PEPPINO D’AGOSTINO : Every Step of the Way : CD

D’AGOSTINO : Grand Canyon; Mediterranean Spark; Costa Rica; The Blue Ocean; Running Wild; Under The Same Sky; The Dancer; Close to Heaven; Western Journey; Desert Flower; Mother’s Tears; The Genie; Lagavullin; Born In The Sea.

Peppino D’Agostino

Favoured Nations Entertainment: FNA 5020-2

Here is an album where every track is written by our player, who is playing in a classical manner on an acoustic guitar. The first thing that hits you is how fabulous a player this man is. Born in Italy, he has recorded many albums over his time, and this one I am reviewing now actually won a Bronze medal for Best Acoustic album of all time by the Acoustic Guitar in its Acoustic Guitar’s People’s Choice Awards, which is a great start when listening to this album. His pieces are widely published by a number of companies and he has performed in more than 35 different countries with such wonderful players as Tommy Emmanuel (one of my very favourite players!) ,Leo Kottke and Martin Taylor, to name but three.

His pieces are usually very active, full of lots of fascinating details whilst he races around the guitar with apparent ease ( because they are certainly not at all easy!), whilst using all manner of effects like harmonics, pizzicato, and note bending , and still making the music have a recognisable melody as well.  

It is almost impossible to pick out favourite tracks because the entire album is wonderful from start to finish, and moreover beautifully recorded nice and closely, so you do literally hear every sound he makes.

This is a fabulous album full of wonderful pieces and brilliant playing. Go find it!

Chris Dumigan