Track Listing

1. The Marsh
2. Atlantis
3. Skyline
4. Mee-Woo
5. Prelude Circulation BWV 988
6. Cantharis
7. Cosmo Calypso
8. Whitewater
9. Led Foot
10. Relative Illusion
11. Red Iguana
12. Ghost Riders On The Storm

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62635 in Music
• Released on: 2004-09-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Album Description
With their technical wizardry and breathtaking fusion of classical music, blues, jazz and country - immersed within the quintessential genre of California surf rock - California Guitar Trio have earned themselves an enthusiastic community of fans and the respect of many renowned colleagues. Their stunning virtuosity and sly sense of humour have earned them a rabid following with a significant crossover into the progressive, acoustic and classical music scenes.

The trio of revered guitarists met for the first time in a class taught by Robert Fripp (King Crimson) in 1987. In 1991 they embarked on a worldwide tour with Fripp’s League of Crafty Guitars. It was out of this life-changing experience that CGT was formed. They now boast an impressive collection of seven albums; the last two, The First Decade and CG3+2, were released on Inside Out Music. This newest release, Whitewater, features twelve new tracks produced by Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson).

Amazon.com
The California Guitar Trio is all about precision. Their compositions are hard, etched diamonds, played with the kind of detail a jeweler could admire. One of their favorite tricks, derived from their time with Robert Fripp's League of Crafty Guitarists, is to pass the melody of a piece, one note at a time, among the three musicians. Put on the headphones to really appreciate this effect on "Prelude Circulation BWV 988." The circulation concept is more than a parlor trick, and they don't do it often, but it speaks to the single-minded, yet orchestral approach of CGT. It reveals itself in the haunting melody of "The Marsh," and on the high energy goof of "Red Iguana." With Whitewater, CGT expands their palette a bit, processing their acoustic guitars for electric lead lines ranging from the siren sustained melody on "Atlantis" to a Hendrixian freakout on "Led Foot." They leave the sometimes shtick-like covers of Beethoven and Queen off this disc, although they end the CD with a fun interpolation of Eddy Arnold's "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and the Doors' "Riders on the Storm." But most of Whitewater consists of original compositions where CGT reveals the possibilities of their sound in what might be the best album in their 13-year existence. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews

The perfect getaway into the mind via the ear.
Whitewater is byfar the best CGT album to date. It is a perfect blend of scholastic compositions, and at times durint he middle of a track, they take you on an almost psychedelic (in the true term) 'journey' utilizing effects that previously were not tinkered with much on their other releases. Given the serene setting of studio out in the Catskills, the multi-cultural aspect to the group and years of expierence, they have unleashed the album of all albums. surely to satisify the older types, children (the tones within will certainly open mental doors for intellectual development for them!) as well as previously unbeknowst 20-30 somethings who still might be too immersed in indie-rock and commercial-rock-dom. This will change their lives and appreicate skill and alternate usage to guitars. They no longer become guitars here- they become portals, to places where 'genres', 'expectation' and 'sameness' dissolve into new uncharted musical geography. There defintely is a great 'feel' aspect to this disc- it will transcend the listener to many places across the globe, but not the big places, more like private little alcoves and fjords where the beauty of nature can finally be thought to be paralled with that of the advanced craft of art. Each listen provides a new exoeirence and outlook. And producer Tony Levin oversaw this project with not only entusiasm and left-field suggestions; engineer Tom Markensured that the utmost clarity and presence was transduced to tape to give an otherworldy sheen in the soundtextures.

This is a must-buy- for your grandparents, infant, for long vehicle drives throuhout the desert. It will make anywhere feel at home.

Beautiful Music
As a long time fan of all things Robert Fripp, I went to see his one time students perform recently in Phoenix and was blown away by their musicianship, so I picked up this disc. This is not just a showpiece of their technical prowess, but also a disc filled with beautiful music that is both uplifting and fun. The quality of the songwriting and production are first rate. Even my wife loves it and she pretty much hates all prog-rock.

Awesome trio
Whitewater takes the trio into new ground. This is a great CD both for existing fans and probably one of the more accessible CDs for new listeners. It's hard to explain how good these guys are. It less like three great guitarists and more like one great guitarist with six arms. This music is great to listen too, but once you see them play you will realize that what you are hearing is not the result of painstaking studio work where you record 100 takes and mix it to perfection. No - this is how they sound live.