Beautiful solo guitar music
358225
The highly underrated Earl Klugh is one of the top guitarists in the world, up there with Pat Metheny and George Benson.  His technique on the acoustic guitar is amazing, and he gets a full, beautiful sound that makes merely excellent guitarists drool with jealosy.  He is an amazing composer, too.  His melodies and frequent key changes are lyrical and uplifting.

His skills are very evident on this Grammy-nominated collection of beautiful solo guitar pieces, his first recording in 5 years and only his second recording of solo guitar (out of 30 records he's made since his stunning debut in 1976).  This is exceptional music.  Beautiful, sophisticated arrangements of jazz and pop standards, played only as Earl can.  Earl's playing is accessible and appeals to everyone, including people that don't normally care for jazz.  But jazz purists will also devour this magnificent recording with great pleasure.

Overall, "Naked Guitar" is a fine album and recommended.  I also highly recommend seeing Earl live.  He sometimes tours with a jazz trio, and other times with a 6- or 7-piece electric band.  Both groups are exceptional.
4371269
I'm concentrating on the Liszt Sonetti Del Petrarca.  These compositions are relaxing, beautiful melodies.  The performance is appropriately restrained.  This is the best piano solo music by Liszt that I have found.
1914472
Ritchie Blackmore is my all-time favorite guitarist because he has such a distinctive style - when you hear a Ritchie Blackmore solo, you KNOW it's Ritchie Blackmore. Most of the other well-known guitarists play in a similar, if not identical, style to other guitarists and you often cannot tell them apart. There's the Steve Vai-Joe Satriani-Van Halen-Steve Morse "shred" style, the Johnny Winter-Kenny Wayne Shepard-Joe Bonamassa-Stevie Ray Vaughn-Jeff Healy electrified blues-rock style, the Jimi Hendrix-Frank Marino-Pat Travers-Robin Trower "Hendrix" style; the list goes on. But with Ritchie Blackmore, there's ONLY Ritchie Blackmore. Listen to the solos on "A200", "Eyes of the World", "Maybe Next Time', Long Live Rock and Roll", Wasted Sunsets", "Ramshackle Man", "Place in Line", and the live versions of "Catch the Rainbow" (from Rainbow on Stage), "Gypsy" (from Mark III: Final Concerts), "Stargazer" (from Rainbow Live in Germany) and the extended live intro to "Difficult to Cure" (from Finyl Vinyl) and you will get some idea of what I'm talking about. These distinctive, classic solos set Blackmore apart from his contemporaries and pasttemporaries. "Live in Concert" contains a solo that would go at the top of this list - not really a solo, so much as an extended series of solos in a brilliant instrumental showcase of Blackmore's trademark style called "Wring That Neck". This song is worth the price of the CD alone. Its 18 minutes of fast-paced, frenzied, ferocious, frantic guitar playing will leave your spine rubbery. In fact, in my opinion this song is the best live guitar performance ever recorded by anyone, including Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, and all the rest. And the remainder of the album is, for the most part, stunning as it successfully captures the intensity-filled performances of a group which set the standard for "live" performances in its time. "Speed King" is excellent; this version being second only to the "Scandinavian Nights" version, where the dueling between Blackmore and Lord goes on for a joyfully longer period of time. The raucous, lively, hard-rocking "Lucille" makes all other versions of the song, including the original, pale in comparison. The best versions of "Highway Star", "Strange Kind of Woman", and "Lazy" are all here (and being a big Purple fan, I've heard them all), better than the versions on "Made In Japan". In fact, the entire performance is tighter and more consistent than on the overrated "Japan", whose extended instrumental passages at times had a loose, almost aimless quality. Oh, there are a couple rough spots, but that's not enough to spoil the fun: "Never Before" sounds very raw and under-rehearsed and this version of "Smoke on the Water" is probably the WORST version of this song I have ever heard; the "Made in Japan" and "Live in London" versions, and even the studio version, blow this away. (Moral of the story: if you are just looking for another version of "Smoke on the Water", DON'T GET THIS ALBUM. But if you are looking for some of the best "live" versions ever recorded of other Purple songs, check this out). If you want to hear what Deep Purple sounded like "live" in peak form during its heyday, this is THE album to get. And if you are a Purple fan, you should be flogged and tied if you don't have this album in your collection.
4163097
This album features exceptional guitar playing by a stunningly beautiful woman. Vocals are only adequate, compared to others in her genre, and songwriting is a bit mundane. But overall a very enjoyable cd. I would look forward to seeing her in live performance.
260617
These Frdric Zigante recordings of Nicolo Paganinis works for solo guitar are real gems, played with great skill and feeling.  In most of Paganinis compositions for violin &/or strings and guitar, the guitar takes on a secondary role.  But as the solo instrument, one really gets to hear his mastery of the guitar and the great range of melodies and rhythms of his guitar compositions.  Often it sounds like the guitar is playing in a call and response way that evokes Bel canto.  Its wonderful that these pieces have been brought to light after being largely unheard and unavailable for almost a century and a half after Paganinis death.

