More info: www.charlieread.com
Verdict: A varied and enjoyable guitar album (83%)
Charlie Read is a busy man. He teaches music to 60+ students and still finds time to work towards a baccalaureate degree (Organisational Leadership) and to work on and complete this CD which was recorded between May and October of 2004. The album is a real family affair with Charlie's sons contributing to the album.
Charlie took up playing guitar when his family relocated to Australia and he found himself with no friends and nothing to do. When he went back to the US he spent some time playing full time in the Ohio rock scene, before deciding to "get a real job" and becoming a photographer. A few years ago Charlie gave that up and returned to his first love and started teaching music
" Why I Oughta...." starts of the album in fine style demonstrating that this is going to be all about Charlie and his guitar. This is followed up by the Santana-ish "Circle's End" which has a commercial edge to it. My two favorite tracks on the album are "Splash Rag" which is next and "Then and Now" which is towards the end. Both of these tracks have a blues-rock feel to them that reminds of the late and great Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Of course any good instrumental album should take you through a few mood changes and "Kentucy Summer" give a dramatic change of pace with it's acoustic almost classical feel. Maybe it is just the title, but "In The Out Door" reminds of Led Zep a bit. It has retro feel to it and harks back to the 60s. That retro feel continues on "You're The One" which Charlie describes as "prom night at Surfer's Paradise".
The folk spiritual, " Wayfaring Stranger", is given an effective blues-rock treatment. "Odyssey" is a slower track and I haven't yet decided if it is contemplative or "just a bit of noddling around on the guitar". No such doubts about "Then and Now" which I mentioned earlier. "Trail of Tears" is a melancholy track, with a hint of Al Di Meola, which is an suitable prelude to "With God All Things Are Possible". This is a big bright track with a strong melody where the guitar seems to sing the title as a chorus. An excellent track (and message) with which to close the album.
With an instrumental album there is always a danger that the music is going to become a bit monochrome, but Charlie avoids this by utilizing a variety of style and keeping the tracks lengths sensible.
