PHIL KEAGGY

When Jimi Hendrix was asked "What does it feel like to be the greatest guitar player in the world?" he shrugged his shoulders and responded "I don't know, ask Phil Keaggy." Whether this story, one that is popular among Keaggy fans, is true or not, it doesn't change the fact that Phil Keaggy, in my opinion, is the best all around guitar player in the world. You can have your Clapton or your Hendrix or Page whoever and they're al fine and good, but for me there’s no one who can quite match up to the overall brilliance of Phil Keaggy.

First of all, his technique is one thing that sets him apart. He's absolutely astounding in the acoustic field especially (the only people on his level are John McLaughlin and Steve Howe), but his electric abilities are no less amazing. Fast, or slow, simple or complex, he can do it all. Not always in the studio or even on his albums, but if you see this man live (I have three times), you'll understand exactly what I mean. And he never uses this talent just to show off. Instead he uses it as an opportunity to do things that he may not otherwise be able to do. A lot of guitarists who posses great technical ability on the guitar have largely been criticized, but I find it hard to think anyone could seriously say that the only reason Keaggy makes music is for the rest of the world to see how fast he can move his hand up and down the fret board. Besides, a great guitarist needs some degree of talent in playing to be a great guitarist. How can you call a person the best ever when he can't even play his instrument very well?

Second, Phil Keaggy is a diverse guitarist. He's got an incredible amount of variety in the styles he can play. He can do whatever he wants to on a guitar, acoustic, electric, pop, rock, Spanish. It’s reflected in the way he covers so many styles in his work. Over the past 20 years he’s done everything from folk to prog to pop and his does all of this quite well. Finally and most importantly, he isn't just a emotionless, soulless, speed machine when it comes to the guitar. He puts passion and feeling into his playing, and plenty of it, and comes out with complete and total beauty. He can create more powerful atmospheres just by strumming a few chords. And he does it SO WELL.

Keaggy’s talent is best seen in his instrumental work, mostly because those are focused around his actual music and the message in the music rather than the words, and I think that he can get his message across more effectively that way. His instrumental work is among the finest music I've ever heard. Many of them start out as simple improvisations that he builds and writes on, others simply stay that way. But as one person put it “But Keaggy is also the one artist who regularly says more with a 30-second improvised guitar flourish than others say with their most inspired, witty poems-put-to-music.” How true. Phil Keaggy can improvise better than most people can write. THAT is God-given talent.

I Don’t know too much about Keaggy’s actual history, but I know that he started out as a part of Glass Harp when he was still in his teens, and when he became a Christian in the 70s he began to pursue his own CCM solo career. He is one of the most acclaimed artists in the entire Christian music scene, and while I most definitely prefer his instrumental work, even his vocal albums are better than most other CCM. His official website is at http://www.philkeaggy.com/, where you can get most his albums for about ten dollars.

--Robert Grazer

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COMMENTS

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I haven't heard any Phil Keaggy music, but I honestly believe that he is not that best guitarist in the world. He may be (I promise to get to his stuff in the future, if I ever find it in Russia), but I'm sure he can't challange Ritchie Blackmore or Paco de Lucia. Jedge for youself. Ritchie was technically perfect and have done too many mistakes in concert, but he may drive you into the grave, he got speed and he is absolutely amazing in studio - no solo is a completely mess or something like that. Plus, he is acoustically great - Blackmore's Night proves that.

Speaking about Paco... Well, he's got improvisation. When he begins to play his jazz, blues or flamenco improvs - I can't do anything else but to listening to guitar. Plus, he is technically perfect - met one guy in http://www.genesis-music.com/ chat (Genesis oficiall site), who is guitarist himself and released 10 or so albums and he thinks that Paco is the best guitarman ever. He made quite a lot provements, many of them I can remember. I only leave my comment - I hardly doubt if there is another guitarist who played in almost all genres of music perfect guitar technique and made such great improvs. Plus, he is great composer.

...But I will listen to some Keaggy, I promise.

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I actually heard this guy live once in my high-school auditorium in a really small audience. At the time I hadn't even heard of him... but Goddamn! He just made it all up on the spot. He improvised this piece on the spot where he would play a couple of lines of music and press down a peddle with his foot which would then loop the track. He overdubbed about 5 tracks on the spot right in front of my eyes effortlessly! After seeing your sight, I know I have to get some of his albums.

