Ken Hatfield - Explorations for Solo Guitar (12 tracks) +Album Reviews

Search - Ken Hatfield :: Explorations for Solo Guitar

Ken Hatfield
Explorations for Solo Guitar
Genres: Jazz, Special Interest, Pop, Rock

Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
1. Son in E: Allegro Non Troppo
2. Son in E: Adagio
3. Son in E: Minuet And Trio In 6
4. Son in E: Rondo
5. Diptych
6. Theme And Vars in A
7. New York Ste: Prelude
8. New York Ste: Mazurka
9. New York Ste: Shuffle
10. New York Ste: Heather's Waltz
11. New York Ste: Chorinho
12. New York Ste: Samba

CD Details

All Artists: Ken Hatfield
Title: Explorations for Solo Guitar
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Arthur Circle Music
Original Release Date: 6/1/1999
Re-Release Date: 6/5/1999
Genres: Jazz, Special Interest, Pop, Rock
Styles: Avant Garde & Free Jazz, Modern Postbebop, Traditional Jazz & Ragtime, Bebop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 029817980220

Synopsis

Album Description

A series of compositions for solo guitar whose content calls upon diverse musical vocabularies ranging from blues and jazz to choro and samba. The compositions employ contrapuntal and polyphonic techniques and forms traditionally associated with classical music. Each movement stands on its own as a complete composition; however, when heard in the context of the multi-movement works that comprise this CD, the movements unfold and relate to each other like chapters in a novel.

CD Reviews

An exquisite album from a superb guitarist and composer.

06/22/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who has seen Ken Hatfield in concert will recognize him as a major voice on the nylon string guitar. However, what this album establishes beyond doubt is that Ken is destined to become a significant composer, not only for the guitar, but for other instruments, as well. The songs on this, his second album, range from classically influenced, to hard swinging, melody driven jazz. Every composition has a "hook" that you will find yourself recalling for days. There is no genre to point to in describing this music. Certainly, fans of the guitar will appreciate this album. However, anyone who likes strong melodies, with unexpected, yet beautiful chord progressions, and a strong sense of rhythm, will return to this album time again. Ken Hatfield's new collection is as fresh and invigorating as anything to be released this year. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"

Impressive amateur, boring professional

Richard B. Schuchman | Orlando, FL United States | 01/08/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is what you'd expect to hear at a local Borders or coffee shop on any given night. His compositional skills are marginally unoriginal, and his playing style is very monotone, no dynamics to lend any drama, which is Guitar 101, or even any flashy scales that so many resort to now to distract from the mediocrity of their playing. He could have used some. The liner notes say it was recorded in his apartment and I believe it; maybe at 2am after 3 or 4 beers. In his defense, it is played pretty clean when you consider he recorded it live with no studio effects (except for track #5), and it's easy to listen to because of that. For a true composer/player, however, look to Andy York, Dusan Bogdanovic, Paulo Bellinati, or Roland Dyens. I see he's done other cds since in a more conventional jazz format and perhaps he's more successful there, but unless you like your guitar music as merely background to slurping coffee, look for some of the others I've mentioned and let this one pass."