The Maker's Mark

by Tony McManus

Overview

This is an album not just of guitar music, lovely as that is, but also just as much about the expensive handcrafted guitars that make that music. There are 15 different ones, each instrument getting its own showcase track, with them all coming together for the final "Valse Des Belugas." Beautifully and lovingly recorded, they're guitars of great distinction and glorious tone, none more so than the one that features on "Parov's Daichevo/Doina," where the bone saddle black make it sound like a sitar. But to focus too strongly on what makes the music is to take away from the music itself, with is sweetly melodic. Scotsman McManus is a master, at ease in so many styles, adept in several tunings, and with the gift of honing in and exploring a melody with wonderful ease. He never struts his technique, formidable as it is, but prefers to allow the music to speak for itself, and it's very, very eloquent. All too often, solo instrumental albums are little more than background music, but this focuses the ears, seducing effortlessly and throwing in a few little surprises here and there. All in all, a delicious, and very substantial, concoction.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/10/2009
Label:	Compass Records
UPC:	0766397450025
catalogNumber:	4500
Rank:	85238

Tracks

1. Inveran/ The Devil in The Kitchen/ Locheil's Away to France
2. Donal Og/ The Lea Rig
3. Chalaneru
4. The Maids of Mitchelstown
5. N'Kosi Sikelel Afrika
6. The Rolling Waves/ Martin Wynne's #1
7. The Locahber Dance/ Chloe's Passion
8. The Laird of Drumblair/ The Margaree Reel
9. An Ciarraioch Mallaithe/ Muireann's Jig
10. Doina/ Parov's Dachevo
11. Si Dolce el Tormento
12. Reel De La Sauvagine
13. Slaibh na mBan
14. Coast River
15. Valse des Belugas

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Tony McManus   Primary Artist,Acoustic Guitar

Technical Credits

Tony McManus   Arranger,Producer,Liner Notes
Traditional   Composer
Erick Jaskowiak   Engineer
Sergeant John Peter Jorgensen   Author