THE MASTER AND THE MUSICIAN (1989)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

HIGH POINTS: Medley: Evensong/Twilight/Forever Joy, Deep Calls Unto Deep, Suite Of Reflections, Epilogue/Amazing Grace, Golden Halls, Wedding In The Country Manor, Agora, The High And Exalted One, The Pilgrim’s Flight, Follow Me Up. LOW POINTS: None.

In 1978 Phil Keaggy had already been named the greatest guitar player ever by quite a many people, and already in his solo career he had received much acclaim for his past works, but then he realized that there was an entire area that he had not yet explored: the instrumental. The Master And The Musician is Keaggy’s first fully instrumental album, originally released in 1978, later re-released in 1989 with the track “Epilogue/Amazing Grace” added. You wouldn't think that Keaggy could get it right on his first effort, or at least, you wouldn't think he would get it this right, but somehow he did, and it makes The Master And The Musician one of the very best albums I own.

And it’s a very simple album. Even the title has no real deep meaning behind it. It’s a statement that God is the Master, and Keaggy is the musician. Even when the guitar lines may seem complicated or technical there is still an overall feel of simplicity. And if you listen to most of the melodies on the album that’ what you'll here. They only take a moment or two to remember, but in their simplicity they become powerful and moving, yet all in a very subtle way. This isn't any emotional powerhouse like Operation: Mindcrime or something. As great as that album may be it still lacks the peace of this one. Quite frankly, apart from a couple of Keaggy’s other instrumental albums I've yet to see any release that can achieve the same level of subtle and peaceful power. But I search for it. And I hope that I can find another album like this. I hope that I can find another dozen albums like this. Unfortunately I don’t think that’s going to happen.

In all honesty I'd love to rip off one of the lines from the classic film (and play) Amadeus like “God was speaking through this little man” (and Keaggy is actually a rather short man), because that’s what this sounds like. It sounds like the music is the voice of God manifested through the guitar, and for fifty minutes captured on an album for everyone to enjoy. It is perfection, and I could come up with corny metaphors all day long to describe this release, but somehow I doubt that would do me any good. I think the only thing I can do is, to the best of my ability, make some sort of an attempt to describe the thirteen songs on here.

To begin the entire album is a keyboard line slowly fading in, repeating itself up and down before the first chords are strummed and the journey begins. “The Pilgrim’s Flight” isn't exactly the way that you'd expect this album to begin, a rather energetic song, displaying Keaggy’s technical abilities on the acoustic guitar, the only place on the album that does so, actually. This album isn't about technique. It’s about melody, and beauty. But that doesn't mean that we don’t get to see the man’s ability at all. On the following track, “Agora,” there are some incredibly clean and fast riffs all over the place. The song itself sounds not too different from the theme song to The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, who is best remembered as the one artist who wanted his trees to look like happy trees. Then it’s a quick “Castle Call” to serve as a transition in “Wedding In The Country Manor,” which is quite frankly a REALLY beautiful tune. Images flood my mind of a happy country wedding the entire time, the flute and guitar working together perfectly. Such a great song.

But in all honesty the true magic of Keaggy’s instrumentals comes with the quiet, reflective pieces. The first of these is the complete masterwork of “Suite Of Reflections” which makes an acoustic to electric transition effortlessly. The depth of the song is amazing, and it flows perfectly into “Golden Halls,” another quiet and reflective piece on the electric guitar. A nice one to hum along too a well. Then it’s out for some fun with “Mouthpiece,” an energetic entry using only of the instrument of the voice for some ‘do’ and ‘da’ style lines. Closing off side one is “Follow Me Up” to take the listener up a mountain with some more electric lines, not to mention some technical beauty to be witnessed as the song fades out. A great way to finish the first half of this album.

