Nicholas Gunn Through The Great Smoky Mountains: A Musical Journey CD

The third installment of Nicholas Gunn's National Park-themed albums guides us through the beauty of Southern Appalachia. Gunn writes dramatically structured instrumentals for keyboards and flute, conjuring summits and valleys in bold strokes rather than wispy pastels. He alters the mood of each song with judicious use of percussion, and allows little room for the repetition or monotony that can infect an album of pop instrumentals.

The mixed ethnic character of the songs echoes (bit does not mimic outright) that of the area's original Cherokee and Scotch-Irish inhabitants. "Trail of Tears," a heart-rending dirge for flute, piano, and Native drum, addresses the savage ousting of the Cherokee by Andrew Jackson's government in the early 1800s. In "Passage Through Ancient Relics," the flutes pretend they're bagpipes and lead us in a Celtic/Appalachian reel. Aside from the Smokies' cultural past, Gunn also describes their natural beauty. The ascending, minor key melody of "The Highest Point" leaves one slightly breathless, both triumphant and a little sad to have reached the top. The exhilarating "Ramsey Cascade," named for the range's highest waterfall, pulses with an almost Caribbean feel and a splashing, playful melody. There doesn't seem to be a natural phenomenon on earth that Gunn can't transform into pure, elegant sound.

Enhanced;10% Of Proceeds To Be Donated 2 Great Smoky Mountain

Includes liner notes by Karyn Bishoff.

Personnel: Nicholas Gunn (flute, piano, synthesizer, percussion); John Bishoff (acoustic guitar).

Personnel: Nicholas Gunn (flute, piano, synthesizer, percussion); John Bischoff (acoustic guitar); Daniel Bell (programming).

Audio Mixer: Nicholas Gunn.

Liner Note Author: Karyn Bishoff.

Recording information: Gemini Sun Records, Inc.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.