Search - Charlie Read :: Read Between the Lines

An electric guitar tapestry that is woven around themes of classic rock, meditative ?new age? solos, and touches of jazz/rock fusion ? "read between the lines" surprisingly but skillfully combines these styles into a unified whole. West Virginia guitarist Charlie Read, a veteran of the explosive Ohio rock scene of the early 70s, felt " . . . it was about time to contribute my own musical two cents? worth." And that?s just what he has done. The album's intro 'Why, I Oughta . . .' cascades forth a blistering barrage of distorted harmonic minor notes accompanied by a simple but unusual harmony bass line. But after this initial, tongue-in-cheek attack on the senses, the listener is drawn into one tune after another in a diverse mixture that defies simplistic categorization - though always honoring strong melodic values sadly lacking on many modern instrumental albums. 'Splash Rag', a quirky little piece built around pentatonic, blues, and whole-tone scales, was written almost 25 years ago - while other tunes like 'Circle's End' and 'Then and Now' were completed just weeks before the 2004 recording sessions. And Emmylou Harris? version of 'Wayfaring Stranger' certainly never sounded like this! Charlie's influences (Hendrix, Clapton, Keaggy, Satriani, etc.) shine through in his debut all-instrumental guitar CD. No need to "read between the lines" though - the musical joy and artistry are plain to hear.