ANDREW SYNOWIEC

FUN

(House Of Sin Records)

Session guitarist Andrew Synowiec, fresh from a collaborative album with drum legend John Robinson Jr (Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Stevie Nicks, David Foster etc), shows he can really rock on his instrumental album, Fun. Opener is Lead Foot, an uptempo boogie that dips into Carlton/Lukather terrain with blazing lines, killer vibrato and a warm lead tone. The twisted rhythms of Salvation Mountain sets up a great foundation for his melodic lines and harmonised phrases. The triplet groove of Late To The Party is part of the terrain for 70s/80s LA instrumentals, and Synowiec’s pushed clean tone and killer phrasing is on the money, evoking Carlton’s sophistication and strong chord tones. Switching tempo and vibe, that masterful tone and phrasing is evident on Gone Too Soon, perhaps a nod towards GT friend and LA guitarist, Allen Hinds. Of course, there are moments of ‘going for it’ as he shows on the rocking Over Easy; blues licks, blazing repetition and stinging vibrato have him stand out here. High on taste, tone and technique, this is simply great instrumental rock guitar! (JS) wonderfully psych rock with shimmering guitar picking, harmonics and a roaring solo. My Guitar Is A Spaceship is a powerful angular riffer with great vocals complete with saxophone and Fabio’s trademark glissando playing (whammy bar) shimmering the fretboard. Arcturus! features a solo full of savvy key centre switching with great articulations. All Clocks Reset is a ball of fun, loaded with semi-clean riffing, lead phrasing and punchy tension. As for rocking out, Choose Your Goddess is sure to be a blast live with its diverse

root-b2 dynamics and movement. Ascending indeed! (JS) new album mixes jazz and world music with fresh sounds. With a rich neck pickup tone his playing throughout this nine-track album is thoughtful, strong on melody and variation, and the emotive opener, Bourbon is a guitar/ drums/upright bass piece with a strong chordal head that dips into Metheny-esque ballad playing with a smooth solo section. Rio Branco is a lively quartet (piano is added for this track) and its Blue Note vibe is most appealing, especially the dynamics that mark the sectional changes. The nylon-string Vava is reminiscent of Lee Ritenour’s 80s albums; full of atmosphere and chordal richness with a solo that again evokes aspects of Metheny’s style. Nana is a tribute to Brazilian vocalist Nana Caimmy and her approach to the bossa nova rhythm. With over a million streams on Spotify, Oak Street sums up the album perfectly; finely crafted music to appreciate with friends and perhaps a good Bourbon, too! (JS)

Evil Teen/Mascot Label Available 8 Dec

This live collection documents Haynes’ annual benefit jam, this one at Asheville, North Carolina on December 7/8, 2018. It features a host of superstar collaborators and covers a wide breadth of styles, held together by a real sense of occasion. With Dave Grohl, Joe Bonamassa and many more, the concert weaves a rich tapestry of talent with some truly memorable performances. Jamey Johnson’s In Colour is quietly beautiful, while Mike Gordon’s cover of Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion challenges the original, and JoBo’s fusing of Zeppelin’s Tea For One with I Can’t Quit You Baby contains some blistering guitar. Warren’s band, Gov’t Mule, wraps things up with three Pink Floyd tracks: Us And Them, Any Colour You Like, and Comfortably Numb, complete with emotion-drenched solos. What’s not to like? (DM)