Beginning side 2 is another energetic track in “Jungle Pleasures” which could probably have used another couple minutes to the track, but take what you can get. The pensive “Deep Calls Unto Deep” that follows is one of the tracks on the album that has grown on me a whole lot lately. A truly gorgeous song that revolves around an electric guitar swaying up and down, so peacefully. I love it. My favorite moment comes in the end when the final guitar line begins to fade out, almost as if the calling described in the song’s title is some attempt to say good bye as  something drifts away. Whatever the case may be it’s one of the most moving instrumental songs I've ever heard.

And then we come to what gets my vote (and apparently not just mine, sine the other one or two reviews out there that I've read for this album have mentioned it quite favorably too) for simply being the best song on the album, and one of the best songs ever written in “Medley: Evensong/Twilight/Forever Joy,” a seven-plus minute track that shows Keaggy at his absolute finest. It starts with a slow, hopeful acoustic line, rising up. Slowly the song makes its way into the next section, an even quieter piece with a simple vocal melody being sung by a woman with Keaggy’s own voice backing until the entire thing explodes with hope in the “Forever Joy” section for an incredible finish. It’s one of the most uplifting moments in rock history.

The short “The High And Exalted One” is based on a complex piece of heaven of a melody to work as an interlude into the epic “Epilogue/Amazing Grace,” another one that begins with Phil’s brilliant acoustic talent. Eventually the song moves on into its own “Amazing Grace” played on the keyboard and his own guitar thrown in. As the album eventually fades out and I sit back and wonder if there will ever be another release like this one. The only person who can play the guitar like this is Keaggy himself, and even he hasn't managed to top it yet. I can't believe that I once found the second side boring. I was such a fool...

So in the end Keaggy’s talent with the guitar to both play technically advanced work and to great incredibly deep emotion and atmosphere cannot be denied, and neither can his talent in successfully creating a diverse range of styles. The result is a humble album that manages to rank very high among my favorites, as maybe the ultimate album form the 80s, and one that I would completely recommend to anyone who was able to pull themselves through my review. Instrumental music doesn't get much better than this. Actually to my knowledge it doesn't get better at all. Buy this now.

* OVERALL RATING: 10+ *

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BEYOND NATURE (1991)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

HIGH POINTS: When Night Falls, As Warm As Tears, Fare Thee Well, A Place Of Springs, I Feel The Winds Of God Today.  LOW POINTS: None.

If there's ever going to be an instrumental album that can compete with the overall beauty of The Master And The Musician it has to be another Keaggy release, and his second instrumental effort of Beyond Nature might actually exceed the high instrumental standards Keaggy set before. I don't think that any single song quite hits the level of "Medley: Evensong/ Twilight/ Forever Joy," but overall it's an even more consistently great collection of songs. It's quieter, more reflective, and all acoustic. Keaggy's technical brilliance is shown even less here, just a few riffs in a couple songs (especially "Symphonic Dance"), but it's obvious he really knows what he wants to accomplish here, and he does. He uses a guitar to create music that any other guitarist can only dream of, forming moods and pictures in the mind and soul and holding it all together tightly with an incredible melodic talent.

The album opens with an unforgettable guitar melody with "In The Light Of Common Day," strongly setting the scene for what is to come. And what comes is an almost magical exploration, from the relaxing to the exciting, an hour of incredible guitar playing. "Country Down" has a violin added in to give the song almost a rural feel to it, the melody never weakening for a moment. The first real great track on the album comes in "I Feel The Winds of God Today," which creates a mood so effectively, each note well placed, and finishing in a somewhat similar style to "Deep Calls Unto Deep" with a perfect and quiet fade out.

Not that everything on this album is quiet, no. This may be an even mellower work than The Master And The Musician, but there are still some upbeat and energetic moments. "Symphonic Dance" has a mild intro, but a minute or so in it Keaggy throws in several great fast riffs as the music changes to a more upbeat style. And there's also the build up of "A Place Of Springs" (which continues "As Warm As Tears," a perfect beautiful piece with an incredibly strong atmosphere, each little melody adding more and more) into something quiet, but energetic, flowing with interesting guitar lines, until at the end Keaggy breaks into a quick reprise of "The Pilgrim's Flight" to close off the song. It's followed by another reprise, one of "In The Light of Common Day" which has a horn and strings added in to give it a very climactic feel.

