Search - Lenny Breau :: Cabin Fever

The unedited genius of Lenny on solo classical guitar

Daniel Fairchild | Boulder, CO United States | 01/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you like Lenny, this is a must have. If you haven't caught the Lenny bug, listen to this one. It is an exceptionally honest recording, direct to analog tape, Lenny alone in a cabin deep in Canada. His father had just passed away, and this is a tribute to that man, who Lenny had played music with professionally as a youth. It was recorded with the intention of editing it into an LP, but that never happened. Believe me, we are lucky that it was released, all due to the efforts of Randy Bachman (yes, he of the Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive, who learned guitar from Lenny as a peer in Canada). This is the way to do it, unedited, gets you right into Lenny's head. Yes, he was a wonder; warm, brilliant, introverted, incredibly diverse but keeping everything wrapped in a beautiful completeness. The flamenco sections are wonderful, but it all circles back to the grounding of the standards he plays so well. He never sounded so much like Bill Evans. This is the best jazz solo work on a classical guitar I have ever heard by a long shot-beats the tar out of Joe Pass' attempt on the instrument, and he plays circles around Charlie Byrd. This is simply one of the finest solo jazz guitar recordings ever. No, make that jazz guitar recordings period, solo or not. Rest in Peace, Lenny, you were a good man, sorry you had such a rough time of it."

Stunning, honest and heatfelt ideas from a musical genius

Paul S. Remington | Rochester, NY USA | 10/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When you reach this level of performing, it's hard to say whether one performer is better than another; that's a matter of subjective interpretation. What one can comment on is the level of sophistication as it's applied to technical facilities used during the performance.In reality, a performance that reaches the deepest levels of a listener is not based solely on technique; it's based on the intuitive ability of the performer to express what's inside, using technique as a springboard through which feelings are communicated.This is what Lenny was able to accomplish in ways no other guitarist has achieved. In addition to this ability was an astonishing level of technical abilities. Lenny's ability to carry a bass line, comp stabbing three-note cluster chords in the middle register, solo and carry the melody in the upper register, all while improvising moving inner voicings in an astonishing simultaneous four part array of pure notes and harmonics was something no other guitarist has accomplished to date.Cabin Fever displays the true essence of Lenny's unbelievable abilities better than any release currently available. It's Lenny performing for Lenny, warts and all. The decision was made on this release to simply dump the reel-to-reel to CD without editing it down. It's as though you happen to be listening in on a private moment where Lenny is playing purely for personal satisfaction, and the results are glorious!Lenny has always been primarily a guitarist's guitarist, but this recording is capable of cracking even the iciest of hearts. Its mood is gentle, lilting, passionate, melancholy, heartwarming, and introspective. For the guitar enthusiast, it's an ego-splitting exploration of what you never thought possible. For the rest of us, it's a moving aural snapshot of the truest essence of Lenny's inner being.There is nothing that can compare to this disk. I agree with the previous reviewer; there is no performer of jazz on the classical guitar who has reached this level of sophistication, whether it is Joe Pass, Gene Bertoncini, or Charlie Byrd. Lenny Breau is a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon."

Not Lenny at his best

J. K. Olsen | 07/27/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is not one of the best Lenny Breau albums. Me being a huge Lenny fan for yeares, I think I can tell wat are Lenny's best Albums.

"Live at Bourbon St" "The velvet touch" "The Legendary lenny Breau Now!" "Svinging on a 7string" "The complete livingroom tapes" "Standard Brands" "Guitar sounds of Lenny Breau"

All these albums are just greate, who is the greatest is a matter of taste.

All these albums are Lenny in top form, or at least in good shape, and one more thing, talking abouth Lenny, FOCUSED!



This is not the case with this album. He is not focused, or maby I should say, he sounds confused, stil his technic is greate. Most of the tunes fall apart, the ending just fades away and things like that. On the other hand Lenny tryes to play, and make it work, and that is wat makes this album so magical! You can hear how he is searching and wandering. Making mistakes, loosing, and vining. (When Lenny listened to this recordings, he would not release it)But you will never find any album sou onest and personal, that's why it is one of my favorits. No other Lenny album is magical like this one."