Cover Art: Andrew Cheshire
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Andrew Cheshire's acoustic guitar work is beyond category- an inspired amalgam of jazz, classical, and folk musics, ingeniously conceived and movingly played. "Man is an Island" sounds like no other solo guitar album; exactly what I'd expect from such a steadfastly individual artist. Highly recommended.
~Chris Kelsey, JazzTimes
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“Man Is an Island†is a musical journey featuring acoustic solo guitar in all its beauty and tonality. Andrew Cheshire, a talented player who has released many recordings in a variety of settings, presents this project with his usual high level of musicianship. For those familiar with his work, in particular the 2001 recording “Guitar Noir,†this new project is a continuance of his creativity and abilities as an astute solo guitarist. For those new to his music and simply enjoy acoustic guitar, the recording is highly listenable and quite rewarding.
What is different about this project is the way that Cheshire conceptualizes his 32 minute composition into a work that is entertaining, thought provoking, and can be absorbed in many ways. Performed in a single recording with no overdubs, the music begins and ends with the tranquil sounds of an ocean shore filled with seagulls and tidal waves. Like an island, what lies between these thematic waters is simply a man and his guitar as Cheshire plays passionately and skillfully within connected and varying themes with hints of rural, folk, classical, and free improvisation, all skillfully woven together.
The continuous trek of music is divided into numerous sections with varying moods at times stirring, poignant, and alarming (such as Cheshire’s use of inserting items in between the strings to create odd sounds.) The thought provoking music leaves it up to the listener’s imagination to contemplate individual ideas about the recording’s theme. But whether your own personal island is located in an office, living room, backyard, or moving as you hike, jog, or ride; “Man is an Island†will make it an enjoyable experience.
~Mark F. Turner, music journalist
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Check out the artist's website:
http://www.andrewcheshire.comTrack List:
1. Man Is An Island
Other Genres:
