Cousin Silas is always good for a long, warm listen, but this album, done in collaboration with James Hoehl, feels more cinematic in scope. This is a haunting album, but it makes for truly fine listening. The neighbors will appreciate it, surely.
Guitar
HJ Ayala – Wesserling En Direct
It’s wonderful to welcome back an old friend of the blog, Hector Javier Ayala, a guitarist hailing from Mexico and living in France. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this is a very song-focused album, featuring a couple of genuinely Mexican guitar tunes and the beautiful jazz classic, Days Continue Reading
Masayuki Takayanagi New Direction Unit – Axis/Another Revolvable Thing
Blank Form Editions out of New York has reissued a concert by Japanese free jazz guitarist Masayuki “Jojo” Takayanagi from 1975. From their Bandcamp site: “Axis/Another Revolvable Thing is the second installment of Blank Forms’ archival reissues of the music of Japan’s eternal revolutionary Masayuki Takayanagi, following April is the Continue Reading
Cousin Silas & the Glove of Bones – Petrichor In Abundance
From the press release at Submarine Broadcasting Company’s Bandcamp site: “Our new release and the last for 2025 is a return for Cousin Silas & the Glove of Bones. “This is either the seventh or eighth CS & GoB collaboration over the last 10 years. The last one being 2022 Continue Reading
Billy Tsounis – Pregnant Man Blues
My old friend, the near-legendary freak-psych guitarist Billy Tsounis, has a new album. From his Bandcamp site: “Pregnant Man Blues is the latest transmission from Billy Tsounis and The Amazing Androids, a band that lives where psychedelic rock, cosmic blues, and surreal sci-fi textures intersect. Entirely instrumental, the record plays Continue Reading
Richard Leo Johnson – The Sleeping Porch
Thanks to the ever-wonderful Cuneiform Records for offering this album by the Georgia (USA)-based guitarist Richard Leo Johnson. You can hear flashes of John McLaughlin, Leo Kottke, Larry Coryell and Ralph Towner’s influence, but Richard has carved out his own niche. A great guitar disc.
Jeff Gburek – Round About Kaponiera
Jeff Gburek has a new release of instrumental guitar work that is simply sublime listening. From his Bandcamp site: “These tracks, were recorded in October, at home, quickly, via mono instrument microphone and with with a Boss reverb pedal in the mixer’s effects loop. The pieces on the album reiterate Continue Reading
Jon Porras – Achlys
Some interesting facts about Achlys, the latest album by guitarist Jon Porras: “Much of Achlys was composed during violet mountain storms. Living in a forested elevation high above sea level, Porras describes listening to trees sway under pressure, their movements generating both deep, low-end resonance and fragile, intricate patterns of Continue Reading
The Neshama Alma Band – Clearing Clouds of Confusion
Ernesto Diaz-Infante and his partner Marjorie Sturm offer a captivating improvisation featuring flute and guitar. This session unfolds at a slow and relaxed pace, allowing the mind to wander effortlessly to the soothing sounds of strumming and blowing. It’s a perfect accompaniment for a quiet Sunday.
João Victor Barroso – Mais Pesado é o Céu
Mais Pesado é o Céu is a soundtrack composed by Brazilian guitarist João Victor Barroso. Although I haven’t seen the film, it seems to be dark and reflective, as the strings create an atmospheric and haunting quality.