Here are some quotes selected from the comprehensive notes in the CD booklet in Vol. 1:
The complete works for solo guitar were only published in 1984 although a selection, and not a very significant selection at that, of twenty-six compositions published in Germany in 1926 had been available previously.
Indeed it is by no mere chance that while his genius gave violin technique an innovative thrust that was to determine the course of violin playing ever after, his guitar technique appears to have been completely original as well.  The difference lies in two external factors: Paganini never played the guitar in public and printed not a single piece for solo guitar.  This explains why Paganinis innovative impulse exerted a fundamental influence on the art of violin playing but had no effect on guitar technique.
It has often been written, though never documented in detail, that guitar technique influenced Paganinis violin writing; there is certainly a relationship between the two, but is is equally certainly not a one-way process, and no one who has played his guitar music could fail to notice how the composer transferred his violin manner to the guitar.  This aspect had already been noticed by one of Paganinis earliest biographers, Julius Maximilian Schottky, who wrote in 1830, Paganini plays the guitar extraordinarily well; he plays difficult, magnificently arpeggio-ed chords and uses a fingering that is his own.  Indeed Paganinis guitar writing is entirely free of the progression by positions so typical of nineteenth century guitarists and uses the fingerboard in such a way as to foster melodic (horizontal) rather than harmonic (vertical) development.
-Frdric Zigante
4121296
I've seen Bruce with a band and seen him solo acoustic; and the solo acoustic performances truly shine brightly--as does this recording. There is some mesmerizing guitar work here, as Bruce's seemingly effortless (but incredible) technique appears to get better with age. Unfortunately, his voice appears to be not quite as strong as it once was, but his singing is still excellent. The opening World of Wonders is terrific, and the reworked acoustic version of Rocket Laucher puts the original electric version to shame. Even the "sound check" samples have some interesting and pleasing guitar work. This is a great addition to the Cockburn catalog.
3391218
As a guitarist myself after hearing this album for a few times after it was released twenty years ago, I had to get the sheet music since I wanted to know to play that stuff. "Friends" is still my all-time favourite Satch song with its simple, yet ingenious melody. This song is just perfect from start to finish. Then there is "Crying" - a song that is uniquely beautiful and emotional that it still moves me every time I pick up my guitar and find myself playing it. Another song that stands out is "Rubinas Blue Sky Happiness", which is the perfect blend of a barrage of acoustic guitars infused with the right amount of electrical emotions. "Summer Song" represents a happy summer mood perfectly and has great chops and melodies in it. Often when I pick up my acoustic guitar I find my hands moving to the chords of "Tears in the rain". All these songs are still so much fun to listen to and especially play them after all these years that this qualifies for calling it the key Satch album for me since it almost defines me as a guitarist.
917199
The pieces played by Julian Bream are among the EXCELLENT classic guitar music.  While these pieces are very very old they still stir the inner person in their beauty.  Julian Bream stays true to the guitar music of Fernando Sor.
3123905
I love Christmas music and have many albums of Christmas music.  I also love guitar music and this album combines Christmas with guitar making a perfect blend for me.  It is my favorite Christmas music album.

