Solid Air Records has been recording music by a collection of talented acoustic guitarists, with discs by nationally known artists as well as theme projects like music by Elvis, Cole Porter, and Leiber and Stoller, played by a group that includes local aces Jim Earp and Wayne Johnson. This Guitar’s In Love With You is the latest, a generous 16-track offering that focuses on tasty arrangements of Burt Bacharach standards, finger-picked on wooden
guitars.
Johnson plays “The Look of Love” in nylon strings, with a light, lyrical jazz approach that feels perfect for one of Bacharach’s best-ever compositions. Earp’s song is “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” and it has the vibe of the slack-key tuning style heard on his Aloha Guitar CD, maintaining a steady bass line, chords, and melody simultaneously. Other highlights on the disc include a rousing, picked rendition of “Promises Promises” by Doug Smith, and former Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes on ukulele playing “What’s New Pussycat?”
Other artists on hand also include Lawrence Juber, who plays both “Alfie” and “This Guy’s in Love with You,” Arlen Roth “Wishin’ and Hopin’,” Australia’s Nick Charles “I Say a Little Prayer,” and Tommy Emmanuel “They Long to Be) Close to You.” Throughout, the technical proficiency is off the charts, and since the music is all the same well-known pop, the music here plays like the work on one artist (who would likely be the world’s best finger-picking guitarist). For lovers of guitar, it is a can’t-miss.
