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What
People Are saying About Solo
Guitar Serenade
"Drop-dead
gorgeous solo steel-string
renditions of Irish tunes, in the
lovely C,G,D,G,A,D tuning."
Guitar
Player
Finger-picking has never
sounded so sad, sincere and
seductive. Match this self-taught
New Jersey acoustic guitar master
with a set of Celtic folk songs,
old country standards and even a
Springsteen number ("I Wish I
Were Blind") and the results
are capable of instantly
transporting the listener to an
intensely quiet, quietly intense
place. McMeen's version of the
haunting PBS Civil War series
theme song, fiddler Jay Ungar's
"Ashokan Farewell", will
get you through even the most
torturous rush-hour experience.
Sound Views (Kevin Roe)
El McMeen has long been one
of my favorite guitarists; his
1992 CD "Irish Guitar
Encores" (Shanachie) contains
some of the most beautiful playing
I've ever heard. So, I was
delighted when I received the new
"Solo Guitar
Serenade"(Piney Ridge Music)
last month.
McMeen uses CGDGAD tuning, which
allows him to get harp-like
effects and shimmering chord
voicings. The new album has some
Irish classics--O'Carolan's
"Fanny Power" (also done
by Martin Simpson) and "Sheebeg
and Sheemore"--but there are
also some American gospel songs,
and a wonderful arrangement of Jay
Ungar's "Ashokan
Farewell", the theme song for
Ken Burns' PBS "Civil
War" series.
Best of all is an instrumental
rendition of Bruce Springsteen's
"I Wish I Were Blind",
on which McMeen perfectly captures
the feel of its wrenching lyrics.
This CD belongs in the collection
of any guitarist or fan of
beautifully melodic music.
Ithaca Journal (Jim Catalano)
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