Giulio Tampalini Presents Postmod Contemporary Classical Works

Giulio Tampalini plays the classical guitar with great spirit. He phrases like he wrote the music. There's a sure, very flowing lyrical singing to his phrases. We took a look at his first two volumes of the complete Tarrega solo guitar music April 16th at our sister site www.gapplegate.com. Today we have a new one, Strong Emotions on Classical Guitar (Concerto 2055).

As you have perhaps gathered this is contemporary music for solo classical guitar. Tampalini has selected a rather memorable program of short pieces written by composers mostly working in the new tonal idiom. There are some beautiful pieces. Ralph Towner gets the nod on a couple. There are many names new to me. Others, not. What is important is the uniformly high level of melodic lyricism represented in these miniatures and the breathtaking artistry with which they are performed.

It's music that delights. It's music that anybody with a set of ears will love. It's an object lesson on how to make the classical guitar sing like an angel.

This is music you could live with for many years and still feel refreshed when listening for the 500th time, I imagine. It's the sort of guitar music that some prog rockers have tried to create and sometimes failed in the attempt. This is the real thing. Tampalini is wondrous!

Guitarist Towner and Oregon: 1000 Kilometers

Originally posted on January 31, 2008

The phenomenal guitarist Ralph Towner and his cooperative group Oregon have been making great music since the late sixties. They have always had the knack of combining elements of world music, especially classical music from India, contemporary western classical, jazz, avant-garde and fusion with their own personal blend of sounds that has put them apart. With the tragic death of sitar-tabla-percussionist Colin Walcott in the ‘70s, they began a period with the exceptional percussionist-drummer Trilog Gurtu. Nowadays it is Mark Walker ably fulfilling that function. The rest of the lineup remains unchanged since its conception. Ralph also plays piano, there’s Paul McCandless playing distinctively an array of woodwinds, and the foundational yet exploratory bassist Glen Moore.

The latest CD 1000 Kilometers (CamJazz) involves a dedication to their late, long-time agent Thomas Stowsand. As always there are moments of quietly thoughtful music, more vibrantly percussive numbers and much in between. Each member is a master of his instrument. As a guitarist, you must not miss Ralph Towner’s playing if you don’t know it already. (He sticks with the nylon stringed classical instrument for this recording.) The same is true of Glen and Paul’s playing, and the “new” guy is darned good too. They write some wonderful music and improvise over it with careful virtuosity. You could call it mood music for cosmic introspection, but that might sound like you’re not supposed to listen to it. You are. You should.