Go Go Guitar! Edition: Toby Hay, Marisa Anderson, Steve Dawson & Nathan Salsburg

Toby Hay: The Longest Day

There’s so much inventive and beautiful guitar music to discover, seemingly on a daily basis, that I’ve got a backlog of excellent guitar-centric recs to pass on to you faithful followers. So here are a few for today and after you’ve had a chance to digest ‘em, I’ll drop another batch in a few weeks. As we’re nearing the end of summer, it’s a good idea to start off with the newest from the Toby Hay out of the U.K. Called The Longest Day, it was released on the summer solstice (while quixotically featuring a chilly winter scene on the cover). Hay’s 12 string shines like a mid-August sun on this one, track after track of gorgeous playing. The music is hefted with occasional strings, horns and percussion in various combinations, providing different contrasts to Hay’s guitar.

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Marisa Anderson: Cloud Corner

If Hay is the summer sun, then Marisa Anderson is here to provide some shade. The solo guitarist’s new release is called Cloud Corner and the cover art depicts a rather gloomy scene. Perfect weather for sitting indoors and listening to lovely guitar music! Anderson is as much a historian of this music as she is a talented interpreter. Here she is haunting and deep, transporting you with her playing, the guitar taking you back in time and stripping the world around you of all but the essentials. Cloud Corner is chilling and beautiful, a masterpiece of solo guitar music. Highly recommended.

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Steve Dawson: Lucky Hand

Steve Dawson hails from Vancouver, but is currently living and working – playing, recording, producing – in Nashville, which gives his guitar playing an interesting perspective. That’s on full display on his newest all-instrumental album, Lucky Hand. Here, Dawson’s guitar shines on its own, lovely jaunting melodies and storytelling excursions. But there are also tracks where he’s joined in duet or with a full-on string section. This gives the album a wealth of different sounds, from the blues to classical, recognizable old-time Americana to the indescribable. Filled with surprises and plenty of excellent guitar playing, this is an album that grows better with each listen. Enjoy!

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Nathan Salsburg: Third

So much fabulous guitar, I’ll cut myself off with just one more (and many more to come!). But if you haven’t heard the latest from Nathan Salsburg yet, I couldn’t make you wait one more day, let alone a few weeks. Salsburg is a bit of an acoustic guitar genius, recently backing Joan Shelley live and in the studio, among other projects. On his third solo record, aptly called Third, Salsburg somehow shows off his skill without showing off at all. His playing is so easy and natural and undeniably beautiful, the music seems to flow from a higher plane. Each song, each moment, each plucked string is perfection, but it’s also warm and inviting, friendly and loving. This is music to make your day better, no matter how you’re feeling. So go go get it!

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