This is the second album by acoustic guitarist Mark Vickness, and here he has been joined by Mads Tolling (violin), Joseph Hebert (cello), Dan Feiszli (bass) and Ty Burhoe (tabla). The combination of acoustic guitar with strings and tabla gives this album a very different sound and approach indeed, and on that certainly bears close listening, as this really needs to be played on headphones to get the full benefit from it. Some three years on from his debut, ‘Places’, this release contains four new solo modern fingerstyle compositions and four original pieces with his new ensemble. The feeling throughout again is one of modern classical music as opposed to anything more popular. Outside of Mark’s own guitar, it is the tabla that provides a very distinct flavour to what is going on. Ty has worked with a great many notable artists, including the likes of Zakir Hussain, Art Lande, Bela Fleck, Walter Becker (Steely Dan), Mamadou Diabate, Kitaro and Jon Anderson (Yes), but has a long relationship with Mark which has developed into a close understanding of what is required for each piece of music, which may mean not playing at all.
There is a real freshness here, and when two-time Grammy Award-Winner Mads Tolling is allowed to take the lead, with Mark providing the accompaniment, we are taken far more deeply into folk and the summer as on “Hot Apple Stuff”. This song has many sections, and each time Ty comes in the music feels like it is being taken in a very different direction, and the way he takes time away means that when he appears his presence is more deeply felt. The combination of ensemble pieces interspersed with solo instrumentals works very well indeed, as we move from lightness to styles with more depth and obvious interplay, which also means that one is never quite sure in which direction we the listener are going to be taken. Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable release indeed.
Rating: 8/10
