 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
AFFECTED BY THE MOON • Chuck Pyle
This guy absolutely slays me. He's so all there. He's got it all, and he's got it all going on.
The Zen Cowboy, that's what they call him. He looks like a monk without his cowboy hat on, right down to the look in his eyes and the smile of a man who knows what's really going on. But the real reason they call him the Zen Cowboy is his philosophical wit and humor, a high spirited combination of the Far East and the Old West.
He's one of the best guitarists in the whole of singer songwriter world, and does workshops sometimes in the style he calls "Rocky Mountain Slam Picking." The CD ends with a guitar piece called "Spank," that's some fine picking, there. But it's always elegant, always serving the song, never flash or technique for its own sake. He's all about the great song, and though an enviable writer himself, he covers three terrific numbers. Two are Tom Kimmel cowrites (one classic with Jennifer Kimball, "Blue Train," and one killer ballad with NYC writing partner Jeff Franzel, "Why Pretend") and a truly memorable tune by Jack Williams, "Outlaw’s Dream."
Very classy production here by Doug Haywood (mixed by Aaron Haywood) at First Hand Studio in Lafayette, CO. Doug also plays bass and electric guitar. Fine bunch of players all around, but we were especially taken with the steel guitar of Dr. Daniel Jones.
I was really tickled but not amazed when I read somewhere that Bill Gates was asked recently what music he listened to. He said his current favorite was country folk artist Chuck Pyle. Now tell me you're too busy to check out clips of this fantastic artist on our Listen page.
We claim that your life will actually improve with the purchase of this recording. • FG
