Search - Alec Stone Sweet :: Memory & Praise

Aside from his day job as a professor of comparative European politics at Oxford University and an avocation as a classically trained cordon bleu chef, Alec Stone Sweet is also an exquisite acoustic guitarist. His debut CD, MEMORY & PRAISE, is a sublime collection of instrumental guitar music that reflects an international sensibility. Featured are six of Alec?s arrangements of compositions by the blind 17th Century Irish harpist, Turlough O?Carolan, two medleys of Appalachian fiddle tunes (played on guitar using a "clawhammer" banjo style, and dance tunes from Israel ("Mona Vu"), France ("Bells"), and Ireland ("An Phis Fluich"). Sparse, beautiful and filed with soul, this CD flows with deeply emotional music. "Alec?s guitar playing is extraordinary, resembling no one else in touch, technique or feel," says the world class American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Jody Stecher, and fellow virtuoso Martin Simpson agrees, calling the CD "beautifully simple and simply beautiful traditional music played with love, reverence and fine tone."