There are also some of the 'musical paintings' that Keaggy has done before, the best being "Fare Thee Well," which completely fits its title in nearly every way, and amazes me with the ease that it does so.  Same thing with "Fragile Forest" and its slow and steady pace, providing a clear illustration of what Keaggy wishes to show is. I think it's amazing how he seems to effortlessly write and play these acoustic pieces, especially when every single one on here is just so incredibly good. And I don't think there is any other place on this album that his talent with the guitar is more apparent than on the closing track, "When Night Falls." There's the steady sound of crickets chirping in the background and what I think is the quietest, gentlest, most peaceful work on the album is played.

Beyond Nature is one incredibly peaceful and relaxing album, as well as one of the best, providing an hour of escape into a more peaceful world. It's good to wind down or go to bed too, but at the same time it can be listened to on its own, and not as background music. It's perhaps the best place to start with Keaggy, since Beyond Nature is widely considered to be his finest instrumental release (some say it's his best album overall). I'm not sure I can quite agree with that statement, since in many ways I still do find The Master And The Musician to be just slightly superior, but if you like Keaggy as much as I do you should just get them both, right now.

* OVERALL RATING: 10 *

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THE WIND AND THE WHEAT (1992)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

HIGH POINTS: March Of The Clouds, I Love You Lord, The Wind And The Wheat, From Shore To Shore, The Promise, Paradise Dream.  LOW POINTS: None.

With the release of The Wind And The Wheat (which I believe was originally in 1987 or 1988, but no one cares about that so we'll be like everyone else and say that it was 1992) Phil Keaggy was finally able to create an instrumental work that broke free of the devoted yet limited CCM community, and finally got major recognition from outside critics, including a Grammy nomination. This is obviously the result of a somewhat different sound in his instrumentals, a more polished and accessible sound along with several other things that usually make the critics start raving about albums. It has a professional sound to it, one that is quite unlike what he'd done before.

But hey, it’s not like this is really a ‘sell out’ release or anything. Keaggy has always been an incredibly diverse artist, and if he wants to try this sort of sound then he can. It’s not like he made a habit of it, since this is the only instrumental album of his that I’m familiar with that carries such mainstream sound. But at the same time there’s only about half the album that truly feels like that, with the other half simply more of Keaggy exploring different atmospheres, melodies and moods with various guitar styles, sounds and techniques. So while the critics certainly gave this album its due praise, it’s not something a Keaggy fan should avoid for that reason.

That said, I still think that this doesn't quite live up to Beyond Nature and The Master And The Musician. Phil had to follow up two of the greatest albums he could have possibly made, so naturally there’s going to be some disappointment here. I mean, you can't keep up making albums like those for too long. But that’s not an excuse for poor quality work, and luckily that’s not what this is. Very few artists have impressed me as much as instrumental Phil Keaggy, and since starting to really begin to get his instrumental work fairly recently, each album has strengthened my belief that he is by far the best guitarist ever.

But back to the actual album. Various other instruments are used in addition to the guitar, which certainly isn't a first after the keyboards and flutes and such the were here before, but never before were they here used as much as they are now. This brings up the biggest complaint I have with the album, which is that on a few occasions the guitar can get lost behind some of the other instruments, particularly the piano during “Where Travelers Meet,” which is a fine song, but I put this release on to listen to Phil Keaggy play the guitar, and while I have no problem with other instruments added in to double the guitar or add to the mood, I still think that for the most part the guitar should be the main focus of the music here.

Other than that this album is pretty much fine by me. The opening “March Of The Clouds” begins with a mighty electric solo, with a steady keyboard background. Lots of great guitar riffs here too. The much slower title track is also a highlight, a memorable piece of musical poetry with a reflective atmosphere and strong melody. The aforementioned “Where Travelers Meet” becomes another beautiful track after the piano moves aside a little to reveal the pure beauty of Keaggy’s guitar. Another favorite includes Keaggy’s own take on “I Love You Lord” (similar to what he did with “Amazing Grace” on The Master And The Musician and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” on Acoustic Sketches), closing off the album with all of its peace in tact, reminding the listener of the magic that has been captured over the past fifty minutes.

