Jim Earp, "The Collection", Solid Air Records SACD 2047, 2004  CD


Some athletes are given the moniker "can do it all" -- they show excellence at more than one thing, and perform well in various scenarios. I guess I would say that guitarist Jim Earp is like one of those players. Solid Air Records has released another CD in their "Collection" series, and Earp's is like an aural snapshot of someone who can do it all, covering most every element heard in modern fingerstyle guitar today. What might set him apart from others is that he does it all really well. "Clouds Over Mojave" mixes picking and two handed tapping, with Earp slapping ringing harmonics, then weaving a southwestern theme in subtle treble lines. On "Borrego Revisited," Earp taps out a sliding chord progression, alternately muting and using the guitar top as percussion. The clouds open on "Highland Rain", as an ascending bass invites the impending deluge, and a descending scale brings it down. Earp arranges several sacred songs ("Jesus Loves Me", "Joyful, Joyful" "Softly ! and Tenderly/Eternal Father") with skill and sensitivity, allowing the beauty of each tune to seep through. He grabs a touch of the heather for Celtic numbers "The Boys of Wexford" and "Two Sisters". The CD concludes with homage to fingerstyle pioneers John Fahey and Leo Kottke, with a version of their arrangement of "In Christ There is No East or West". My personal favorite of the CD is "Spend My Life With You" in CGDGAD tuning. It's no flashy, but a haunting melody which winds and spins and turns over and over to make you wonder who inspired this devotion. Every song is marked by clean playing, spot-on arrangements, and melodies which linger. "The Collection" highlights a fine player in control of his instrument, bringing sweet music to listening ears.
© Kirk Albrecht minor7th.com