|
Duncan Kennedy - Guitar Events at Strathpeffer
This year’s series of concerts was kicked off in grand style by Ben Edom, a fingerstyle guitarist from Appin who has been making a great name for himself in recent years, particularly in Celtic circles.
Ben’s versatile and seemingly effortless technique was well displayed to a large turnout of enthusiasts in an excellent programme of great variety. He played some slow airs, some toe-tapping reels and jigs, some flamenco and some of his own compositions from his previous and forthcoming CD albums, all of which were performed with great feeling for the music and not mere technical wizardry.
It is said that a performer must project part of himself into the music played, and Ben clearly was at one with the soul of the music. All of the music was thoroughly enjoyed, and a particularly memorable piece was a flamenco rumba called “Herecia Latina”. Ben’s occasional use of an amazing 7-string guitar (it has an extra string in the bass) lent a harmonic depth to many of the tunes which was very noticeable. The overall sound was wonderful, rich and warm without sacrificing clarity.
This was Ben’s first appearance at Strathpeffer, and judging by the warmth of his reception I suspect he will be back. We’ll look forward to that.
Ellie Blair, Celtic and Beyond KTAOS Radio Station 101.9FM, New Mexico
http://www.ktao.com/
Ben Edom should rightly be proud of 'Spindrift'. He has created an amazing CD covering a multitude of different music tastes while maintaining a distinct Celtic flavour. It's obvious that he's deeply connected to his instrument and I will continue to cover his work on Celtic and Beyond. Feedback from my audience has been great.
Alex MacKinnon, Ayrshire, Scotland
In Ben Edom, Scotland has produced another superb guitarist of taste and sensitivity. Spindrift is an eclectic and inspiring collection of tunes which obviously reflect a lifetime of experience. Ben deserves to be ranked alongside Tony McManus as one of our premier exponents of the Celtic guitar.
Stephen Hunt, Greenman Review
http://www.greenmanreview.com/
Ben Edom is a hugely talented Scottish guitarist and someone who knows his way around a fret board. Edom's got the feel and skill rolling across the dynamic range of the guitar and accentuates with some punchy stuff at the thumb end with some jaw-dropping bends and pull-offs. It's an astonishing, exciting piece of work, full of jazzy improvisations and touches of funk, which he invests with audible emotion. Edom comes across as a warm and sincere personality who carries a genuine love of this music and a deeply held belief in it's ability to lift the human spirit.
Mairi McInnes - Gaelic Singer, Arran, Scotland
.... Really stirring, an album which truly touches the 'inner soul'
Alasdair MacLean, The Scots Magazine
http://www.scotsmagazine.com/
Ben offers the overwhelmingly confident, seemingly effortless playing that makes you believe that all is well with the world. Ben weaves his fluent, fluid magic through a set of tracks with origins from Shetland to Satchmo, via Gaelic and Irish sources. A treat for lovers of expert execution on the kind of guitar you don't need to plug in, thus delivering music and feeling rather than decibels .... Finger-pluckin' good.
Folking.com
http://www.folking.com/
Ben Edom is what you'd call a musicians musician. He concentrates on guitar instrumentals of a predominantly traditional nature highlighting his technical ability. Starting with the title track 'Spindrift' he slips easily into the mould of say Martin Simpson. On the following track 'Streets of London/Donna Donna' he utilises classical guitar bringing an altogether warmer tone than his steel strung. I must admit a preference for the Celtic tunes of which there are several sparkling arrangements of popular standards including a work-out of the old chestnut 'St Anne's Reel'.
Simon Jones, Traditional Music Maker Magazine
http://www.tradmusic.net/
Hot on the heels of guitar revelation Clive Carroll comes Scots finger picking from Ben Edom. Spending more years than you or I might consider healthy on a boat, he's acquired quite a talent with his wandering ways, including a definite feeling for his own country to which he's now returned and having duly made an impression delivered this CD. Rather than a folkie he's a guitarist, there's an important distinction to be drawn, as Edom mixes all manner of tunes in one big bowl, regardless of source they are just guitar pieces. So, Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring, sits alongside Streets of London, and What A Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong copping a mention in the sleeve notes. With playing that's sensitive and dizzyingly fast by turn the airs are graceful and the reels enough to knacker a whirling dervish. Pulling on no obvious influences like so many other acoustic pickers who roll call names of their favourite artists, Ben Edom just quietly gets on with the job.
