This is a Review of my Portraits CD with Canyon Records:
Gabriel Ayala<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />....
Portraits: Music for Classical Guitar....
Canyon Records....
www.canyonrecords.com....
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Gabriel Ayala is a member of Yaqui people of southern <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />....Arizona.... and, man, can he play classical guitar! As I listened to this CD, I became more and more impressed with his technique, which is amazing, to say the least, but also his great taste in compositions and his knack for getting straight to the heart of a piece. The 11 tracks on this album cover a lot of ground, ranging from the Spanish composer Isaac Albeniz to minimalist Erik Satie to English singer and lute player John Dowland to no less than Johann Sebastian Bach, who is represented by a mind-blowing treatment of “Toccata & Fugue in D minor.” Despite this being a classical guitar album, you will be pleasantly surprised at the assorted styles, moods and tempos here. What makes this a “highly recommended” CD to your customers is Ayala’s virtuosity which flat out blew me away.
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Bill Binkelman
New Age Retailer....