| Title: | Welcome to the CD Notes Conference |
| Notice: | Welcome to COOKIE |
| Moderator: | COOKIE::ROLLOW |
| Created: | Mon Feb 17 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Mar 03 1989 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1517 |
| Total number of notes: | 13349 |
Phil Keaggy is a fine rock guitarist who has long toiled in obscurity
but may be on the way to being better known thanks to his new CD
"The Wind and the Wheat" on the Colours label, distributed by A&M.
Keaggy first hit vinyl as lead guitarist and vocalist for the power
trio Glass Harp who did one LP for Decca around 1972. Shortly
thereafter, Keaggy had a religious conversion and became a devout
Christian. He continued to record, but for Christian labels, so
his music was seldom to be found in record stores, although I was
able to pick up two of his LPs a few years back in a Christian
bookstore.
His reputation as a fiery and original guitarist grew by word of
mouth within the guitar playing community (which is how I came to
sek out his recordings) but he has remained an aquired taste due
to the baggage of his Christian message (i.e. if you aren't a Christian
you may not care for the lyrics).
"The Wind and the Wheat" however, is all instrumental and is an
attempt to cross into the New Age market as some other Christian
artists have done (there is at least one Christian New Age label
already, Meadowlark. Perhaps Colours is also a Christian label?)
Phil alternates between burning electric playing and more thoughtful
acoustic work throughout the album. Liberal amounts of synthesized
backgrounds are used, which almost sinks the CD. I would have
preferred more of a "band" sound, but the recording is lush and
detailed and Phil's playing throughout is exquisite.
His electric playing may remind you of Steve Morse or Jeff Beck,
and indeed, I wish he had cut loose a bit more. He has a killer
tone and plays lines that are tasteful sounding, yet decidedly out
of the mainstream rock guitar vocabulary.
Now, if only he would come to town so I could see him kick some
butt in a live situation.....
P.S. Thanks to Michael Lyons for bringing this CD to my attention
and loaning me his copy.
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 977.1 | SOFTY::HEFFELFINGER | Give my body to science fiction. | Thu Nov 19 1987 19:35 | 16 | |
I've been a fan for years. I don't consider myself a Christian,
but I *love* his style. He makes love to his instrument. (Is it
okay to say this about a Christian? :-) He's a master of using
swells which almost make the guitar sound like a violin. He controls
the volume knob with his little finger. Anyway, I was thrilled
to find "The Wind and the Wheat" in my favorite CD emporium and
snapped it up immediately. I'm beginning to tire of the so called
New Age sound, but Phil plays so well that he manages to pull it
off. However, I think his earlier all-instrumental album ("The
Master and the Musician") is a far more exciting album. I eagerly
await its arrival on CD. His other albums are also quite good,
however his lyrics, though probably appreciated by the Born Again
world, are lost on me. I can manage to sit through the words, just
for the chance to listen to his guitar and his voice.
Gary
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