the guitar music of

Lawrence Blatt

CD (2007), CD (2007), CD (2009)

LMB Music         Lawrence Blatt : Out Of the Woodwork (US,2007)****

Lawrence Blatt plays the guitar like someone else would use his voice to sing and arrange songs, to pick out words and enbed them in melodies and flavours. He also shows himself as a gifted arranger, with very nice harmonizing arrangements with different guitars and subtle percussion. Some of the core melodies recall Harry Sacksioni a bit (another still too neglected Dutch guitarist, who was very active in the seventies). Within comparable recognisable melodies this is brilliant stuff. 

From the liner notes I learn how Lawrence learned from classical music (two tracks are rooted in 18th century classical sensibilities, even when they sound more modern, and perhaps also, like song). Other influences mentioned were Neil Young, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Led Zeppelin, bluegrass and country, some Jewish music and lately open tunings, which he used here more often. He also taught himself to play single guitar with lead accompaniment together with subtle percussive qualities (like “slapping harmonics” and soundboard tapping”). Gifted.

Audio : http://www.mp3-extension.com/album/Lawrence-Blatt/Out-of-the-Woodwork

& http://musicishere.com/artists/Lawrence_Blatt/Out_of_the_Woodwork

Info & audio : http://cdbaby.com/cd/lawrenceblatt

Homepage : http://www.lawrenceblatt.com

Other review : http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p04141.htmnext release->

LMB Music         Lawrence Blatt : Fibonacci's Dream (US,2007)****

In the booklet of this CD, Lawrence talks a bit about the 'Fibonacci series of numbers' (1,1,2,3,5,..), and about the relation of the Golden Ration (Phi) to Fibonacci number 5, and how much it occurs spontaneously as a measurement in important musical and visual compositions. Even when I know some maths and I also understand how there exist natural balances in rhythmical growing change, I didn’t grab yet its significance other than knowing already how such natural measurements always are easily made afterwards. On “Fibonacci’s Dream” however Lawrence started to play consciously with its mathematical content, while as easily keeping this natural feeling. But, I don’t think this background for a listener is more than anecdotical and it is not necessary to investigate any of this for a great listening experience.

While the music sounds to a degree very modest and harmonious, it is played with passion (just once in a while with a flamenco influence), always with two guitars gently interwoven to make thoughtful and tuneful melodious compositions. When a bit of rhythmical percussion is added and extra arrangements with instruments like mandolin, these arrangements feel rather classical in nature. I guess the “Golden Gate” bridge on the cover could easily stand as a metaphor for the guitar bridge, and the towers with its strings for the two guitars, bridging with its compositions a wider range of inspirations with the effect of naturally balanced connections between them...

PS. Some of the nice sounds of other used stringed instruments come from the charango, ronroco, -both related instruments that are Andean guitars-, and a  100 year old mandolin on a few pieces.

Audio ("Una Vida") : http://www.arselect.com/mysongs/bands/724/audio.php

Homepage : http://www.lawrenceblatt.com

Intro on Lawrence Blatt : http://www.sonicbids.com/... & http://www.soundunwound.com/... 

Other review : http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p04576.htmnext release->

LMB Music         Lawrence Blatt : The Color of Sunshine (US,2009)****

With William Ackerman of Windham Hill as producer (he also produced Michael Hedges,..), Lawrence Blatt (acoustic guitar in different tunings, ukulele) delivered a new CD which, even with some easyness in its melodic richness, creates a feeling of perfection as if each moment could continue forever. It sound really perfectly arranged too, adding little textures of arrangements by several guests confirming this harmonous inner-peaceful feeling (Renata Bratt, Patrick Gorman, Derrik Jordan, Kori Linea Carothers, Jeff Oster, Steve Schuch, Noah Wilding, T-Bone Wolk, Corin Nelsen and Willia, Ackerman on touches of percussion, second  guitar, fluegelhorn, ethereal vocals, second picking voice on ukulele..). The album’s theme is colour from light in which he makes a reference to Goethes colours wheel with colours and notes. In this case it sounds like all the warm colours of wood, mostly from yellow to cherry red over some purple and green images, with an occasional blue note.

Audio : http://www.digstation.com/... & http://iacmusic.com/...

Homepage : http://www.lawrenceblatt.com

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