A nice post from my old friend John Stix (remember the editor from Guitar For The Practicing Musician?) Thanks John! "I’m a big fan of cover tunes on instrumental albums. It’s about being comfortable, and a familiar melody is an easy way to invite people along for a new ride. With my own Guitar Recordings, I believed that the cover tune just might be the only other place a new listener would go after the opening track. Blues Saraceno did “Funk 49”, “Bourree,” and “My Generation” on his three guitar albums. Randy Coven and Al Pitrelli did “Little Wing” and “I Wish” on their C.P.R. albums. Mark Wood did “Stand” and “Red” on his violin albums. In 2011 Andy Timmons had the balls to record all the songs from Sgt. Pepper with an instrumental rock trio. He also has the musical sensibility, talent and sumptuous tone to make it into a joyous listen. With the exception of “Mr. Kite” this is not a forum for solos or reinterpretation. It is a celebration of these great songs as filtered through the versatility of the electric guitar by one of its finest practitioners. Andy plays all the vocal parts and all the instrumental bits, as we know them, without impersonation. This is not a recreation. Andy’s guitar voice reminds me of Ella Fitzgerald who sang songs by composers like Porter, Rogers, Berlin, Kern, and Gershwin, as they originally intended, yet they were always completely her own. This whole record can be listened too as if it were a fresh vocal album. There will be no instrumental fatigue (your girlfriend will not turn it off ). Andy’s guitar voicings, are always firmly in the groove, relaxed but present and totally fresh and familiar at the same time. Andy Timmons has put out a record that will be one of the pillars of his career. It is also one of the finest albums of cover tunes ever released. Saxophone giant Charlie Parker said learn everything you can and then forget it and play. True to those words this album took two years of arranging and two days of recording. Prepare to smile."
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 05:01:42 +0000