Faces and stories.

 

When his album “Free Mind” appeared in the year 2000, probably no one suspected that the title was meant quite literally: whether it be guitar music, New Age, jazz or minimal music – music knows no boundaries for Axel Schultheiss.

Following the atmospheric musical soundscapes colored with discreet electronic daubs, the Swabian artist has returned to purely acoustic guitar sounds for his third album, “The Uplift”. He renders instrumental works with sensitive intensity, broad dynamics and captivating passion, with the idea of communicating “images with sounds” and the message of “beauty and strength” to his listeners. He demonstrates the sheer dimensions of his imagination and creativity in 15 of his own compositions, but also in the surprising interpretation of two folk songs, “Hänschen klein” and “Im Frühtau”. “I fell in love with the acoustic guitar once again,” says Schultheiss in the liner notes. His listeners will no doubt feel exactly the same way about “The Uplift”.

 

The story of Axel Schultheiss’ path to mastering the acoustic guitar begins with his participation in John Pearse’s courses and with the influence of Leo Kottke’s memorable recording ‘6 & 12 String Guitar’. A bit later the duo Martin Kolbe and Ralf Illenberger were also to exert a most decisive influence. Axel Schultheiss has continued the legacy of this once popular guitar twosome– famous for their continually flowing interaction - in his own individual way. His massively stacked sound-structures, made up of rhythmic overlays and meditative chord expanses, are multifaceted and sensitive. And this makes the new CD a real sound experience: on the one hand melodious and appealing, and on the other hand embellished with polyrhythmic sequences and uneven meter - altogether played with flair and resolve.

Axel Schultheiss‘ path to the acoustic guitar began with lessons with John Pearse and the notable recording of “6 & 12 String Guitar” by Leo Kottke. From there he went on to a musical acquaintance with the formerly popular guitar duo of Martin Kolbe and Ralf Illenberger. Nowadays, his mightily constructed sound constructions are both multifaceted and subtle at the same time. Those who know the music of Kolbe/Illenberger will delight in “Free Mind”, because Axel Schultheiss, in his most individual manner, continues their legacy of the flow of two continuously interweaving guitar lines. His compositions, made up of rhythmic layers and great meditative spreads, are a very special guitaristic experience.

There is always one particularly interesting personality who crops up amidst the flood of new releases. Neil Stacey is one of those musicians who has an original style and rises agreeably above the masses. He is not only very multifaceted and virtuosic. What’s special about the music of this pleasant Englishman is his dual gift as a sensitive composer and skillful arranger, which endows even the most famous hit with its very own handwriting. Just listen to his version of Summertime, which even drew kudos from his guitarist colleague Pat Metheny: "Hard to imagine how you are doing all that!" Neil Stacey will be appearing live on European stages more frequently in the near future. You can watch him there and find out how he does that all at the same time, with the grooving rhythms, bass, melody, improvisations…

Antonio Calogero, born in 1961, hails from Messina Italy and took his diploma in classical guitar from Rome‘s Santa Cecilia Conservatory. His dedication to composition and the study of contemporary guitar techniques has enabled him to develop a style which is a composite of various cultural matrices ranging from modern jazz to folk and the music of the Mediterranean area. The alternation of the different techniques and tonal possibilities afforded by the classical and steel string guitar plus the unusual harmonic effects obtained by the use of particular tunings combine to create a species of musical kaleidoscope which is both rigorous and inspirational.

He has performed extensively in towns across Europe and America and has collaborated with musicians like Alex de Grassi, Mike Marshall, Peppino d’Agostino and Peter Finger.

 "…When listeners open up to Calogero's musical moods, they will be guaranteed a pleasure they won't soon forget.“ (G. Jelonnek, Kölnische Rundschau, 22.8.96)
"Antonio plays with clarity and passion – the subtile intricacy of his music will make you want to listen again." (Alex de Grassi)

Childhood experiences stay with us. Ansgar Dälken absorbed the fascination of sound playfully when he was little. Today, having become an adult and polished musician, he rediscovered this "almost lost feeling": in the music of Thelonious Monk (1917-1982). You need a generous portion of enthusiasm and resoluteness, musical know-how and dedicated love for music to take an analytical and yet playful approach to the great opus of one of the most significant composers of modern jazz. During the last years, the master guitarist from Mönchengladbach arranged no fewer than 70 compositions for solo guitar. With a deeply-felt touch, he grasps the nature of Monk's original works, reflects them and by the same token fills them with new life. With "All Ways Know," Ansgar Dälken has managed to create a wonderful album that brings to life the musical cosmos of the great jazz pianist on six strings.

 

Ansgar Dälken won the second prize at the contest for up-coming talent at the OPEN STRINGS Festivals in 1999.

“Madeleine,” his debut album with ACOUSTIC MUSIC, confirmed his fine qualities as a guitarist and musician, and was enthusiastically received by critics and the general public alike. We are no glad to present “Llaneza,” a purely solo recording that genuinely highlights the fascination of Dälken’s music in its most concentrated form. This Cologne-born guitarist succeeds in captivating the listeners with his atmospherically concentrated soundscapes. “Llaneza” is an exquisite CD for those who enjoy acoustic guitar.

 

"He doesn't play the pieces, he dances them, and in doing so he shows a profound sense for the spaces between the bubbling notes," commented no lesser a figure than the French guitar master Pierre Bensusan on Ansgar Dälken. No wonder that this wonderful guitarist won second prize at the young talent contest during the OPEN STRING Festivals 1999. Dälken's technique grabs you from the very first note. Such deeply felt and masterfully interpreted play is seldom found. His inspiration ranges from fingerstyle guitarists such as Alex de Grassi all the way to the atmospheric jazz of Oregon, Ralph Towner or Pat Metheny. Ansgar Dälken not only plays guitar, he makes music in the best sense of the word. His instrument, from which he lures a wonderful carrying tone is only the means for his expression. "Madeleine", his first production for ACOUSTIC MUSIC, shows the entire range of his expressive possibilities. Light-bathed moods are contrasted with profound meditativeness, and we are allowed to enjoy the breadth of Ansgar Dälken's sonorous landscapes.

Those who know Duck Baker already know, however, that in spite of such personal motifs, he does not produce sentimental gloom. Quite the contrary, Duck Baker once again ensnares his listeners with a dozen complex compositions, whose often rough-hewn charm is hard to resist. And disregarding the undeniably melancholic keynote of this album, it also contains the odd foot-stomper, such as the terrifically swinging "Susanna" or the opener "Snapshots," which has a jazzy touch. Ms. Right was recorded in the Acoustic Music studio in Osnabrück by the label chief Peter Finger personally, which assures top digital quality of the acoustic guitar sound in addition to the musical quality mentioned above.