Wonderfully melodic, expertly layered, masterfully interwoven, lusicious yet rootsy.

-Guitar Player Magazine, describing Fernwood’s album, Almeria

You guys all probably know by now that at Guitar Player Zen, we really like to emphasize finding your own voice, developing into an artist with your own sound and uniqueness, finding creative and subtle ways to set yourself apart from the crowd, etc.

Well Todd Montgomery and Gayle Ellett have done a great job in finding their own niche.  By playing traditional World instruments in new and exciting ways, they have created a new hybrid style that is uniquely their own.  Both with over thirty years professional experience each, Montgomery and Ellett achieve a frail and haunting sound on their album Almeria.  Contemporary and Old-World styles are merged and blended together into something new and beautiful.  The arrangements and orchestration are sophisticated and dynamic, with interesting and well thought out changes in direction and mood.

Open Seas

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

What I like about Fernwood and Todd and Gayle, is the fact that they don’t just classify themselves as putting out a guitar album.  Rather, it is an eclectic instrumental album, featuring some very interesting instruments:

• Irish Bouzouki
• Sitar
• Mandolin
• Greek Bouzouki
• Ruan
• Harmonium
• Oud
• Bulbul Tarang
• Gobijen
• Dotara
• Organ
• Rhodes Piano
• Upright Bass
• 5 String Bass
• Guitar (slide, acoustic, and E Bow)

The music on this album is so amazingly beautiful and peaceful.  My advice for listening: Put it on your I-Pod,  find a nice place outside (or inside) to lay down, close your eyes, and picture yourself on a European beach surrounded by the people you love most.

A fun (and awesome) fact about these two is that they have scored numerous soundtracks for film, tv, animation, computer games, music libraries, and other corporate applications.

Well enough talk.  How bout you listen to a few of their tracks, go to their myspace, and buy their album!

Ruidoso

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

myspace.com/Montgomerytsingh

virb.com/Fernwood

Popularity: 5% [?]