Christopher Short - Duende

Until very recently, most folks thought of Jeff Pearce when the term, "ambient guitar" was mentioned. Others might think of Dave Tollefson. And, of course, some would think, "Whozits? The guy from Ma Ja Le? What's his name again?" With the release of Duende, a double CD of drifting minimalism, everyone will be talking about Christopher Short, the guy from... The two discs in this set are awesome and they are as different as night and day - literally!

Disc one is Duende - While it sometimes sounds like Chris just wraps his fingers around the guitars and lets it fly, deep listeners will be able to hear the intricacies of the sound design and the fret work of the untreated guitar. Mysterious samples augment the atmospheres and complete the soundscape. Disc two is much brighter and more cheerful than disc one. Chris put his heart and soul into this full force. The imagery is that of a blues guitarist just jamming away. But it is obvious, of course, that Chris put a tremendous amount of effort into his arrangements. The pastoral nature samples and the guitartronics are interwoven as Chris explores new soundworlds and discovers new avenues for spiritual connections. And, THAT is the gist of this set! It is great music. It is ambient, atmospheric and minimalist. But above and beyond all that, it is a spiritual experience of the highest order! It is a metaphor for prayer and meditation. Disc one talks to God asking the questions. (That is prayer.) Disc two listens to God, seeking the answers. (That is meditation.)

Congratulations and thank you, Chris! This is a valuable disc for these trying times!

~ Jim Brenholts, AmbientVisions and AMG