetic singing.

Close to the end, “Bend Not Break” is a rich, acoustic guitar fueled album highlight that illustrates Zimmerman’s immense beauty, and “We’ll Hold The Light” exits with a reflective mood that has Adam Danis on Rhodes for the articulate and sophisticated finish.

Zimmerman handles acoustic guitar, violin, percussion and, of course, sings across the effort, and the excellent company she’s in illuminate the empowering and soulful experience.

Travels well with: Rachel Anne Goodman- California Morning; Caroline Cotter- Gently As I Go

Joshua Espinoza

Songs From Yesterday

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Songs From Yesterday

The Latin-American pianist Joshua Espinoza makes quite an impression with this sophomore album, where Kris Monson and Jaron Lamar Davis accompany him for the songs about his life and the music that has shaped his existence.

The very warm keys of the mesmerizing “Adrift” opens the listen with a soothing quality, and “Appalachian Wanderer” follows with the meticulous piano alongside Davis’ strategic drums for the dynamic interaction between the two.

Further along, the intimate song craft of “Yesterday” flows with a very radiant demeanor of beauty, while the bouncy “Eleanor Rigby” makes great use of Monson’s bass for the more rock focused album highlight.

Close to the end, “Don’t Fan The Flame” is both busy and calm, where some lower rumbling is met with crisp drumming, and “Hallelujah” exits with a very careful and emotive take on a classic that uses the plucked bass sublimely amid the mature keys and soft drums.

Espinoza is influenced by jazz, folk, blues, classical impressionism, chamber music and pop, and together with Monson and Davis he pens a harmonic, melodic and groove filled listen that will be forever timeless.

Travels well with: Tigeroak- Living And Living; Luumu- Elephant Love Song

Randy Steele

High Cold Wind

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to High Cold Wind

The banjo pickin’ extraordinaire and Chattanooga resident Randy Steele brings his emotionally robust songwriting to these energetic bluegrass tunes that welcome Faye Petree, John Boulware, Tyler Martelli and Justin Hupp.

“There’s A Part Of Me” opens the listen with much warmth, as Steele’s fluid singing and intricate picking is complemented by Hupp’s upright bass prowess, and “Nashville Drinking Song” follows with swift fiddle from Petree for the soaring, bluegrass fueled melodies.

“It Happened” occupies the middle spot, and use Martelli’s playful guitar splendidly via the mountain-esque interaction, while “A Golden Smile” is a more intimate moment of expressive vocals and meticulous banjo from Steele’s agile fingers.

The final track, “Eight Thirty Eighteen”, is the best selection, and meshes the dynamic strings with well timed backing vocals for the bright and timeless exit.

Steele has also released music as the frontman for the Slim Pickins Bluegrass Band, and his engaging storytelling and creative vision makes each piece here a first rate bluegrass tune.

Travels well with: The Freeway Jubilee- On The Horizon, Vol. 1; Damn Tall Buildings- Sleeping Dogs

Rachel Anne Goodman

California Morning

Coast Ridge, 2023

8/10

Listen to California Morning

The debut album from a free spirit who embraces folk, bluegrass, old-time sounds and classic country ideas, Rachel Anne Goodman surrounds themes of love and forgiveness, and she’s got some excellent help, too, for these 9 originals.

“I Still Do” opens the listen with Steve Palazzo’s warm guitar and Joe Weed’s cozy fiddle complementing the folk/bluegrass beauty, and “Slow Time Down” follows with a quicker pace of country sounds that welcome Missy Raines’ elegant bass to the heartfelt delivery.

In the middle, the aching fiddle and viola from Niamh Varian-Barry helps cultivate a peaceful landscape of soothing song craft on “California Morning”, while “Where Did The Animals Go?” showcases Dan Freehette’s expressive banjo and guitar alongside Goodman’s vivid storytelling.

The last 2 tracks, “Alta Vista” and “Tell The Truth”, are equally great, where the former uses John Reischman’s skilled mandolin with much care, and the latter is a fuller album highlight that touches on ‘80s folk-rock thanks to Donogh Henneseey’s guitar, Laurel Thompson’s fiddle and Martin Ditcham’s drums.

Although this is her first album, Goodman is no stranger to music, and has been teaching singing at camps, has been a DJ for 40+ years, and plays in the bands The Coast Ridge Ramblers and Stone Circle. Her songwriting stays true to her home in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, and the top notch players help illuminate her timeless songwriting could certainly soundtrack a campfire evening, just as it could an intimate pub.

