VA - Guitar Masters, vol. 1 (2007)BHP Music

Do you like guitar compilations? I do if the selection of tracks suits me, haha! I'm sorry for this truism. As far as Bohemian Productions' compilation goes, it's a spin through many extreme subgenres and a display of various guitar styles' faces.

It's pointless to enumerate all the titles, so I will only mention most guitar heroes gathered on the disc. Do you remember a bassist John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and a guitarist Trey Gunn of King Crimson? These two buddies offer us an instrumental heavy rock in the vein of the seventies. What about a legendary Toots & the Maytals? If you are ready for reggae and summer light music with bluesy vibe created by Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds), here it is. I am satisfied with this version and hope that Mr. Beck will never repeat his vocal excess done a single "Hi-Ho Silver Living" (1969). If you are a great guitarist (and you are!), it doesn't mean that you are a great singer at the same time, haha! It's only my personal digression, haha. A bass virtuoso Randy Coven and an axe ace Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne) have prepared their own interpretation of Steve Wonder's "I Wish" making it the bass-grounded and light track. Another bass wizard Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Steve Vai, Mr. Big) plays a very atmospheric cut. A duo made of a great negro bass wizard Stanley Clarke and famous Joe Satriani produces funky and wah-wah track indeed. Aforesaid Randy Coven performs the instrumental rock with former Deep Purple and Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse, pointing especially at the latter one's melodious parts. A jazz guitarist David Hines alongside Allan Holdsworth play a jazz/fusion haunting gem distinguished by their mastery. Marcus Nand is the UK born flamenco ace who plays "Rumba" - a rhythmic Cuban folk dance in double time. It is a dancing and rousing composition that causes our body's rolling. Will Ray of Hellecasters offers a hushed composition grounded on an American folk song. A graduate of Berklee College of Music - Steve Booke, making a reference to East Indian music, serves us with some tribal tones backed by soulful acoustic virtuosity. Doug Stapp and Scott Stine dared to cover the Edgar Winter Group turning it into a classic hard rock track with their twisted interpretation. The next musician is famous for the Miles Davis, the Dennis Chambers and the Pat Metheny groups. I mean John Scofield whose dizzy playing harmonize perfectly with a pulsating bass. It's high time I introduced Brian Tarquin to you, Dear Readers, as Emmy Award-winning artist and the leader of Bohemian Productions and a slap-up jazz/fusion guitarist in one. Brian's blink is crisp and instrumentally innovative providing that he has wisely used his recording studio modern equipment. However, Carl Tosten plays a silken composition on acoustic guitar. An Australian player James Ryan of Men At Work provides that loops can harmonize with ingenious guitar performance. A New Zealander Martin Winch performs a romantic track with faultless sense of melody. Next to last artist - a British guitarist - Jason Carter, specializing in flamenco, jazz, classical and experimental music, shows his delicate playing this time. The final cut belongs to Doug Doppler well-known for his cooperation with the likes of Neal Schon, Joe Satriani and Stu Hamm, and it is the best example that electronica can meet a guitar twister with no major obstacles by favourable circumstances, haha.

To be absolutely honest, I don't know if this compilation will hit you between the eyes, since it's a matter of personal penchants. In spite of stylistic distinctiness, I do state an interplay between all the tracks and amazing harmony of musical "characters" within the compilation, haha. This item is meant for a broad-minded and prejudice-free guitar music listeners. Instead of show-offish playing, only a nice time matters throughout the listening. "Guitar Masters, vol. 1" gives us a chance to look on guitar genres from many viewpoints and, what is most important, teaches the listeners styles diversity and a tolerance towards them! A real sturdy digest of music, Mr. Tarquin!