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Praised and embraced by the irreplaceable guitar legend John Fahey, Michael Gulezian was signed to Fahey's Takoma Records imprint in the late 1970s. His 12-string compositions were given a wider audience and placed him within the pantheon of greats including Leo Kottke, Robbie Basho, and also Fahey. LANGUAGE OF THE FLAME's guitar sound is amplified acoustic, full of slides and exquisite detail. In the starts and stops, the sound recedes into the body of the guitar only to reawaken in stunningly beautiful sequences with harmonic sparkle. "The Room of Doom" has great emotional range as Gulezian is able to release expansive moods. "Oh Suzannah" uses vocals to put a twist on the familiar tune. "All We'll Never Be" is a breathtaking arrangement with a poignant melody and full-bodied depth of sound. All the songs on LANGUAGE OF THE FLAME mesh together effortlessly, forming a completely resonant singularity, not merely a solo finger-picking record.
He may not be a household name, but Michael Gulezian (gu-LAY-ze-in) is one of the finest solo acoustic instrumental guitarists of our time. With his LANGUAGE OF THE FLAME release, Michael delivers a work of transcendent originality and stunning emotional depth.A phenomenal technical guitarist with a long history of critical acclaim, Michael Gulezian once again raises the aesthetic of contemporary acoustic solo guitar to a new level. Over the course of the nine songs on LANGUAGE OF THE FLAME, Michael expresses the full range of human emotion, from implacable grief to ecstatic joy. Jazziz Magazine publisher Michael Fagien describes LANGUAGE OF THE FLAME as "unbelievable ... incredible ... music from another planet." Grammy award winning producer Richard Adler writes, "Michael Gulezian composes, arranges, and performs some of the most complex and emotional music ever written for solo acoustic guitar." Music Web Express raves, "With the release of LANGUAGE OF THE FLAME, Gulezian takes his place among the great acoustic guitar innovators of the 20th Century." And in Acoustic Guitar Magazine, John Diliberto sums it all up: "Fingerstyle fire ... Michael Gulezian reignites his muse with Language of the Flame. ... for all his virtuosic ferocity, [he] never loses sight of the melody, or the drama of his compositions. And he can still play sweetly. At this stage in his career, Gulezian doesn't need to prove he can play, he just needs more people to hear his expansive and original sound." And that's exactly what is happening - the CD immediately charted nationally at radio, concert venues have grown larger, and Michael quickly found himself performing live to an audience of millions on three nationally syndicated NPR radio shows: West Coast Live, Echoes, and World Cafe. One generation removed from the musical arabesques of his Armenian heritage, infused with the raw emotional power of the Mississippi Delta trailblazers, fiercely devoted to his art, and blessed with technical proficiency in the extreme, Michael Gulezian remains a seminal force on the cutting edge of the American solo acoustic guitar tradition.
Solo perfomer: Michael Gulezian (acoustic guitar).
Personnel: Michael Gulezian (vocals, guitar); Jared Tyler (dobro); Jack Dwosh (charango); Derek Jones (upright bass); Tom Roady, Andy Behrens (percussion).
Recording information: Amerisound Studios, Columbus, OH; Sound Wave Studios, Nashville, TN.
Photographers: Bruce Schockett; Randi Anglin.
Translator: Daniel Ladinsky.
Arranger: Michael Gulezian.
Language Of The Flame Music
Michael Gulezian - Language Of The Flame Songs
| 1 | "I'm No Seismologist, " Chortled the Metrognome | | | |
| 2 | Little Meggie See All 2 | | | |
| 3 | Undo the Buncombe | | | |
| 4 | Room of Doom | | | |
| 5 | Oh Suzannah | | | |
| 6 | Jello Moves | | | |
| 7 | My Trampoline Heart See All 2 | | | |
| 8 | All We'll Never Be | | | |
| 9 | Michael Hedges Goes to Heaven | | | |
Language Of The Flame Music Review
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)   best solo guitar recording I've ever heard
in the guitar world, the really innovative work being done today is not in electric music, but in the acoustic realm. and the best solo acoustic guitarist i have ever heard is Michael Gulezian.
amazing technique, but even more amazing expressiveness. great sound, great recording, great sonic texture to the six and twelve string guitars. sophisticated compositions, where the melodies are not so obvious as much as they're implied.
becomes more and more rewarding with each listen.
incredible guitarist, musician, artist. incredible recording
Submitted by Jake (Austin, Texas)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No completely off the scale of greatness
Along with "Oracle" and "Aerial Boundaries" by Michael Hedges, and "Six and Twelve String Guitar" by Leo Kottke, this relatively unknown CD ranks IMHO among the best acoustic guitar recordings of all time.
Anyone expecting to hear acoustic guitar folkie music will be stunned - most of these songs knocked me against the wall. "The Room of Doom" is insane. "Michael Hedges Goes to Heaven" is incredible. There are some slower, prettier pieces as well, and they are BEAUTIFUL, but mostly this is ultra high octane guitar, from an artist at the peak of his powers.
Highest rating, highest recommendation.
Submitted by Gary Valerno (Seattle, WA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No | Have you heard this album? |  |
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