| Written May 2006
I am so excited to announce a new
name (and, "certified Chet nut") to us fans in the
Chet "circle" - Mark Hill. He's from out
in the Maritimes of Canada and one heck of a picker. His
dad taught him how to play Chet tunes at an early age and even
though he progressed through heavy classical and jazz studies,
he never forgot his love for the thumb pickin' stuff that his
dad left in his head.
In fact, after years of
professionally playing jazz, flamenco, and blues with a fairly
successful band he formed with his brother (The Hill Brothers),
it was his dad that recommended that he might drop back and
record some of his Chet music - which in fact he did: "Mark
Hill - Picks on Chet" This album is chuck full of
extremely well played old Chet and Jerry Reed tunes played on an
old early
1960's Anniversary Model Gretsch guitar. Mark brilliantly
migrates each tune from the thumb picking melody right into some
exquisite jazz lines - returning each tune to it's roots.
This
man is not trying to be the "next Chet Atkins" or the
"next Jerry Reed" and freely admits that mastering
fellow Canadian Lenny Breau arrangements is rather formidable.
What he did do, however, is record a wonderful tribute to the
man that so inspired his dad those many years ago, and our Ohio
Fingerstyle Guitar Club hero - Chet Atkins. Done
with taste and simplicity - and, laced with jazz interludes
that make this CD a true listening pleasure. (This CD is
looking for many car CD players to live in... (lol)
Selections
from "Mark Hill - Picks on Chet"
includes: Bye Bye Blues, Early Times, Hello Bluebird, Oh,
By Jingo, Perdido (my fav), Back Home in Indiana, and, Jerry's
Breakdown done with a middle to die for... Fifteen tunes
in all...
Take a listen to a couple tracks:
(Perdido) (Bye
Bye Blues)
Will
Mark Hill ever be a house hold name like Elvis Presley?
Naw - unless he decides to become a serial killer, or
something. Will he ever have a loud stage act like
Emmanuel or Dykes with major world wide tours? Probably
not. Could he hold his own jammin' with either of those
guys or with Sir Richard Smith? I'm sure he
could. Will we ever see him at the Chet Atkins
Appreciation Society annual convention in Nashville some
July? I SURE HOPE SO AND I HOPE HE SELLS A TON OF THESE
CDS THERE!!!!
Take
a listen to a tune that Mark is thinking about putting on his
next album: Sheik
of Araby & a tune he wrote Hubbard's
Cupboard
Palmer
Moore - Organizer, OFGC
Where to buy "Mark Hill - Picks on Chet" - Guitar Nine Records
Soon available at FunkJunk.com
Contact Mark Hill: onis@nbnet.nb.ca
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