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Review from Just Jazz Guitar Magazine (No.
63), May, 2010:
MOONSTONE by Jim Ferguson, solo guitar, all original
pieces
SPRING STREET RECORDS, produced by Jim Ferguson
Howard Morgen introduced me to Jim Ferguson a few years ago
and I have been enjoying his compositions, playing, arranging
and writings and lessons ever since. He is always exciting, never
predictable. Moonstone is the latest of his CDs and is
a gift of beautiful fingerstyle playing, all original pieces
showcasing much of Jim's musical offerings.
But first is it jazz guitar? Well,
it is improvisational, fresh, original, and it swings. Why ask
more?
Moonstone is is the title
of a 19th-century mystery novel. Jim, always reading, gives a
bit of mystery to the title song of his CD. Herein is clear lyrical
technique evoking many feelings.
In addition to being a player and
composer, Jim is a teacher, writer and educator and this is reflected
in the titles of many of his compositions. He goes into more
detail in the liner notes. You can learn much about his thinking
by checking his writings in Guitar Player, Jazz Times,
Classical Guitar, his Mel Bay instructional books, and
Downbeat, among others.
The guitar he uses on Moonstone
is a 1989 cedar top Thomas Rein with d'Addario J51 hard tension
strings. All tracks were recorded with a matched pair of Schoeps
microphones through a Grace Design Lunatec v5 preamp. John Strother
mixed and mastered the tracks, all this resulting in great pure
sound and clearly heard tones.
The program, quite varied and emotionally
charged, begins with a trilogy of
Latin-influenced tunes, setting us up for some good listening.
The themes are compelling and the progressions grasp the ear.
"Chuck's Waltz" is written
for Charles Postlewate and, along with three other pieces on
the CD, is included in Postelwate's Contemporary Anthology
Of Solo Guitar Music For Five Fingers [Mel Bay]. The pinky
of the right hand, mostly ignored, is explored here, and Jim
has been interested in its use since meeting Lenny Breau.
"Lady Di," for Jim's lady
friend, is a stately fleeting, moving piece with interesting
parallel movements and pedals. The movement from E major to A
minor makes for great tonal contrasts and fires the soul.
There are 6 of his 12 Simple Jazzy
Studies For Solo Guitar [2008 Spring Street Editions], which
can be ordered from his website. As clearly as they are rendered
on the CD, they can be studied by the player. The studies are
engaging and a rewarding challenge well worth the time to play
them. I liked number 6, and Howard Morgen is reminded of Stephen
Sondheim by it.
So, there is much going on in Moonstone.
I think the CD is convincing evidence of Jim Ferguson's place
among the great fingerstyle jazz guitar artists. He fits in the
ranks of Gene Bertoncini, Charlie Bird, Ken Hatfield, and Lenny
Breau. See if you hear it in Moonstone.
Reviewed by Dr. Frank Forte
Review from Just Jazz Guitar Magazine (No. 41),
November, 2004:
CEDAR & SILVER JIM FERGUSON
MUSIC FOR SOLO GUITAR
This CD was recorded in 2004 on Spring Street Records, P.O.
Box 551, Santa Cruz, California 95061-0551. It is always a pleasant
surprise to receive a book or a CD from Jim Ferguson, but this
was really the biggest surprise that he's sent my way to date.
Cedar & Silver is a solo
CD with Jim Ferguson performing thirteen beautiful compositions
on a cedar top nylon string guitar. All but two are his own.
He is doing this fingerstyle, and his technique is impeccable.
The guitar is by Thomas Rein of St. Louis, MO, and it is a joy
to hear the responses and tone Jim urges from this scrumptious
guitar. The instrument and the player are bonded and you can
hear it.
We know Jim well for the Mel Bay
Publications All Blues for Jazz Guitar, All Blues Soloing
for Jazz Guitar, All Blues Scale for Jazz Guitar,
All Solos & Grooves for Jazz Guitar, and All Intros
& Endings for Jazz Guitar. He is sought after as a teacher
and writer and is on the faculty of California State University.
His articles have been seen in JazzTimes, Downbeat
and other magazines. But this CD is not just jazz, nor is
it classical music. It is the product of a fine composer who
loves the guitar and finds many stimuli to write playable music
for the instrument. Here is a very interesting side of Jim's
musical life. Noted as a writer and an educator, Grammy nominated
for his writing and a former editor of Guitar Player Magazine,
he is now showing us that he is a wonderful composer for guitar,
and although these pieces are played on classical guitar they
are distinctly his own and not an imitation of classical work
from the past. A second listen has us realizing that he is a
jazz guitarist. Chord progressions, and jazz influenced lines
are in his blood and this music.
He is not a foreigner to the study of classical guitar and has
even written several volumes published by GSP of San Francisco
including instructional material devoted to the studies of Leo
Brouwer, Fernando Sor, and Matteo Carcassi. His love of the classics
and his knowledge sings out in this work.
I know that Jim loves jazz, but he
loves the guitar more, and this CD certainly is evidence of this.
All the pieces are unique and distinctive, and it is just wonderful
to listen to these endeavors produced by a man who is so versed
in teaching jazz and blues guitar.
I loved the flagship piece "Cedar
& Silver." It gives a feeling of South America and wonderful
weather. There is a nice modal piece, "Nisene," which
is named after a state park where Jim mountain bikes.
"Horace" is dedicated to
the jazz pianist composer Horace Silver and includes some references
to a couple of his tunes in the introduction, and some of this
was not written but improvised. And so it goes, with "Medley
for Kirk," which is a take off on some movie themes. This
one is a medley and not all original. The haunting opener, "Asian
Pavan" is based on two Japanese pentatonic scales. Jim wrote
it while teaching a survey of world music. The theme is stated
and carried through an intriguing harmony. All the pieces are
based on engaging motifs and are full of musical enjoyment.
Throughout the entire CD there is
a wonderful feeling of soulful sensitivity demonstrated by this
ever so multifaceted virtuoso guitar player. Although it is not
straight ahead jazz, this is one to listen to.
Reviewed by Dr. Frank Forte
Amazon Customer Review (April, 2005)--Cedar & Silver,
A Modern Guitar Masterpiece
Jim Ferguson displays his guitar virtuosity as well as his
eclectic taste in music. Every style from blues, jazz, classical,
Asian, Brazilian, gospel, folk, and country finds its way onto
this recording. This album was designed for people like me who
absolutely love the sound of a guitar, and who have eclectic
tastes in music. I am also a serious student of guitar, and for
me this recording will not only be pure listening pleasure, but
also a lesson in guitar virtuosity and composition.
Reviewed by Leo de Leon
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