I started out thinking that this album was boring, but now I've realized that, as one of the mellowest albums I've ever heard, it still manages to be incredibly interesting and moving all through out, as I think there is still more room for it to grow on me even more. It has such a magical sound to it. Even though it’s different than his previous two instrumental masterpieces it still manages to be almost as moving, earning one of the highest 9s I could possibly give out. There’s something about it that makes me close my eyes and absorb every single not in a quieter and more special way than most albums, even my some of those that I consider superior, can't make me do. If you look at the cover you see people quietly gathering wheat in a beautiful picture. The album is exactly like that.

The Wind And The Wheat also functions as a whole album rather than just a bunch of great individual instrumental songs. Particularly on the first half, which flows together very smoothly. I’m not entirely sure what there is about it is about his album that gives it this unity that his other instrumental albums Don’t quite have. Whatever it is works even better than Keaggy probably intended for it. And for that reason you should make this first on your list to buy after you've got the two before it. An amazing album.

OVERALL RATING: 9

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TRUE BELIEVER (1995)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

HIGH POINTS: The Survivor, Salvation Army Band, The True Believers, And On That Day. LOW POINTS: Only You (Can Wash My Sins Away), Don’t Let Go Of My Heart, Have Mercy Lord.

Yes, I’m going to do it. Here is a review for a non-instrumental Phil Keaggy album. The reason is simple really. In just reviewing his instrumental work I’m probably looking like a raving fanboy, since it’s all so incredible, and therefore tends to earn high scores fairly easily. So I get one of his non-instrumental releases, one that I was hoping I'd still like, since I'd heard “Salvation Army Band” and the title track before and enjoyed them greatly, and I'd seen this album praised in several reviews, I thought maybe this would be a good place to start.

What I see as the problem with True Believer is that Phil isn't using his biggest talent to its full potential. There are not many places here where you can find any real guitar solos at all. I’m not much upset with the fact that there’s singing here; I’m just wishing that he could still focus these songs around his amazing guitar playing. This only happens in a few places, like the aforementioned “Salvation Army Band,” which is a truly sincere tune, with excellent guitar lines littered throughout. Not to mention the actual song has got a great melody going for it, with the backing vocals of “cover me” adding to the experience even more to the mood.

The title track has bells in the background during the chorus, and the best vocal performance Phil gives on the album, while the vocal melody of “Wild Heart” is a truly melodic and incredibly catchy way to get the message across. “And On That Day” is a slower more beautiful song that works quite well with the accompanying female vocals. The closing track of “The Survivor” begins with a heartfelt acoustic beginning leads into a fantastic coda (where the best guitar work on the album lies), all of the emotion running strong, and earning it’s epic seven and a half minutes, and also becoming the best track on the album.

Elsewhere there are some serious problems. “Don’t Let Go Of My Heart” is a little bit too sappy for my tastes, the whole thing just seeming a but too forced. And while “Have Mercy Lord” does have some impressive guitar lines in there, the addition of some corny horns really ruins the moment. The biggest offender, though, is “Only You (Can Wash My Sins Away),” which, quite frankly, sounds more like one of those Vineyard praise and worship songs than a rock composition. I guess there is some way you could take it as something different and maybe enjoy it a little bit, but in the midst of the other songs here, it doesn't work at all.

You see? Keaggy does have some weaknesses. True Believer has plenty of strengths, too, and that makes it and overall good record. If you think that Keaggy’s Christian message isn't clear enough in the instrumental work get this, and even if you're just looking for some well done CCM this may be for you too. The highlights on here are enough for me to give it a mild recommendation, and if you can ignore a handful of lesser tracks you'll enjoy it quite a lot.

OVERALL RATING: 6

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220 (1996)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

HIGH POINTS: Animal, Arrow, Watt Ever, Highland, Tennessee Morning.  LOW POINTS: None.

Until this point Phil Keaggy’s instrumental albums weren't really about upbeat songs and such. Sure there had been a few neat little tunes here and there, but for the most part they were based mostly around quieter, reflective pieces. For 220 Keaggy changed all of this. This is a fully rocking blues album, little organ and all. And it’s catchy as hell. The guitar tone perfectly suiting the music, Keaggy again proving that he can play whatever he wants incredibly well once again. Not to mention that if you're only looking for his technical brilliance this is the first of his instrumentals you should come to. Not that that’s all there is here, but you get more of that here than anywhere else, along with some of the best blues rock ever recorded.

