Guy Buttery

South African acoustic guitarist Guy Buttery astounds with his self-titled recent album Guy Buttery (self-released). For the recording he retreated to a small farmhouse in Zululand where he settled in to make some beautiful music on his acoustic guitar in the company of a nicely varying cast of musical-vocal associates and friends.

The roots of African music and landscapes are never far away as Guy embarks on a series of ever-shifting, beautifully realized numbers with his acoustic and mbira engaging with vocals, mouth bow, concertina, drums, electric piano, organ, cuatro, sarangi, second acoustic or electric guitar, and acoustic bass.

There is a sort of wonderful meshing of African riffs and compositional-arranged blends in a contemporary and sometimes very bluesy, rocking vein, other times a prog-rock-like attention to detail.

Buttery excels at making the most of such combinations with some very fine, original playing. His associates get the spirit as well.

The results are truly invigorating and artful. Any devotee of the new Africa soundings will find this rather incredibly nice. And Buttery is some guitarist, too. Very recommended!