Published on Oct 22, 2001
I recently had a double-dose of pleasure in my life. One was
seeing two masters of fingerstyle guitar – El McMeen and Larry
Pattis – perform just a few miles from where I live. The second
pleasure was inviting them into my house for dinner and a
conversation about music – a conversation we’ll soon feature on
these pages.
And yet the greatest pleasure still comes when I put one of
McMeen’s CDs on to listen to, especially when I’ve had an
absolutely miserable day. Just hearing his gentle yet intricate
phrasing on his guitar allows me the chance to sit back, close my
eyes and take stock of things in a more subdued manner.
Acoustic Guitar Treasures, released in 1998 on McMeen’s own
Piney Ridge label, is an interesting mixture of Celtic-flavored
music, traditional “folk” music and even spiritual. In a way, it’s
hard to put into words just what the 13 songs on this disc do for
me as a listener (while staying unbiased regarding my friendship
with McMeen), simply because this particular disc hits me on an
emotional level. Asking me to describe how this disc makes me feel
is almost like asking someone who’s never seen snow what they’re
feeling when they first experience it.
Do I like this disc? Hell, no… I
love it.
There’s something absolutely comforting about McMeen’s phrasings
of these songs, almost like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes
and a sweater you’d only wear around the house. From the first note
to the last chord, McMeen beckons the listener into a world where
time, style, genre and even personal beliefs all blend together in
a wash of steel strings struck with a loving touch.
Listen to a song like “Jacob’s Ladder” and literally get sucked
into the arrangement, and find yourself saying, “I
know I’ve heard this somewhere.” Listen to McMeen’s
rendition of “The Derry Air (Danny Boy)” and wonder how he can put
such a fresh spin on a song many of us have heard ad infinitum.
Listen to the absolutely stunning renditions of “Hyfrydol”and
“Fairest Lord Jesus,” two songs I recognize under different names
from 17 years of Catholic education – and allow yourself to be
enraptured by these arrangements, even if you’re not religious.
(Fact is, you don’t have to be to enjoy the last two songs.)
“Mo Giolla Mear” makes an appearance on
Acoustic Guitar Treasures (as it does on McMeen’s two
subsequent albums), yet it never wears out its welcome in the
repertoire. Indeed, this particular version is a slightly different
arrangement, making you feel like you’re listening to an entirely
different song. Even the more moody selections (such as “Pretty
Maid Milking A Cow”) deliver their payload well, not so much
depressing the listener but providing a well-needed set of checks
and balances in the music.
Complaints? Just two – and one of them McMeen is probably tired
of hearing me talk about. First, this disc could be a triple-set,
and it still wouldn’t feel like enough music, so obviously 42
minutes of his brilliant playing will seem like an appetizer,
leaving you wanting the main course. (Guess you have to check out
some of his other discs to satisfy that craving.) Second, McMeen
credits vocalist Scott Ainslie in the liner notes, yet I don’t hear
his contribution on “Hard Times, Come Again No More,” McMeen’s take
on a Stephen Foster classic. (It might be that I’m reading too much
into the liner notes, I’m not sure.)
Acoustic Guitar Treasures has been in almost constant
rotation in my CD player anywhere I go of late, and is just another
selection that shows McMeen’s mastery of his craft. Having seen
McMeen play live is kind of like watching a magician at work; you
might not know the mechanics involved, but you know the outcome is
still spectacular.
Acoustic Guitar Treasures is 13 magic tricks that still are
amazing me, even on what has to be my twentieth time listening to
the disc. Let McMeen’s magic come alive on your stereo, and pick
this disc up.
For more information or to order this disc, please
visit El McMeen’s
web site.