It certainly proved quite exciting discovering this new music earlier today from guitarist Robin Katz. I had not heard of the Londoner before and find his sound, while trying unsuccessfully to curb my enthusiasm at least a bit, quite bewitching & land, as it were, over the moon – Gary.
‘The Moon’ arpeggiating exuberantly is drawn from an album out later this spring called Hypnos.
Katz has already issued a stunning version of the much beloved Ryuichi Sakamoto movie theme ‘Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence’ the film that had David Bowie starring as Major Jack “Strafer” Celliers in the 1983 flick, arranged here by Barak Schmool – of F-IRE Collective fond regard – that also captivates.
Katz says: “These pieces were initially written as études for solo guitar, and they reflect the wide range of influences found in the music I love to listen to.”
Katz explains that “Hypnos is the Greek god of sleep, the father of Morpheus, the god of dreams” and that “the inclusion of the Hammond organ came from a desire to pair the nylon-string guitar with an instrument you don’t usually hear alongside it.”
MORE FROM MARLBANK
Oliver Jones, the Canadian jazz pianist who found wider acclaim on turning 50, dies aged 91
Farewell to a Canadian jazz piano icon
Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves honour John Coltrane’s centennial
It will be 100 years on 23 September since the world changing man from Hamlet, North Carolina was born
Ascenseur pour l’échafaud pianist René Urtreger dies
Famed for his work on a classic Miles Davis film soundtrack for director Louis Malle in the late 1950s.
Getting it down Pat once again
Pat Martino through the lens of top practitioners of the craft the Philadelphian great pursued, continuing a thread of established work.
Karine Polwart & Pippa Murphy featuring Dave Milligan, Windblown, Hudson ****
Taking a fling at a windswept and interesting listen full of bark and bite
First track from Synonym streams
A stunning interpretation of a George Michael/Aretha Franklin classic heralds a new album from Meshell Ndegeocello.
