Dec. 23, 2019: "This Week in Fingerstyle!"
December 23, 2019
"www.randalsview.blog"
"The most exciting playlist on Spotify" reloaded again for a great Monday morning! "This Week in Fingerstyle" curated by Daryl Shawn! Daryl does all the selecting of the tunes, I just make a few comments. Put your headphones on or AirPods in and disappear into these wonderful sounds!
First up is "Bouchon" by Brique a Braq! Derek Mount is an incredibly talented artist and this piece comes from the just-released "Woodworks, Vol. 1" on the Sonder House Label. Even on a compilation album of some of the best guitarists on the fingerstyle scene today, "Bouchon" stands out as one of my favorites on the album! With a simple two beat oscillating start it opens up and develops with different voicings, but keeps it simple and satisfying in a folky, western shuffle style. Derek reminds us that music certainly does not have to be complex to be oh so satisfying! And I love the length of this piece at almost 5 minutes! Beautifully done Brique a Braq!
"If I Were a Blackbird" by Whalebone is a traditional Celtic piece from their new EP that also has a fine reel, a jig and a medley of the three. You may know my penchant for Celtic music and airs in particular and this one is beautiful! A hauntingly happy melody that Whalebone performs perfectly! This one fits any slow guitar playlist as well as any Celtic. I don't believe I will ever get enough Celtic music and every time I find a new piece, I'm scurrying to find a nice tab as a start to work on my own arrangements. This one is on the list! Thank you Whalebone for this lovely seasonal gift!
"If I Were a Blackbird" by Whalebone is a traditional Celtic piece from their new EP that also has a fine reel, a jig and a medley of the three. You may know my penchant for Celtic music and airs in particular and this one is beautiful! A hauntingly happy melody that Whalebone performs perfectly! This one fits any slow guitar playlist as well as any Celtic. I don't believe I will ever get enough Celtic music and every time I find a new piece, I'm scurrying to find a nice tab as a start to work on my own arrangements. This one is on the list! Thank you Whalebone for this lovely seasonal gift!
"No Koa Moku O Keawe" by Jim "Kimo" West satisfies my itch for my other most-loved genre: Hawaiian slack key! And Jim is a master! A beautiful song with a beautiful story: look it up on Jim's YouTube channel (Jim "Kimo" West on YouTube) and learn a little Hawaiian history & language while you languish in this beautiful tune! Mahalo Jim!
"Still, Still, Still" by Ulli Boegershausen is from his latest "We Three Kings" release, a beautiful EP with four seasonal delights. You must check out all four! Ulli is just tremendous and I love to hear these seasonal classics interpreted by one of today's best guitarists!
"Hearth" is probably the most authentic, real, and raw piece you'll hear in 2019. Barry Mcloughlin takes one of his most beautiful melodies and turns it into a seeringly emotional look into an artist with a background of 50 years of letting words tell the story. Without the words, there is just Barry and his guitar and he gives us a performance where you could hear a pin drop as we listen to the palpable struggle of an artist desperately working to show us the music inside. No "effects" to speak of, just beautiful raw guitar in a performance that commands your total attention & gets it!
"Lazy Days" by Billy-Joe is signature Billy-Joe! I could listen to his music all day long anywhere on the planet that is quiet and serene! The music of Billy-Joe is synonymous with "calm" and "peaceful". An artist who just seems to be able to tap into that "zen" state and take us there with him! Whenever I want to "be in the moment" this new "Lazy Days", and all of Billy-Joe's other music, will take me there quickly!
"Gratitude" by Will Moore is appropriately named. Almost a prayer through music with sublime chord progressions that let us know Will is most grateful. Beautiful!
"Way Home" by Robert Dahlstrom is melancholic and sweet with anticipation of something wonderful: as only the thoughts of and travel to home can produce.
And in the true musical spirit of this season, Daryl closes it out with the upbeat, happy sounds of Allen & Bright (Lance Allen & Avery Bright) in "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"! Amazingly, they manage to capture the feel of the time when this song was written: 1934! Both the violin and guitar create a vintage sound that just brings a smile to your face. Check out this whole album by Lance and Avery for the best in holiday music!
And that completes the new top ten for this week! You will now find all the past "This Week in Fingerstyle" music following this week's new ten so you can enjoy all that this wonderful playlist has brought to the world of fingerstyle! Enjoy!
Daryl Shawn, thank you again for making my Monday mornings a very special and exciting part of every week!
And that's it for another "This Week in Fingerstyle" by Daryl Shawn who every week puts together "the most exciting playlist on Spotify"!
Remember to "Follow/Heart/Like" the playlist that Daryl Shawn so painstakingly creates every week!
Join us every week for "This Week in Fingerstyle" on Spotify!
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