Travels well with: Caroline Cotter- Gently As I Go; Katie Dahl- Seven Stones

Veronica Swift

Veronica Swift

Mack Avenue, 2023

9/10

Listen to Veronica Swift

The inimitable vocalist Veronica Swift celebrates the work of Duke Ellington, Queen and Nine Inch Nails, plus others, and it makes for a jazz filled affair that hosts some excellent players for the covers and originals.

“I Am What I Am” opens the listen with playful scatting, Brian Viglione’s frisky drums and Alex Claffy’s unpredictable upright bass for the uplifting climate, and “Closer” follows with lively brass from James Sarno’s trumpet, Troy Roberts’ tenor sax and David Leon’s baritone sax, which complements Swift’s soaring vocal acrobatics.

In the middle, “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” uses Adam Klipple’s graceful piano for the intimate ballad that showcases the gorgeous singing, while “Severed Heads” puts Chris Whiteman’s guitar to good use alongside Austin Patterson’s smooth pipes for the heartfelt duet.

Close to the end, the more rock focused “Keep Yourself Alive” benefits much from Philip Norris’ skilled electric bass for the soulful and powerful album highlight, and “Don’t Rain On My Parade” exits with an anthemic and firm, driving punk rager that places Viglione on rhythm guitar and makes great use of gang vocals.

Swift carries a diverse set of influences, as evidenced by this eclectic affair, and it further solidifies her as one of the rising voices in the modern jazz scene.

Travels well with: Judy Whitmore- Isn’t It Romantic?; Jane Irving- Don’t Quit Now

Bob Corritore & Friends

Somebody Put Bad Luck On Me

VizzTone, 2023

9/10

Listen to Somebody Put Bad Luck On Me

Bob Corritore has some talented friends, and they all bring their inimitable skills to these 16 songs that were recently recorded, which hosts Corritore’s harmonica prowess front and center.

“This Little Voice” begins the listen with Corritore’s bright harmonica alongside John Primer’s smooth and fluid singing in the timeless blues climate, and “I Need A Whole Lotta Lovin’” follows with a retro rock’n’roll spirit that welcomes Thornetta Davis’ powerful and soulful pipes to the piano fueled delivery.

Further along, Tia Carroll’s animated pipes populate the rhythmic “I Want To Be Loved”, while the raw “Goin’ Fishin’” recruits Sugaray Rayford’s talk singing to the vivid storytelling of the rugged formula.

Closer to the end, Corritore’s unmistakable harmonica playing suits Carl Weathersby’s husky pipes for the groove filled “I Don’t Know”, and “Let Me Find Out Your Name” exits with Willie Buck’s warm voice guiding the sturdy blues rock.

Corritore’s recent ‘From The Vaults’ has illuminated songs from the past, but this time we’re treated to some of the best in today’s blues scene, where the rotating cast of singers makes each track shine in its own light.

Travels well with: Bob Corritore & Friends- High Rise Blues; Bob Corritore & Friends- You Shocked Me

Shadwick Wilde

Forever Home

Sofaburn, 2023

9/10

Listen to Forever Home

Although he cut his teeth in punk and hardcore bands, these days the singer-songwriter Shadwick Wilde is making calmer music, and this first official solo album in over a decade finds him contently in introspective territory.

The gorgeous and intimate “Easy Rider” starts the listen with a expressive acoustic fueled climate that benefits from Ken Coomer’s soft drums, and “Gardener’s Blues” follows with soulful backing vocals from the Dark Hours Choir, as Wilde handles warm keys, too.

Halfway through, “Two Girls With Hazel Eyes” benefits much from Diederik van Wassenaer’s well timed strings that give the atmosphere an orchestral slant, while “Please Love Me (I’m Drowning)” showcases Sam Wilson’s skilled electric guitar that helps cultivate the crisp album highlight.

“Dark Hours” and “Forever Home” exit the listen, where the former is textured precisely with much attention to mood via the hazy Americana, and the latter is a fluid, dreamy finish that uses Ted Pecchio’s plucked bass and some cozy synth for the heartfelt delivery.

