Search - Tim Sparks :: One String Leads to Another

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Mr Joseph Jay Stern | Franklin Square, NY United States | 09/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a solid effort of high recording quality by a creative and skilled musician. It shows technical mastery, a fluid vocabulary of sounds, and is also held together thoughtfully by a clear set of musical ideas.What I wanted to point out, though, is that some of the other reviews here are a damning indictment of guitar-only enthuiasts, who seem not to be able to resist pretentiously substituting their own hero-worship for fair and open-minded evaluation, and who believe, absurdly, that there are standards of absolute quality in music. They seems to think that there are only so many kudos to go around, and that praise for some must be accompanied by ridicule for others. No wonder so many appreciators of music turn a cold shoulder to the cult of guitar-worship (often at the expense of well-deserved appreciation for the fine guitarist over whom they insult each other)."

A superb showcase for the acoustic guitar.

Midwest Book Review | Oregon, WI USA | 05/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"German based Acoustic Music Records offers a number of superb releases showcasing the music of the acoustic guitar. One of their newest and best is Tim Spark's One String Leads To Another featuring L'etoile de Mer (3:26); Waltz with a Marmaid (2:51); Cornbread and Baklava (5:35); La Soledad (4:02); Mr. Marques (3:30); Eu So Quero Em Xodo (8:35); Elegy for Max (2:56); Trap Hill Breakdown (3:57); One String Leads to Another (2:19); Pata Negra (4:44); The Amsterdam Cakewalk (3:45); and A Lucky Hand (2:32). All of these outstanding pieces were composed by Tim Sparks with the exception of Eu So Quero Em Xodo which was composed by Anastacia Dominguinhos. Total Time 48:12"

A Marvelous Solo Acoustic Guitar Talent

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 04/20/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"So much music, so little time (and money to spend on it!), but when I read a blurb in a recent issue of Goldmine that Leo Kottke was a big fan of Tim Sparks I needed no further introduction. I immediately ordered this CD. I was not disappointed.This all-instrumental and mostly solo acoustic recording (Dean Magraw provides second guitar on "Eu So Quero Em Xodo") serves up 11 Sparks' originals (the duet is the only non-original tune). Sparks incorporates a number of influences in his fingerpicking: country blues ("Mr. Marques"), Brazilian ("Pata Negra"), Italian ("A Lucky Hand") and Turkish ("Athe Amsterdam Cakewalk"). Sparks' fingerstyle playing is relaxing and introspective without resorting to new age noodling. If you like artists like William Ackerman, Alex de Grassi, Leo Kottke or Adrian Legg, Tim Sparks is a guitarist worth checking out RECOMMENDED"