cak (07/21/82)
Just thought I would pass along a couple of albums a friend recently turned me on to. They are 'Soliloquy' by David Qualey and 'It Takes a Year' by William Ackerman. Both are solo guitar -- Qualey is a classical guitarist, complete with nylon strings, and Ackerman tends towards Fahey. I found both in the Jazz section of my favorite record store in cincy, though they might also be found in the Bluegrass section (one can never tell). Both play their own compositions, and the records are really excellent. I first heard them on a cassette, and played the tape almost non-stop for three days. Beautiful stuff. Took me a while to actually find the vinyl, but once I did, it was yet another treat. Apparently Ackermann started his own label a couple of years ago: Windham Hill Records. Both albums are on that label. The pressings are the cleanest I've heard for quite some time; the recordings seem to be basic analog, but there is absolutely no record surface noise, no warp, no crap of any kind on the records. What a change! Windham Hill also carries some other seemingly obscure acoustic artists; one of the albums in the catalog is a sampler, which includes some other guitarists and acoustic pianists. Wonderful music to lay back and relax to after a long day, to code by, to drive by....to do most anything by. Very very soothing. In case you hadn't noticed; I like them an awful lot. Anyone else heard them? Qualey especially. Has he recorded elsewhere? Chris Kent, Purdue CS Dept.
essick (07/21/82)
#R:purdue:-30600:uiucdcs:10800003:000:476 uiucdcs!essick Jul 21 11:13:00 1982 If interested in guitar, you might also take a listen to a few of Al Dimeola's albums. I'm pretty sure that he used to play with Chick Corea in "return to forever". The two albums that I have: "Elegant Gypsy" and "Casino" are both excellent. As a matter of fact, I'm sitting here with my Walkman plugged in and listening to "Elegant Gypsy" right now. I probably wouldn't have written this if I hadn't had that tape in. Ray Essick University of Illinois uiucdcs!essick
cak (07/22/82)
Indeed, DiMeola was in the second (more electric) incarnation of Return to Forever -- and did some very nice work there before venturing into the solo world. I think I still like 'Land of the Midnight Sun', his first solo effort, best. Chris Kent, Purdue CS
tconn (07/22/82)
Might as well throw in some good rock & roll in that you don't see or hear everyday. "Close Personal Friend" Robert Johnson (not the blues guitarist) plays a great guitar in the Chuck Berry vein. "Lone Rhino" Adrian Bellew - if you've heard any of the latter day King Crimson you've heard Bellew and his screaming animal guitar imitations. "In The World" G.E. Smith - New York session guitar wizz. Plays a multitude of styles but most arrangements are purely vehicles for his whirlwind guitar attacks. Last but not least "Bullshot" Link Wray - Ventures style surf guitar, but applied to straight out rockers. This guy started out in the late 50's and early 60's and used everything he learned along the way on this killer. You can also hear him on a few old Robert Gordon albums - worth a listen. Tim Connolly BTL INDPLS.