Wilde is also the frontman for the louder Quiet Hollers, and even played in the Dischord Records luminaries Iron Cross. Here, though, it’s a more poetic, emotive avenue for this thoughtful songwriting that still retains his punk past, but with plenty of folk, Americana and even country leanings.

Travels well with: Electric Lecture- Electric Lecture; Teddy Grossman- Soon Come

Georgina Isabel Rossi/Silvie Cheng

Chorinho

Navona, 2023

8/10

Listen to Chorinho

The violist Georgina Rossi and pianist Silvie Cheng come together for these tracks that celebrate Brazil’s rich heritage, and it includes a few world premieres, too.

“Chorinho for viola and piano”, by João de Souza Lima, opens the listen with the keys and strings interacting with a playful yet elegant nature that makes for plenty of flowing melody, and Osvaldo Lacerda’s “Appassionato, Cantilena, e Toccata for viola and piano” follows with 3 chapters of stirring, intimate songwriting that emits much emotion and heartfelt gestures.

The middle portion, “Meloritmias: No.5 for solo viola”, by Ernani Aguiar, is a solo viola piece where the diverse playing is poetic and expressive in Rossi’s capable hands, while Heitor Villa-Lobos’ “Valsa da dor for solo piano” has Cheng’s finger acrobatics on display for the gorgeous and moving key manipulation.

Close to the end, “Sonata for viola and piano” pairs the piano and viola via unpredictable and cautious waves of beauty in the Brenno Blauth piece, and Chiquinha Gonzaga’s “Lua branca (from the operetta: O Forrobodó)” exits with swift key progressions and captivating string playing for the album’s highlight.

A listen that explores the lesser known aspects of Brazilian contemporary music, Rossi and Cheng make for an eloquent, cultured and sublime listen.

Travels well with: Karel Martínek- Heavy Pedal Vol. 2; Meira Warshauer- Ocean Calling

Little Falls Trophy

Dutch Motel

Rock Ridge Music, 2023

8/10

Listen to Dutch Motel

The recording moniker of Doug Albregts, as Little Falls Trophy he takes help on drums for 11 timeless rock and pop songs that make up this sophomore album.

“Thursday’s Friday” begins the listen with crisp guitars and Aaron Shafer-Haiss’ agile drumming for the cozy modern-rock climate, and “Autumn Audio” follows with Dan Konopka, of Ok Go fame, for the calm melodies of the poetic delivery.

Elsewhere, “Universal” offers an intimate and dreamy appeal thanks to the flowing guitar and expressive singing, while “Shared Melody” touches on plenty of rootsy ideas amid the scrappy drumming and smooth singing.

“Silhouette” and “Janie And Jimmy” exit the listen, where the former is a lush and cautious album highlight that flirts with ‘90s rock ideas, and the latter finishes with a bit more grit in a retro alt-rock sort of way.

There’s little doubt that The Beatles have inspired Albregts, and his tender, riff filled and sincere songwriting just might remind you of The Jayhawks, The Strokes or Wilco, too, which I have a feeling no one is going to protest.

Travels well with: The Kennedys- Headwinds; Julian Taylor- Behind The Reservoir

Evan Ware

The Quietest Of Whispers

Neuma, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Quietest Of Whispers

A two cycle body of work that examines some of life’s hardest obstacles, Evan Ware’s deeply rooted trauma comes to light via these symphonies that welcome the artists Jane Hirshfield and Amy Petrongelli.

The title track opens the listen, and presents minimals versus abrupt instrumentation that’s sometimes frantic, other times embracing, as Ware straddles the line between fractured and emotive via the rich orchestral and chamber delivery.

The back half belongs to the 6 movements of “Symphony No. 2”, where Petrongelli’s soaring soprano and texts by Hirshfield unfold alongside the rich and introspective musicianship that’s quite stirring.

Ware is a childhood sexual assault survivor who also more recently had a cancer scare, and those experiences fueled these vulnerable, dynamic and focused pieces that provide a platform for the AEPEX Contemporary Performance and Kevin Fitzgerald’s conducting skills

Travels well with: Edmund Campion- Quadrivium; Roger Reynolds- For A Reason

Edmund Campion/Earplay

Quadrivium

Neuma, 2023

9/10

Listen to Quadrivium

The Bay Area outfit Earplay flesh out these tracks by Edmund Campion, where the chamber sounds are paired with exciting electronics for the experimental approach

The 11+ minutes of “Mathematica” opens the listen with Tod Brody’s adventurous flute playing and Campion’s unpredictable electronics that pay close attention to harmonic, rhythmic and spatial patterns, and “Geometria” follows with Peter Josheff’s clarinet being manipulated in waves of sweeping intimacy and exploration that’s highly focused on space.