There is a note from Hanan in the very sparse liner notes:
"A Note from the Artist... This recording is a product of modern technology.  After working out multiple guitar arrangements of the songs, I recorded the individual parts, and then edited them together, digitally.  The result is an elaborate orchestration of classical guitars, in which I was able to be all of the musicians as well as the conductor.  On this recording, I am playing a 1988 Greg Smallman Cedar Top Classical Guitar. Hope you enjoy!  Hanan"

The music consists of lovely arrangements of familiar Christmas classics - 24 of them!  Nothing strange or fancy about how the songs are played.  They sound like they typically do, except that it is played with multiple guitars.  It sounds so lovely.
3520301
Doug Munro's debut solo album "Alone But Not Alone" is a wonderful collection of live instrumental studio recordings in which each song is inspired by spiritual passages from the Bible and other sources. In "Worship" we hear Munro's skills upon the acoustic guitar in a down tempo song that is calming and introspective. "The Journey" is a song in which a cool and interesting percussive lead is followed by both bluesy and funky guitar playing, in a fun-loving and celebratory musical number. The spiritual classic, "Amazing Grace," Munro incorporates some cool subtle psychedelic sounds in the background as he plays an emotive version of the song on his guitar. This is an album that might best be described as contemporary instrumental/inspirational music. It's heartfelt and you can hear how much the musician values his spirituality. If you enjoy calm and uplifting tunes or music that is intended with thoughtful reflective insight, then Doug Munro's "Alone But Not Alone" is well worth listening to.
Sean B. and the [...]
4503848
Wonderful guitar music. An excellent live recording. The two play very well together. The music is on the lighter side. Highly recommend.
3714548
In Irish traditional music circles, the guitar is usually found as rhythm accompaniment.  There are even some traditional music purists who say the guitar has no place in Irish trad.  This album gives the lie to all that, as Dnal Clancy (the son of one of the famous Clancy Brothers, Liam Clancy) shows what a powerful solo instrument guitar can be.  This album is solidly a guitar album, too--nothing else intrudes on his wonderful playing except for occasional accompaniment on uilleann pipe drones by the Waterford piper David Power, and Donal accompanies himself in places on bouzouki and bodhran.  And his playing is truly wonderful!  At turns forceful and fast, with blazing speed, at other times slower and more delicate, but always beautifully realized.  His choice of tunes is equally wonderful:  all the tunes on this album are taken from the tradition, and the well-written liner notes give the background so typical of traditional music, of where he learned the tunes and a little about the history of some of them.  There is a very nice balance between the familiar and the less-familiar, and between fast and slow.  I love the playing on the jigs (like "The Monaghan Jig" and "Old Hag You Have Killed Me," combined in a ripping set where he also demonstrates how the guitar can almost mimic the drone of the pipes behind the melody), and on the familiar reels like "The Concert Reel" and "My Love and I in the Garden."  Also included is an O'Carolan harp tune, "Lord Inchiquin," which comes off very well on guitar.  For me, perhaps my favorite track of all is his treatment of the slow air, "The Dark Slender Boy" or "An Buachaill Caol Dubh," which happens to be one of my favorite traditional songs, and which is rendered beautifully by Dnal.  All in all this is a fantastic album of traditional music, and is a must-have for fans either of Irish trad or just of guitar in general.
2100976
Pretty nice guitar music ,though I liked the choices on his other album that I have by him.
2208649
Being a very avid Pink Floyd fan, and owning all solo projects by each band member (even the really hard-listens like Fictitious Sports), I'm pleased to say that this album is easily the best of Dave Gilmour's solo works.  There's alot to like here.  You get quite a bit of the moodiness of the Pink Floyd sound, while listening to a collection of songs that is uniquely Dave's.  A good combination that often finds me skipping backward to listen to specific tracks a second and third time.

Be advised that most of this album falls into the mellow category :)
228619
Until getting this CD I was unaware of Alex Sipiagin. I have spent a LOT of time with this music. It is very well written; his use of separate lines as opposed to secondary harmony or unison is very interesting and musical. Using guitar as a 3rd voice is also a great idea. The playing is first rate. Each solo is well constructed and the backgrounds for the solos add to the performance without detracting from the solo. Great recording!
2668578
I am a student of Maria Zemantauski and enjoy her recordings tremendously.  After seeing her in concert several times and learning that she was local to me, I began studies with her.  Mrs. Laughinghouse is her debut album and offers a wonderfully noticeable female touch to Flamenco music.  Her original pieces are creative and truly express her talent.

Maria rocks.  I highly recommend this CD to folks who love a great solo guitar album.
3883719
Even though I am a guitarist, the real joy in this CD is the fantastic music. Eric paints some wonderfully varied landscapes on this tour de force of amazing guitar playing and soaring music. Not one bad track, yet different music to fit different moods. Has there been a better guitar-centric album since this release in 1990 ? Nope. Instrumental pieces "Cliffs of Dover", "Trademark" , and "Righteous" all climbed to the top ten of Billboard Mainstream charts in 1990-1991.