Of course in choosing to do this over his normal reflective instrumental style, he’s lost the best thing about his music, but you wouldn't think that this album would still be so good. It charges through with all of the energy in the world, almost as if the quieter instrumentals hadn't just happened. Sure by those standards this is a huge disappointment, but we can't judge everything by Keaggy standards, now can we? This is an incredibly melodic album, and that’s what matters. And in the midst of all of the blues his still pulls out “Tennessee Morning,” as a quieter track that might have fit on one of the earlier instrumental albums. You see, he can't entirely lose that great slow stuff.

But the rest is where we get our charged up sound from. “Animal” is proof of this right away, starting off the entire album with a blues riff and tons of great little guitar lines. Almost every other song follows suit,each one in its own little style, from the fast pace of “The Great Escape” to the Scottish flavor of “Highland” and though the great riffage in the closing “Watt Ever.” Along the way you pick up some great tracks for the ride, and when it’s all done you'll be happier.

So it’s not one of Keaggy’s best instrumental releases, but realize that it wasn't meant to be. It was meant to be a little bit of a break from the deep and slow tracks so he could try something new. And it still is a winner, even if I Don’t put it on half as much as I put on The Master And The Musician. It’s not a masterpiece, it's a master guitarist trying out some blues. It’s what he does. He plays what he wants to. He explores different styles. And he’s good at it.

A solid 8 for a solid and very consistent album. There isn't a bad song on here. Occasionally I grow a little weary of the blues style by the time the album winds down, even though there is no single track that I can never stand. But when I’m in the right mood every song is a highlight and my toe ends up tapping a little as I enjoy the sounds of the electric guitar. Pick 220 up if you want to try something new from Keaggy, or are looking for some great guitar lines for you to learn. You will be pleased.

OVERALL RATING: 8

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ACOUSTIC SKETCHES (1996)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

HIGH POINTS: On Some Distant Shore, Legacy, Nellie’s Tune, Icicles, Morning Snow, Spend My Life With You, Rivulets, Metamorphosis, Paka, Passing Thought.  LOW POINTS: None.

Following 220, Phil Keaggy returned to the acoustic guitar to release what would be his most ambitious instrumental album until 1999’s Music To Paint By (which is over three hours). Acoustic Sketches is over an hour of music, but like the title suggests, these aren’t the fully formed musical paintings that have been present of his previous instrumental releases. Instead, most of these are merely sketches, often short, simple, to the point. Nineteen tracks present, ranging from seven minutes to fifteen seconds. The word ‘song’ doesn’t even apply to most of them. As such, it’s some of the most difficult and inaccessible music Keaggy has ever delivered, but ultimately more rewarding, among his finest work.

And the music is still incredibly diverse. You would never know that so much could be done with just an acoustic guitar, but there are no two songs on here that sound alike. The songs range from instrumental versions of some of Keaggy’s previous folk tunes, some Spanish, spirituals, patriotic music, all done with enough different picking styles and subtly placed riffs to make the sure acoustic guitar player’s Bible. Lessons in pretty much everything to be done with an acoustic are here, but there’s still the undying restraint (Keaggy never gets caught up in pure technique) with the instrument that makes the music enjoyable whether you are a musician or not. No other guitarist has control of their instrument like this, and Acoustic Sketches is further proof of that.

Opening is the brilliant “Metamorphosis” which indeed goes under a dramatic change half way through. I used to think it was two different songs. “Rivulets” completely reflects its title, while “Nellie’s Tune” features a theme to be later reprised on the album. Then through the short interlude of “Passing Thought,” slowly, the full beauty of the album slowly unfolds, as one incredible sketch after another surfaces, losing you in an incredible and unique world of music, the likes of which I’ve yet to see any other artist duplicate.

The album also features an instrumental versions of several vocal songs, perhaps most notably one of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” a Beyond Nature outtake. I’m quite glad it didn’t originally make it to the album, since it’s far too cheery and upbeat a song to fit in with the quiet and deep Beyond Nature tracks, but on an album as diverse as this one, it fits in perfectly. I think it’s a fine version of the spiritual, with a tuba added in for additional listening pleasure. “The 50th” slowly evolves into an instrumental take on the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” another amazing addition to the album.