The back half of the listen begins with Daniel Kennedy’s marimba and Campion’s electronics for the polyphonic tempos and infectious rhythm of “Astronomia”, and “Musica”, the fullest track, exits with Brody’s flute, Josheff’s clarinet, Kennedy’s marimba, Patricia Plude’s piano and David Milnes’ conducting for the rumbling versus bare moments of CAC techniques and IRCAM Open Music software that adds even more allure to the cycle’s best selection.

A truly innovative mashing of computer sounds and chamber music, the ability of the players to openly experiment with musical structure and rhythm only heightens the experience for the listener.

Travels well with: Roger Reynolds- For A Reason; Aaron Jay Myers- Late Night Banter

Chickenbone Slim

Damn Good And Ready

VizzTone, 2023

9/10

Listen to Damn Good And Ready

The San Diego blues/Americana rocker Chickenbone Slim brings his inimitable guitar playing and singing to these 12 originals, where an all star cast of players help him flesh out the energetic anthems.

The thumping energy of “High Ballin’” opens the listen with Marty Dodson’s flowing drums alongside Slim’s booming voice and Lisa ‘Lil’ Baby’s soulful backing pipes, and “Let’s Go Lindy” follows with a frisky demeanor that benefits much from Laura Chavez’s playful guitar that helps cement a retro, dance-floor appeal.

Entering the middle, “Damn Good And Ready” is a bit more calm, but no less melodic, where Justice Guevara’s bass is quite cozy, while “Rock And Roll Soul” welcomes Eric Spaulding’s well timed sax to the hard hitting blues rock that will be forever timeless.

Late in the listen, “Ty Cobb’s Chickets” gets intimate, mysterious even, and burns slow, and “I Don’t Want To Talk About It” exits with Slim’s expressive singing complementing the rich guitars and animated rhythm section for the album’s best.

The always impressive Kid Andersen produced the effort, and it sure does highlight each player’s individual strengths for a rootsy, bluesy, Americana experience you won’t soon forget.

Travels well with: Nick Schnebelen- What Key Is Trouble In?; The Lucky Losers- Standin’ Pat

Kirsten Agresta-Copely

Aquamarine

Valcope, 2023

8/10

Listen Aquamarine

The harpist and composer Kirsten Agresta-Copely makes quite an impression for this 3rd album, where New Age ideas are front and center for songs inspired by her late mother.

The twinkling harp of the gorgeous title track opens the listen with incredible attention to detail and much warmth, and “I Am Water” follows with a poetic intimacy that’s soft and agile via Agresta-Copely’s elegant vision.

“Deep Blue World” arrives in the middle, and is full of introspective and careful progressions of profound beauty, while “Surfacing” features Tess Remy-Schumaker’s stirring cello for the dreamy album highlight.

Approaching the end, “Coralline” resonates with a gripping, emotive appeal that’s minimal but impactful, and “Into The Mist” welcomes Dave Eggar’s cello and Maggie Gould Wilson’s violin to the atmospheric and eloquent finish.

All of the tracks here are originals, and they all tip their hat towards the mystery of the deep blue sea, where Eggar, Remy-Schumaker and Wilson’s contributions certainly add nice accents to the engaging and soulful harp playing that really meshes New Age with chamber ideas superbly.

Travels well with: Danny Fox Trio- Time Took Care Of It; Timothy Schwarz- The Living American

Aaron Skiles

Whistle Past The Grave

Self-Titled, 2023

10/10

Listen to Whistle Past The Grave

The multi-instrumentalist Aaron Skiles brings plenty of ‘90s grunge ideas into his vision of Americana on this 3rd solo album that welcomes Ben Bernstein, Taylor Hollingsworth, Alex Hillmer, Dermot Erwin, David Rabkin and Rebecca Skiles.

“Don’t Take It From Me” opens the listen vocally harmonic and musically crunchy with Bernstein’s thumping drums, while “Rubber Raft” brings plenty of guitar driven melodies to the thicker presence that benefits from Hollingsworth’s six string prowess.