Peter MacCalman, The Flipside Music Festival, Edinburgh
http://petermaccalman.co.uk/
A phenomenal player who takes you on a journey through many different styles and lands, while retaining a strong, modern Celtic feel to his work. I look forward to hearing the further development of this already great artist.
Dalriada
http://www.dalriada.co.uk/
Ben plays acoustic guitar and on this CD he incorporates traditional Scottish and Gaelic airs as well as classical, jazz and contemporary instrumentals. Traditional tracks include West Wind, The Broom of the Cowdenknowes (one of my favourite Scots songs); there is an O'Carolan set and an Irish jigs set. There is also a Gaelic set which features the pibroch lament 'Caoidh Iain Ruaidh' followed by two lively mouth music tunes. My favourite track is 'Birlinn Latharna' where the combination of harp and guitar works really well, the harp picking up the sound of the oars as the birlinn (Gaelic long ship) moves through the water. There is a great deal of expression in Ben's music, he has his own personal touch that shines through as you listen to each track. I have a feeling we shall be hearing a lot more from this talented musician!
Sue Wilson, The Scottish Sunday Herald
Juggling steel-strung, nylon-strung, electric and bass guitars, plus didgeridoo and bodhran, Edom scores points for variety - a very capable player.
The Oban Times
http://www.obantimes.co.uk/
Spindrift is a superb collection of performances, with ancient Gaelic airs, modern compositions and classical work all given Ben's own personal touch.
The Scottish & Irish Traditional Celtic Music Store
http://www.scottish-irish.com/
Considering the number of folk who 'play' the guitar, it's surprising how few albums there are to actually listen to - this one will help redress that balance.
Andrew McDiarmid, Simply Scottish.com USA
http://www.simplyscottish.com/
As soon as the first chords of Ben Edom's title track 'Spindrift' came on, I felt myself being transported to Scotland's islands, the rugged, windy shores of the Western Isles. Ben's acoustic fingerstyle guitar is the perfect musical description of the feeling one gets standing alone somewhere in Scotland, taking in the immense beauty. The feeling is timeless, a feeling that is also present in the album 'Spindrift'. Track 4 'West Wind' is a melodious flowing of the wind in it's journey across the land, and is actually a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune. If you closed your eyes during 'West Wind', it's easy to envision yourself on Skye or Mull or Iona, the gentle wind passing by you on it's course. Another key piece is 'Broom of the Cowdenknowes', a traditional Scottish piece that is all at once reflective and uplifting. Cowdenknowes is in Berwickshire, and the tune can be traced to Scotland's 17th century, where it first appeared in a collection as 'The Lovely Northerne Lass'. Along with the traditional Scottish pieces are a few nice additions to 'Spindrift'. Louis Armstrong's classic 'What A Wonderful World' is given a gently jazzy guitar touch, while the guitar talents of Chilean musician Oscar Lopez are featured in Edom's rendition of the fiery 'Classical Soul'. Even the ever enjoyable music of J.S. Bach is honoured with a soothing version of 'Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring'. Ben can certainly play the guitar, and not only play it but see that it takes listeners to places only the musician and instrument have so far been. 'Spindrift' is a pleasant blend of Scottish, Jazz, Classical and Contemporary guitar music, and is not so much an album of music as it is a delightful journey.
Celtic Soul Music, Scotland
http://www.celtic-soul-music.com/
Fresh, vital Celtic and contemporary music with a masterful blend of moods, textures and flavours. If anyone can make a guitar sing, it's Ben Edom. This man is truly talented!
Shortlist, Caledonia Magazine
Ben Edom's latest album Spindrift blends Scottish traditional with jazz and classical as played on acoustic guitar, allowing each tune to sound refreshingly individual.
|
|
