[Tom B.]

Greg,

My top 5 would be .....

Martha Masters
Kaori Muraji
Raphaella Smits
Dale Kavanagh
William Kanengiser

The most exciting Bach Cachonne in the past 20 years is by the Japanese guitarist Kaori Muraji on her latest Bach disc. Her disc containing much of Rodrigo's SOLO works is another real favorite, but I have all of her discs. Only one of them is being sold in the west.......with the notable exception of a couple of her XRCDs at Elusiv Disc.

After nearly 40 years, no other guitarist can touch John Williams's recording of the four Bach Lute Suites

Just say the word and I'll do what Mikee's doing !!

Tom B.

[rajacat]

Tom,

Whatever happened to Japanese guitarist, name slips me, who recorded Mussorgsky's  Pictures at an Exhibition His performance wasn't technically perfect but it sure was a noble effort and fun to listen to. That was streaching the limits on whats possible on the solo guitar.

I agree, the John Williams recording of the Bach Lute Suites is superb. I used to have it on vinyl.

I'd certainly like to have the Muraji disc with the Bach Chaconne.

-Roy

[dburna]

Does anyone know how to source the Pavel Steidl Paganini CD listed in this thread?  It's on Frame Records and seems to be out-of-print.  Same for his other CD on Frame, the music of J.K. Mertz.  Would really like to hear these (I've heard the on-line samples and want more), but I can't seem to find them no-way, no-how.

I wrote to Frame Records (Italy) and am waiting to hear back, but thanks to anyone who might know of a good alternate source.

-dB

[dburna]

Just listened to the Hii "Bach - New Transcriptions for the Guitar".  Da-aaaamn, is this guy good.  It was most impressive.  Highly recommended.  Pretty much all I have found on the GSP label has been great so far.

A second request to locate the Pavel Steidl Mertz & Paganini CDs.  I even wrote to Steidl via his web site, but I never heard back.  The record label (Frame - Italy) told me they couldn't help me.  Perhaps Steidl should name his next (elusive) CD "Rosebud".

-dB

[FullRangeMan]

This is a very nice Hybrid SACD.   http://www.sa-cd.net/showthread/48424//y?page=first

[Tom B.]

I made a mistake concerning the right item for Kaori Muraji Rodgrigo. They keep offering all sorts of versions......it get's damn confusing. You can see it ain't cheap.....but I'm a fanatic.

As for that "out of the Blue" SACD recommendation, what has that got to do with either Pavel or Muraji ?? Let's keep our eye on the prize.

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VICC-60135

Tom B.

[tomjtx]

Just listened to the Hii "Bach - New Transcriptions for the Guitar".  Da-aaaamn, is this guy good.  It was most impressive.  Highly recommended.  Pretty much all I have found on the GSP label has been great so far.

A second request to locate the Pavel Steidl Mertz & Paganini CDs.  I even wrote to Steidl via his web site, but I never heard back.  The record label (Frame - Italy) told me they couldn't help me.  Perhaps Steidl should name his next (elusive) CD "Rosebud".

-dB

Glad you liked the Hii CD, especially since he was my student   He did his Doctorate (DMA) with me many years ago.
Another former student you might like is Stanley Yates. His Bach CD from Mel BAy is tremendous.

Tom B. Thanks for such a thorough listing of great artists . I am WAY too lazy to do that

Have you and Raja though about going to a summer guitar festival. The Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) is hosting one in Austin next June. Google theie website (disclaimer, I am currently on the GFA board and shamelessly promote them)
But seriously, they do a great festival, Pepe Romero will be there. 3 or more concerts a day, master classes, lectures and the competition.

A great european festival is the Iserlohn Guitar Symposium. Pavel Steidl and Alvaro Pieri frequent that one. Another disclaimer; I teach there every summer. For me, it is the most fun festival in the world. Students and artists hang out together every day. Where else can you breakfast with Leo Brouwer, lunch with David Russel, dine with Pepe Romero and drink all night with all of them? Answer is only Iserlohn
All the artists and students live, eat and party together.
The food is great and the beer is German.

Check out any of Alvaro Pieri's recordings, he is a wonderful artist.
Was Rolan Dyens mentioned.
He is one of our finest guitarist/composers.

If you ever can, hear David Russel live. As great as his CDs are, no recording truly captures how incredibly beautiful his tone is. Just magical.
He was over for dinner last spring while on tour and trying some of my guitars, you can put your ear next to the instrument and still not hear nail noise.

 Raja and Tom B It is a blast from the past to hear  you know Gary and Steve.
I played a concert on their series in the 80's , they are great guys. And , of course, Seattle is paradise.

Dale Kavanagh is a great player and check out her duo CDs with her husband Thomas Kirchoff as the Amadeus Duo.
Thomas K. is the director of the Iserlohn festival.

Check out the Eden Stell duo from England.
They were a huge hit at last summers GFA festival.
Mel Bay is doing a DVD of them soon.

Naxos Records is one of the best labels for classical music and especially guitar. Norbert Kraft often is the engineer and he knows guitar sound. I don't think they have a single bad artist on that label.

Sorry for the rambling post, I'll post more guitarists as I think of them.

[tomjtx]

Tom,

Whatever happened to Japanese guitarist, name slips me, who recorded Mussorgsky's  Pictures at an Exhibition His performance wasn't technically perfect but it sure was a noble effort and fun to listen to. That was streaching the limits on whats possible on the solo guitar.


Roy,
that would be Yamashita. He is still around.

The "new" Yamashita is a Peruvian guitarist living in New York: Jorge Caballero.
He will play at this summer's GFA.

Jorge subbed for John Williams this summer in Iserlohn. Williams had shingles and had to cancel.
Jorge flew from New York to Germany the SAME day as the concert and still played a  concert with Dvoraks new world symphony on one guitar.

He hadn't played the Dvorak in at least 6 months but he practiced it "in his head" on the plane.

Tom J

[Tom B.]

Thank you Tomj for all the great information. 

Something incredible happened to me a few years ago. Kurt Rodarmer came over to my place to audition his Sony release of his transcription of Bach's Goldberg Variations. He was contemplating using Single-Ended Triode (SET) "Flea-Powered" amps for a recording studio he was building in Mexico where he now lives.

He was blown away. He had never listened to his recordings on anything like my set up. We even played a bit together on my two Bernabes!




Tom B.

[tomjtx]

Thank you Tomj for all the great information. 

Something incredible happened to me a few years ago. Kurt Rodarmer came over to my place to audition his Sony release of his transcription of Bach's Goldberg Variations. He was contemplating using Single-Ended Triode (SET) "Flea-Powered" amps for a recording studio he was building in Mexico where he now lives.

He was blown away. He had never listened to his recordings on anything like my set up. We even played a bit together on my two Bernabes!




Tom B.

When David Russel and his wife(who is a great player,BTW) were over he gave me his new Cd. He said the same thing listening to my Watt/Puppies with Jeff Rowland amp .
Not all musicians have heard great systems but they appreciate them when they do

Kurt Rodarmer is one of the few newer players I haven't heard.
I will give him a listen.

[dburna]

Finally got around to listening to Dale Kavanagh based on the recommendations in this thread.....and promptly went and bought 5 CDs.  She's a prodigious talent.  Can't recommend any of her CDs over the others -- they're all pretty great.  Give her a listen -- I doubt you'll be disappointed.

-dB (who can play as well as Dale Kavanagh, but only in his head)