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Dream Guitars Vol. I
The Golden Age of Lutherie ~ Al Petteway
Grammy winner, Al Petteway, was voted #27 in a list of the top 50 acoustic guitarists of all time by readers of Acoustic Guitar Magazine. He is comfortable playing most styles of traditional and popular music, performing solo or as a sideman with some of the biggest names in the music industry. He is featured on dozens of recordings including his own CDs, music books and instructional videos which have won him international acclaim in acoustic guitar circles. His original compositions have been used for programs on National Geographic Television, NPR and PBS, including Ken Burn’s Mark Twain and National Parks series.
This project, done for Dream Guitars (www.dreamguitars.com), features custom made acoustic guitars from eleven different modern luthiers. The CD was recorded with minimal processing and gives the listener a real feel for the sound of these amazing instruments.
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"An innovative guitarist with a rich dulcet sound that features a fusion of new and old."
- Boston Globe
Tune List
Listen to audio samples below.
- The Crossing (3:19)
- Highland Harbinger (2:35)
- Snow Waltz (5:22)
- Tennessee Mountain
Rag (3:15)
- March West (4:12)
- Whitewater (3:51)
- Rainy Day (3:05)
- Night Flight (3:34)
- Potato Salad Days (2:43)
- Mysterious Journey (3:34)
- Reverie (3:18)
Liner Notes
I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to record eleven of the most amazing acoustic steel-string guitars ever made. It took some time since I had to wait for each “Dream Series” guitar to be completed and then record it quickly before it was sold. These guitars are sometimes only in the shop for a day or two, so I had to work fast and then wait for the next one to arrive.
The idea was to record longer versions of the little 55-second tunes I use to demo the guitars on the Dream Guitars web site. There has been much interest in these pieces and I was more than happy to expand them into completed tunes. I also wrote some new pieces, just for the CD.
I recorded these wonderful guitars with as little processing as possible so that the listener could really hear them. I also went for the “organic” approach, leaving in all of the noises, buzzes and squeaks that usually get edited out of solo guitar recordings. The result is a recording that reproduces exactly what you would hear if you were to place your head in front of the guitar while I play. All of the guitars were recorded using a matched pair of Sennheiser MKH-40 condenser microphones running through an API 3124+ preamp with no EQ or compression.
After listening to this CD, I think you’ll agree that we
are indeed in the “Golden Age of Lutherie.”
- Al Petteway
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