Search - James Hill :: On the Other Hand

Chord solo masterpiece

J. Abbott | Portland, OR - United States | 05/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Any fretted instrument player will appreciate the virtuosity of the chord solos that make up this CD. This is also among the most listenable ukulele music you can hear. On James' first CD he worked with a plectrum (pick). This CD is chord solos. Normal chord solo work involves playing a chord and adding melody notes. James pretty much uses a different chord for each melody note. I have seen James perform and I attended a workshop where he explained how is able to do this. Please note the joy expressed on his face on the CD cover. I have never seen a musician that seemed to enjoy playing more than James does. His smile is infectious. Buy this CD and catch it."

Stunning Stuff!

Patrick A. Mead | Lake Orion, Michigan | 04/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been in love with the acoustic guitar for nearly 30 years. My house is full of them and they captivated me... until I heard two CDs in recent months. One is by Bruddha IZ and the other is this one by James Hill. Who knew you could do this with the ukulele? I was so stunned I listened to it four or five times without stopping and then went to our local folk music emporium and got a uke of my own. Now... three months later... I have six of them. I still listen to this CD more than any other. James plays the ukulele (I think he is mainly playing the tenor and concert sizes) with only a base guitar backing him up. Quite frankly, the backup isn't always needed. The skill and inventiveness James pulls off is ... oh, c'mon... BUY this and hear it for yourself. Then, get a uke!"