Around the Corner in 80 Minutes

My homage to the multi-cultural city which has been my home for over forty years!

Waceera – 6:20 (Ian Vance Melrose)

Trolldans / Halling etter Per Kjepso – 3:00 (trad. arr. Kerstin Blodig trad. arr.Ian Vance Melrose)

The Hedgecutter / The Devil in the Kitchen – 4:02 (Ian Vance Melrose / trad. arr.Ian Vance Melrose)

Gigue Highlandaise – 4:19 (Ian Vance Melrose)

Tánc a Hóban – 5:01(Tamas Szarka, arr. Ian Vance Melrose)

Padusko Horo – 4:25(trad. arr.Ian Vance Melrose)

L’ultima lacrima di vino – 3:28 (Ian Vance Melrose)

The Bicycle Jig – 4:17(Ian Vance Melrose)

Huckleberry Finn – 3:00 (Peter Jack & Ian Vance Melrose)

Benim Canim Cananõm – 6:51 (Taner Akyol, arr. Ian Vance Melrose)

Troy Lake – 4:15 (Ian Vance Melrose)

Der grimmige Tod/Gut Gesell‘ du musst wandern – 4:04 (trad. arr.Ian Vance Melrose)

Kal na he – 3:10 (Ian Vance Melrose)

Night Journey – 4:15 (Ian Vance Melrose)

Gymnopedie no.3 – 2:09(Erik Satie)

Bonus track: Berliner Jungens, sie sind richtig (K.Brüning)

“Ian Melrose has long been considered one of Europe’s best acoustic guitarists, and “Around the Corner in 80 Minutes” will demonstrate why. Melrose, of Scottish heritage, calls his fifth solo CD “a musical homage” to his adopted Berlin, where you need only go around the corner to experience the music of the whole world. Melrose’s technical mastery is every bit as expansive, astonishing in its virtuosity. With pieces that derive their inspiration from Africa, Norway, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, Melrose accomplishes stylistic breadth on guitar partly by employing many different tunings (most typically EADGBE and EADGAE, but DADGAD and even CGCGCD), the capo positioned anywhere from the first to the fourth frets. Among his repertoire of techniques are hammer-ons and pull-offs to simulate a fiddle’s triplets, as on the Celtic-sounding “The Hedgecutter/The Devil in the Kitchen;” harmonics, as on the gorgeous classical-tinged “Gigue Highlandaise” and “Troy Lake;” and impeccable descending glissandos. Melrose at times includes other musicians on accordion, cajon, udu, clarinet, bass, as on the mesmerizing “Benim Canim Canadom,” written by Taner Akyol (vocals, baglama), but guitarists will most enjoy his solo compositions. Overall Melrose’s music is mellow and melodic, gorgeous of tone, and characterized by the kind of refined sophistication that makes his playing seem dazzlingly effortless.”
© Celine Keating www.minor7th.com/  June 2010