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Guitar Meditations [Soulfood (New Age)/Billy McLaughlin]

Soulfood (New Age)/Billy McLaughlin
1 disc

1. White Bear, The
2. Into the Blue, Out of the Blue
3. Dream Sketcher
4. Pond, The
5. South by Winterwest
6. Lullaby
7. Drift
8. Pasty's Etude
9. Inhale Pink
10. Duncan's Lullaby
11. Into the Blue, Out of the Blue
Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 5
Credits

Producer Soulfood; Billy McLaughlin
Engineer DJ Free
Personnel: Soulfood (synthesizer, bells, chimes); Billy McLaughlin (acoustic guitar); DJ Free, Brazil (keyboards).
Audio Mixer: DJ Free.
This collaboration between guitarist Billy McLaughlin and keyboardist/composer Soulfood brings out the best in both artists. A delicate and often subtle album, GUITAR MEDITATIONS comprises sweet melodies and placid harmonic underpinnings.
"The White Bear" opens the album with McLaughlin's distinctive lyricism. However, instead of using finger tapping--a technique McLaughlin is celebrated for--he shows off his deft finger picking skills. "Dream Sketcher" sees McLaughlin performing solo. Here, his guitar style reflects the influence of Michael Hedges (which ultimately echoes French innovator Pierre Bensusan). Later in the album, "Inhale Pink" uses harmonics and other novel guitar effects to give the composition an otherworldly feeling. Finally, GUITAR MEDITATIONS closes with "Into The Blue, Out Of The Blue (Part II)," a tune that features understated guitar and keyboard interplay. The wash of Soulfood's soft keyboards allows this song to breathe gently. Soulfood's accompaniment is always surefooted but light, complementing McLaughlin's guitar leads. This is musical simpatico at its finest.
Critic Reviews

NAPRA Review (01-02/02, p.78) - "...With a background of chimes, water, nature sounds, and hypnotic synth, gentle strumming stirs a sense of peace and tranquility..."