Jack West & Walter Strauss – Guitars On Life
This 8-cut set was recorded in CA by the virtuoso guitar team of Jack West (acoustic & slide guitars/bass/percussion) & Walter Strauss. Some were recorded live, no audience, & no overdubs. Of the songs, 7 are originals with one a classic cover.
Produced by West & Strauss Guitars On Life (Drops Jan 23/OTA Records/42:37) begins with the first of 8 instrumentals. This will appeal to young acoustic guitarists the way acoustic players of the ‘60s were drawn to Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas.” There’s enough drama in the acoustic picking to grip the curious ears of pickers – novice & professional. The showcase is a well-recorded, pristine recording played meticulously. I’m not a guitar player. I’m not going to begin to try & explain every nuance. I do know if I can appreciate the effort here, the clarity & skill – then aficionados will be fascinated.
There have been acoustic guitar-oriented LPs & hit songs in the past. The duo of the Los Indios Tabajaras (“Maria Elena”) had this marvelous million-selling hit in the United States in 1963. It spent 14 weeks on the Hot 100. It was a time when an acoustic guitar instrumental had a chance to crack the charts. How tastes & focus have changed.
To set down something familiar, the duo of West & Strauss adds a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish.” While the vocals of the original were the sales point, the guitar interplay replaces that with a funky, sometimes percussive tapping style. A nice, enthusiastic approach. Not everyone has the patience to listen to instrumentals. It’s not the Big Band/Swing era anymore. I don’t remember the last big hit that was in the charts that was only an instrumental, unless it was a major motion picture theme song.
Many pieces played in this collection have calming factors. The rock-thrust of “Youth” is even more captivating than “I Wish.” The picking & tapping is intricate, smooth, & fast. There are moments when the guitars seem to speak with each other through a melodic language only the guitars understand. A talk between notes, a response, an answer, all picked with clarity in “voices” that speak through the wood, strings, frets & fingers. There’s a good name for an album.
“Double Bounce” is a funkier, saturated display that segues into the delicate picking & percussive tap of “Across the Bardo.” Again, the interplay is like guitars in conversation. So good, you begin to think you understand the coded talk. Notes have a way of projecting the way a happy voice could, or an angry tone would. “Follow The Water Down” loses momentum. The melody isn’t as enchanting as “Maria Elena.”
Hopefully, there are no blisters on their fingers. The album is, nonetheless, a nourishing listen.
Highlights – “I Wish,” “Youth,” “Double Bounce,” & “Across the Bardo.”
B&W image courtesy of Jack West’s website. CD @ Bandcamp + Amazon & https://www.jackwestguitar.com/post/guitars-on-life