“Paka” and “Spend My Life With You” were originally vocal songs from other Keaggy releases that he turned into instrumental tracks with excellent results. The former is a great upbeat folk song in honor of Keaggy’s father, irresistibly catchy and incredibly melodic and memorable. It strays little from the original version of the song, which in this case is a good thing. The latter is a slower, extremely beautiful and effective ballad. I haven’t heard the vocal version of the song, so I can’t comment on it, but from the version here I can say that the idea behind making these instrumental versions was anything but filling an album.

The best stretch of music appears toward the end, beginning with the albums ultimate highlight, “On Some Distant Shore,” a great guitar sound playing simple yet effective chords, mysterious and memorable, one of the best tracks I’ve heard from Keaggy. “Icicles” and “On Second Thought” both continue in a somewhat similar mood, leading through the quick, melodic, improvisation of “Gregarious” and into the closing song. “Legacy” begins as merely a reprise of a melody heard in “Nellie’s Tune,” but changes into a fitting end to the album, more impressive guitar work both technically and artistically, leaving the listener completely satisfied.

Even though I didn’t like it much at first, thinking that Keaggy had pushed himself a little bit too far, repeated listens have proved the original judgement wrong. It took awhile, but now I’d say that most of the material here is just as good as anything he ever did. Again not a single track on the album is bad, making this a consistently excellent journey, definitely for anyone who enjoyed the earlier instrumental Keaggy releases. Acoustic Sketches is, in a smaller way, a true masterpiece, further proving the unending and unparalleled musical talent of the world’s greatest guitar player. He’s already made enough albums to secure his title as one of the best musicians to grace the earth, and there’s still more to come. Amazing.

OVERALL RATING: 9

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MAJESTY AND WONDER (1999)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

HIGH POINTS: What Child Is This?, Nativity Suite, Silent Night, The Coventry Carol, Jesù, Joy of Man’s Desiring, The First Noel.  LOW POINTS: None.

Phil Keaggy does a Christmas album. I guess your view of Christmas music in general is going to decided whether or not you look into getting this but naturally with an instrumental talent like Keaggy involved, when he pulls out his own instrumental versions of well-known carols and such, they’re going to be better than those carolers that go door to door. His trademark style can be found in each of the songs, which certainly brings a plus. It even makes me enjoy some tunes (“Do You Hear What I Hear” in particular) that I never could before.

The best touch doesn’t even come from the guitar, though. These songs are orchestrated (thanks to the London Festival Orchestra), which sound excellent indeed. In some places the strings place no more than the slightest touches, while tracks like “Do You Hear What I Hear” become truly magnificent with heavier orchestration, certainly one of the reasons why I can enjoy it so much. Even though they are an integral part of the music here, not for one second do they overshadow the guitar. The arrangement works perfectly, especially on the slower songs like “What Child Is This?” and “Silent Night,” and it makes them some of the most satisfying tracks on the album, and probably the best versions of the beloved songs that I’ve ever heard.

The three-track Nativity Suite is also a true highlight, a seven minute stretch of original music (or at least as far as I know, original). Samples of other Christmaas tunes are included within (the most notable being “Silver Bells” beginning the third part, “Flight Into Egypt”), and those certainly help maintain the mood of the album. The three tracks move from the first two peaceful and quiet tunes to the rapid and energetic closing, all working together brilliantly. Both the guitar (of course) and orchestral arrangements shine again, creating something quite different, but still something extremely enjoyable.

Once again the only times the human voice is heard it’s used as an instrument and not to simply sing, which helps keep the mood of the album strong. It adds up to another winner from Keaggy; the only reason to hesitate with this one if you liked the other would be the fact that it is a Christmas album. When it comes to that, I guess it depends on the individual. Just remember that these are a cut above most others. So, yeah, you can get Majesty And Wonder and simply pull it out one month out of the year, but for me this will be the first time I’d keep a collection like this out all year long.

OVERALL RATING: 8

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