Record Reviews

PETE OXLEY / NICOLAS MEIER ~ CHASING TALES MGP 016 (Barcode: 5051078939728) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the second album by the guitar duo which pairs veteran players / composers British Peter OxleyFind albums by this artist and Swiss (resident in UK) Nicolas MeierFind albums by this artist, forging an intimate musical unit which is an oasis of sanity in today´s bare music desert. The combined biographies of these two Gentlemen and their collected prolific recording legacies speak for themselves, and are of course highly recommended for further exploration. The album presents twelve compositions, eleven of which are originals by Oxley and Meier and one if a Turkish song. The music spans a diverse collection of moods and styles, which paints a cohesive emotional image of melodic serenity and gentle flow, which involves virtuosic instrumental delivery, yet concentrates on the music rather than on technical proficiency. Acoustic and electric guitars are used interchangeably, and of course plenty of improvisation is present, but this is not a Jazz album per se, but rather contemporary cross-genre instrumental music spiced by Jazzy phrasing and delivery. Music connoisseurs will obviously enjoy the finesse of the arrangements and the intimate conversation between the two players, who manage to sound as if a much larger group of musicians is involved, but on the other hand the listener is able to hear every touch of every string. The modest approach of "less is more" is the leading scheme present throughout this album, which is rather rare as far as guitar oriented albums are concerned. Overall this is a gem of an album, which provides the listener with an opportunity to sit back and relax, enjoy the beauty of the sounds and absorb it straight into the soul.

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