| Written June 2008
I’ve got to
admit that one of the underlining reasons I don’t write more
reviews of new guitar CD/DVD releases is that – I’m gittin’
lazy in ma’ old age. Another
more important reason is that with the recent relative ease of
being able to record and produce CDs – there just aren’t
very many of the hundreds being offered up by individual
guitarists that are worth writing about.
(It seems that as soon as a guitar picker learns how to
tune that Gibson and pick Windy n’ Warm – he’s
“recordin’ a new CD.”
I wish they wouldn’t… arg..)
Well folks –
WAKE UP – & GRAB YER HAT – WE GOT ANOTHER CD TO GO WILD
ABOUT!! Emerging
guitar star, Mark Hill,
who we helped gain international recognition a couple years ago
with a spirited review on his “Pickin’
On Chet” CD release - has just released a new CD that I
predict will out shine all others at the Chet Atkins
Appreciation Society Convention in Nashville this year – “a mark in time”….
Mark Hill has
been the best kept secret in finger style guitar for years
– primarily due to his isolationist life spent in the
Maritimes,
Canada
. But, all of that
is about to change. I
liken him to our beloved Richard Smith in that he can play
classical, nylon electric, acoustic, and steel stringed electric
guitars equally well – and, extremely practiced and
brilliantly performed across all genres of classical, standard,
Chet pickin’, Jerry clawin’, and my fav - Lenny jazzin’.
Mr. Mark Hill – you are a secret no
moore
…
“a
mark in time’ is a mixture of all the up beat and slow
tempo genres mentioned above of a few familiar tunes us guitar
pickers can identify with (Cascade, Vincent, Three Little Words,
Limehouse Blues) and many that Mark has written himself –
including an original cover tune “a
mark in time” – which I am nominating for “best
new instrumental of 2008!”
Of particular note, one tune that shows how well Mark can
play straight forward “thumb pickin” and, then, break into
some of the best “single line” improvisation I’ve ever
heard – is his version of Paul Yandell’s “Comin’
Home.”
Mr. Hill’s
playing is incredibly meticulous, clean as a bell, and on one
classy side - deceivingly simple-to-play “sounding” – and,
organically complex on the other.
However, I’ll warn the listeners to take heed and
“don’t try this at home.”
It is near heresy to compare any guitarist (new or old)
to our hero Chet Atkins within the CAAS circle of near
neo-Atkins fans – and, I’m not about to tread on that thin
ice with this review – and, I can’t base any of my opinions
on the subject by claiming “I knew Chet” because I didn’t
– however, I do know many of the talents that Chet felt
deserved to be considered “drop in ma’ office, anytime yer
in town” level – and, I’m sure if Mr. A was still alive he
would have loved Mark Hill's pickin’!!
Practiced, clean, sincere, complex, aggressive yet
restrained, and ALWAYS in control.
Never faster than he can really play.
Oh, yea – he lives with a thumb pick on!
If you’d like
to buy a finger style guitar CD that will likely never come out
of your auto CD player – “a mark in time” by Mark
Hill is that CD. Number
One on “Palmer’s Picks – 2008.”
Sample
Clips from CD
Where Can I Buy
One? e-mail Mark Hill
Palmer Moore
– Organizer
Ohio
Fingerstyle Guitar Club
|
