Steel Helix Music
Scot Ray : Rumi (US,2006)****
Woetone Gutpuppet : 3 (US,2006)**'?
Scot Ray participated for three albums with Bill Barrett (chromatic harmonica), on dobro & acoustic slide-guitar as a duo under the name of Gutpuppet. As far as I know, this is his first solo-release. Here he plays dobro, 6 & 12 string dreadnaught and the 22 string chaturangui, -the Indian guitar designed by Indian master Debashish Bhattacharya (review on next page)-. And finally, you can hear the mastery explorations of Scot Ray. He explores the instrument and its sound capabilities, in harmony and resonance mostly, and in structural improvisation, with pickings and slides, and here and there finding new edges of sounds on the bridge. The inspiration can be slightly bluesy or even Indian flavoured, or even inspired by the harmonies of the guitar itself ; it has its portion of acid musing. Very good !!
