Another gloomy, gray day in Rochester, NY. Just the perfect time to explore some new music. First up, John Stein No Goodbyes, an excellent and breezy trio set with a vocalist on several tracks, especially in the wake of the serious medical event the struck John at the end of covid (read the first two paragraphs of the liner notes pic) that could have spelled the end of his playing days. This is my fifth CD I've picked up of his music, which I've come to enjoy immensely. He musical status as performer and educator, being a college jazz guitar instructor, reminds me of friend, Bob Sneider, and other local musician friends, who are also jazz instructors at The Eastman School of Music, and preforms with their own groups, appears in various venues around town. Their dedicated to the music rings out in every note. For John Stein, "No Goodbyes" is a welcomed title, and well worth a listen.
My second selection is another one of my shots in the dark, since I had never heard of the guitarist. Marcus Doneus Spirit of the String. With the phase "Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar", behind his name, I had an idea what to expect and I wasn't wrong. This is a 2004 release from Austria, but I can't find much background on the guitarist himself. It's interesting to me as a guitar player, he notes the string tunings of each song after their title. This is pleasant guitar music in the same vain as Windham Hill recordings of Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, and French guitarist Pierre Bensusan, to name a few. I like listening to this type acoustic playing on occasion. Although it can border "New Age" music, but it also can be good background music for causal social gathering. Again, if you're in a mellow mood, it's worth a listen.
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