Phil Keaggy

Item: Cinemascape
Author: Darryl A. Armstrong

Cinemascape

(2001)

Reviewed by Darryl A. Armstrong

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Word ArtisanThe Phantom Tollbooth2001

acoustic new age

It is said that when asked how it felt to be the greatest guitar player ever, Jimi Hendrix replied, "I don't know. You'd have to ask Phil Keaggy." While the subject of this urban legend has also been referred to as being Eric Clapton and Eddie Van Halen, anyone who has heard guitar virtuoso Phil Keaggy live or listened to some of his guitar work from such albums as The Master and the Musician or 220 can testify that he is not altogether unworthy of such a comparison.

Keaggy has released a slew of instrumental only recordings in the last few years including his Music to Paint By series, Zion and the Latin-influenced Lights of Madrid. Cinemascape is his latest release from his Word Artisan label over which he has full, creative control. This album is a combination of new and previously released tracks taken from the Music to Paint By series. The name of the album is of course suggestive of a cinematic scope. Unfortunately Keaggy is no John Williams or Howard Shore. The music is excellent but restrained with a very mellow and relaxed feel. It might be great to fall asleep to or put on as background music, but I would hesitate to say it worthy of complementing a dramatic piece of film.

One of the new tracks and certainly one of the better cuts from the album, "The Road Home," is a collaboration between Keaggy and respected keyboardist Jeff Johnson. This track succeeds in creating an audible landscape with discernable hills and valleys, leading you down gently flowing streams of sound. However, it fails, much like the rest of the album, to climb any mountains or cross any oceans.

From certainly one of the greatest guitar players of our era, Keaggy once again releases an album of subtlety as opposed to unabashed creative power. For anyone who has enjoyed his recent instrumental albums, you might want to add this to your collection. For those who wish Keaggy would let loose and play more jaw-dropping pieces, keep waiting and listening to 220.

3.5 tocks