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September 21, 2006
Thursday Guitar Blogging: Mello Out with Sharon Isbin
I'm rediscovering my enthusiasm for a CD released almost a decade ago by classical guitarist Sharon Isbin (before all the Grammy awards). Simply titled Journey to the Amazon, it combines the typically unaccompanied classical guitar with Brazilian percussion and, on a few tracks, Paul Winter's fluid and reverb-drenched soprano saxophone.
The percussionist is composer Gaudencio Thiago de Mello, whose works are among my favorite numbers on this album. Though the liner notes may give one the impression that Thiago de Mello's melodies are straight out of the rainforest whence he hails, I sense a worldliness in them that could just as easily place their origin in, say, Estonia, or old Ireland. His percussion is definitely germane to the Amazon headwaters, though, and evokes (not that I would know) tribal shamanic ritual.
The recording also includes solo guitar pieces, some of them straight-up (i.e., they have "opus" in the title). These provide just the respite needed to resume appreciation of the added instruments. Programming a disc may be a lost art in the new world of iTunes, but back in '97 these guys got it right. The closing piece is an achingly beautiful melody named "Cavaleiro Sem Armadura (Knight without Armor)."
The very heart of Brazil beats within this combination of European guitar and African/Native American drums; the soft breathing of Winter's dreamy horn adds atmosphere, but appropriately sparingly. Sharon Isbin demonstrates that she is equally adept in Carnegie Hall as in Manaus, as her impeccable technique blends perfectly with a passionate reading of the spirited South American dances. I am glad she took this journey and hope she lets us in on her next one.
Guitar Blogging | By joe lance | 12:30 PM