In the middle, the lively and hard hitting “Ain’t Been Luck” also carries a bit of cautiousness thanks to Rabkin’s warm guitar and Rabkin’s agile drumming, while the gritty “Before Before” places Hillmer on lead guitar for the soaring guitar licks and dense rock of the album’s best.

The albums exits with “Whistle Past The Grave” and “Keep Me”, where the former balances substantial layers with powerful singing, and the latter finishes with an anthemic and raw energy that’s rugged and eloquent.

Skiles plays bass, percussion, piano, keys, guitars and, of course, sings, and the excellent company he’s in helps him flesh out a ‘90s alt-rock meets fuzzed out punk via a modern Americana twist that will make anyone an instant fan.

Travels well with: Nick Justice- Stranger In My Town; Parker Ferrell- Love Runs Through

Meredith Bates

Tesseract

Phonometrograph, 2023

8/10

Listen to Tesseract

The violinist Meredith Bates has cemented herself as a staple in the Vancouver music scene in both collaborative and solo situations, and these 6 powerful and diverse songs certainly continue her pace of unclassifiable sounds

“Disturbance” begins the listen with a mysterious droning that uses the climate in unorthodox ways that emit waves of ominous fuzz before segueing into a dreamy beauty, and “Constellation” follows with a bare but impactful thumping that flows into the intimate strings.

“Debris” exits the first disc with a distinct buzzing that carries a cinematic quality which retreats to minimal and graceful violin, while the back half leads with the 46 minutes of the title track, which presents a mesmerizing ambience.

“Continuum” exits the listen, and is rooted in electronics with plenty of glitches, beeps and video game-esque noises that are uniquely unpredictable.

Bates manipulates voice, found objects, electronics and, of course violin, for this darkly textured and highly inventive listen that meshes orchestral, electroacoustic and experimental ideas like few others can.

Travels well with: Stranger Still- The Songs Which Are; Joseph Petric- Seen

Nick Justice

Stranger In My Town

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Stranger In My Town

Formerly of the duo The Sidemen with Feter Martin Homer, the songwriter Nick Justice brings along some excellent company for these very genuine 10 tracks.

“Stranger In My Town” opens the listen with Justice’s warm vocals and cozy guitar alongside Mai Leisz’s playful bass lines that populate the gentle rootsy climate, and “Let The Wind Blow” follows with Greg Leisz’s moody pedal steel complementing Justice’s eloquent storytelling.

At the midpoint, “Don’t Walk Away” makes for a playful, retro energy via Richard Stekol’s acoustic guitar, while “Thanks For The Smiles” finds a more intimate place to reside thanks to Joel Rafael’s poetic acoustic guitar and well timed harmonica that suits Justice’s reflective tone.

“Dream #9” and “America Walking By” exit the listen, where the former benefits from harmonic backing vocals and emotive harmonica, and the latter pairs Stekol’s folk friendly guitar and Justice’s descriptive wordplay with gospel nods.

It’s not hard to believe that Justice has spent plenty of time listening to Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams and more modern artists like Peter Case, and he turns those influences into a heartfelt and instantly absorbing listen.

Travels well with: Parker Ferrell- Love Runs Through; Ben Bostick- The Rascal Is Back

Lachlan Skipworth

Lachlan Skipworth

Navona, 2019

8/10

Listen to Lachlan Skipworth

Australia’s Lachlan Skipworth is a talented guy, as he is an accomplished clarinetist and flute player, and here he, along with a large all star cast, delivers orchestral, chamber and experimental compositions that are certainly not short on creativity.

“Clarinet Quintet” starts the listen with quivering clarinets in a tense, calculated delivery of cinematic, mysterious elegance, and “Piano Trio” follows with a louder, more abrasive approach that twists and turns with unpredictable ebbs of grace and exploration.

At the halfway point, “Intercurrent” offers a soothing, engaging display of textured beauty, and “Piano Quartet” complements the affair with an eerie, moody dip into territory that is both haunting and frisky.

“The Night Sky Fall” ends the listen sparse with gentle keys and bare strings that unfold with charming intimacy.

Lachlan spent 3 years in Japan extensively studying his craft, and his spiritual and meticulous nature unfold here with daring, meditative and cultured skill that make it very easy to see why he’s quickly becoming a global name.

Travels well with: Patterns- Chamberworks; Andrea Cheeseman Clarinet- Somewhere