Dave Beegle is a mystery; not his guitar playing, which is top-notch, as anyone who has heard his Fourth Estate projects can attest, nor his style, which is that of rock inflected with healthy doses of flamenco, blues and eastern European folk music. The mystery is that Beegle is not better known or respected as a guitarist.
This latest Beegle project showcases his talents on the acoustic guitar, which, not surprisingly, rival his accomplishments on the electric guitar. The only real difference in style is that with the acoustic his playing tends to be a little brighter and less based on strange tunings, as his electric work using the Transperformance Self-Tuning system tends to be. To underscore his abilities, in the duet he shares with Phil Keaggy, "Something Shared," both guitarists demonstrate again their proficiency in a way that allows each to shine while in no way showing any deficiency in the other's playing. When two guitarists of this calibre are able to play off one another, the result is spectacular indeed.
Other highlights include a remake of Beegle's Bulgarian-flavoured "Kara Kum," where the acoustic guitar gives a lighter, less ominous tone to the proceedings, allowing more texture to shine through; "Ecstatico" with its flamenco feel; and "Sandy's Painting", which seems to tell a story.
What is truly surprising is the richness achieved in the layering of instruments used, all without keyboards, samplers, or electric guitars (although some may wish to argue the e-bow used in "Kara Kum" comes close).
Anyone who enjoys good fret work like that of Phil Keaggy, Scott Denté or other acknowledged acoustic masters owes it to themselves to at very least try to find a copy of this album to listen to, if not purchase. While there are many self-styled guitar heroes, true heroes are few and far between. Dave Beegle continues to demonstrate why he is one of the best in the business. Truly an amazing album.
5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Chris MacIntoshExceptional instrumental music has the ability to take you to places in your imagination that you would otherwise never experience. The newest release by Colorado guitarist Dave Beegle of Fourth Estate fame does just that. Picture yourself sitting in a comfortable chair in Istanbul, you're sipping a cup of Turkish coffee and watching the methodic rhythmic moves of a belly dancer. Or perhaps you…Similar sounding releases
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