Three Curiosities

Asymmetry
Clown Solace
Blue Arabesque

An intriguing set of pieces, the respective titles being, Asymmetry, Clown Solace and Blue Arabesque. There is so much new music being published for the guitar and it is impossible to try or to learn everything, but there are certain pieces that have that something extra which makes them worth seeking out and spending time with. You may or may not decide to put them into your repertoire, but spending time with this music will most certainly not leave you untouched. Asymmetry has so much rhythmic drive in its pages that it can leave you quite breathless. Built on an initial five-eight quaver figure which is repeated and subsequently developed, the music pulses forward, yet retains an underlying sense of poise and line. Clown Solace runs the gauntlet of emotions, being the central pillar of the complete work. This acts as a pivot, drawing the other movements together. Blue Arabesque; this piece is so full of character that I found it difficult to put down. This is not difficult music to understand, it speaks with a direct, positive voice. It does have a few moments that require a very flexible technique but spending time in this musical world is a joy.
-John Arran (Classical Guitar Magazine)

Here are three inventive, blues-tinged solos that are fun to play and enjoyable to hear. Asymmetry has an ostinato bass line in alternating measures of 5/8 and 6/8 meter, above which an expressive, free­ flowing melody rides comfortably. The notation for the right-hand harmonies seems inconsistent but can be inferred from the context. Those on the first two pages appear to be written at the pitch to be sounded, while the ones in the last line must sound an octave higher than notated. Similar inconsistencies appear in the other two pieces, but all can be resolved readily. Clown Solace also has frequent changes of meter in the center section, where a melody is developed beneath a treble pedal point. Blue Arabesque is appropriately exode, again featuring an ostinato bass (usually pizzicato) that provides the foundation for passagework in the treble that later becomes the principal melody. Nothing too difficult here, and the results will be rewarding.
-David Grimes (Soundboard Magazine)