Berkeley Guitar

by Sean Smith

Overview

The ghost of John Fahey, and the guitarists influenced by Fahey back in the 1960s and '70s, hover as inescapable influences over this compilation of acoustic guitar music. All three of the musicians who contributed three or four pieces each to this disc (Sean Smith, Adam Snider, and Matt Baldwin) are from the San Francisco Bay Area, and all play moody, creative instrumentals with a high standard of virtuosity. Their approaches share so many traits -- taking influences from Americana, folk, ragtime, and blues, just as Fahey, Robbie Basho, Leo Kottke, and the like did -- that those without an ear finely attuned to this sort of thing might think the CD's the work of just one guitarist. A trace of British '60s acoustic guitar from the likes of Bert Jansch and Davy Graham is heard too, particularly on "Angela," but the flavor is very American for the most part. If there's any criticism to be made of this album, it's that it doesn't so much plow new ground as carry the torch for this kind of style, in a folk preservationist sort of fashion. But if this is the kind of style you go for, it's certainly a satisfying listen, with a level of accomplishment on par with their obvious ancestors. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	08/29/2006
Label:	Tompkins Square
UPC:	0856075001318

Tracks

1. The Augur of Deviation  - Sean Smith
2. What Once Was Will Be  - Sean Smith
3. Die Until Tomorrow, Sleep  - Sean Smith
4. Lonely Tuesday Ramble  -  Snider
5. Swamp Angel  -  Snider
6. The Little Death  -  Snider
7. The Anger of God  -  Snider
8. Waltz  - Matt Baldwin
9. Split, Part 2  - Matt Baldwin  - Tony McPhee
10. Anji  - Matt Baldwin  - Davy Graham
11. She Was a Girl, She Was in Love  - Matt Baldwin

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sean Smith   Primary Artist
Matt Baldwin   Primary Artist
Adam Snider   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Larry Kelp   Liner Notes,Liner Notes
Sean Smith   Audio Production,Composer
Adam Snider   Performer,Composer
Josh Rosenthal   Executive Producer
Stephen Hart   Engineer
Davy Graham   Composer
George Horn   Mastering
Matt Baldwin   Composer,Performer
Nathaniel Russell   Design,Layout Design
John Dyer Baizley   Artwork
Joe Tarantino   Assembly
ED Denson   Liner Notes
Tony McPhee   Composer
Bart Davenport   Liner Notes