Andrew York: Perfect Sky

Vince Guaraldi (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Francois Couperin (Composer), Leigh Harline (Composer), Andrew York (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Andrew York
• Composer: Vince Guaraldi, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Francois Couperin, Leigh Harline
• Audio CD (September 12, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: GSP Records
• ASIN: B000003WFM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,994 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #29 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Rondos

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars York Approaches Perfection, October 4, 2000

By 

Kele Douglas Perkins (Whittier, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Perfect Sky (Audio CD)

Andrew York's "Perfect Sky" has the entire package for anyone with an appreciation for excellence in composition, arrangement, and stunning execution on the guitar. The opening track, "Sunburst", which has been recorded by both Christopher Parkening (under the title "Jubilation") and John Williams, showcases York's talent both as a gifted composer and as a master of navigating the fretboard, as especially evidenced by the "burst" of notes that conclude the song. Vince Guaraldi's "Linus & Lucy" is covered here, and is another highlight. On this tune, York simultaneously -- and seemingly effortlessly -- carries both the bass line and melody to produce a version that surpasses the original in quality. And once again, York finishes beautifully, this time with an array of harmonics reminiscent of Weather Report bass player Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987), whose own "Word of Mouth" album (Warner Brothers, 1981) York has praised. Other highlights of "Perfect Sky" include "Green Galliard", "Rock Skippin' Creekside", "Mysterious Barricades", and "Muir Woods". The CD represents, for the most part, York's emerging potential as a classical guitarist and composer in the period immediately following the completion of his studies at the University of Southern California in 1986. Perhaps the only weakness of the CD is that while York proves his versatility on steel string, nylon string, and electric guitar on this album, the electric guitar recordings do not match the acoustic guitar tracks in quality. But this is really just a further testament to York's extreme ability to combine playing and composing for the acoustic guitar at a level that may not be matched currently or in the near future. Note: the 1996 re-release of "Perfect Sky" includes "Andecy", a track from the Windham Hill Guitar Sampler.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars York is one of the wonderful modern guitarists., April 30, 2004

By 

taka(Japanese (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Andrew York: Perfect Sky (Audio CD)

I am a classical guitarists too. Though I may be a young man, I tend to like modern guitar sounds than old guitar sounds like F.Sol or Tarrega etc. I like special tecniques that have not been made ever. But I always like all the modern guitarists. The most favorite guitarist is R.dyens. I like his unique rythm and melodies and high tempo sounds. A. York is my favorite guitarists too.

In a CD, I chanced to listen to Sunburrst, I was tempted with the high tempo sounds and blight melody and unique bass topping.
But in addition to such songs, he can write slow ballade songs too. The ballade is good too.

But in Japan, his guitar score peace is a little high price. If it have possible, I wish that the publishers make song books.

Anyway, A.York is a new age revolutional gutarist that blow new fresh wind to classical guitar genle.

Thank you for reading poor English.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Guitarist's Tour de Force, January 8, 2004

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Andrew York: Perfect Sky (Audio CD)

There are two modern guitarist who share the honors for being the best of today's masters of the classical guitar - Andrew York and Scott Tennant. Tennant is a bit better technically, but I consider York the more 'musicianly' of the two. In a large part that is because York has proven himself the more willing to try new approaches and create is own compositions. And when he feels it necessary he is equally at home in the world of steel strings and electric pickups. Perfect Sky is an album designed to demonstrate exactly those facets of York, and by any measurement, is completely successful.

Nine of the thirteen compositions on this CD are original to York. While they have a New Age sound to them, carefull listening shows that the technical work behind his clean melodies sets him well apart from standard fare. Spend some time listening to the neck work on Andecy or the counterpoint in Green Galliard and you will see what I mean. Each piece has special moments of brilliance, but what stands out for me is Yorks strong sense of melody, which never seems to desert him. Two of my favorites are Perfect Sky and Muir Woods, two experiments in the use of jazzy chord progessions.

York's arrangement of Guaraldi's Linus and Lucy is a pure whirlwind of technical work. Every time I hear the harmonic arpeggio's I get exceedingly jealous - these require a level of precision that is totally out of my fumble fingered league. But this entire piece is pure showing off, a perfect demonstration of a master guitarist for who style is a choice, not a constraint. Then there is the complete believability of the Nutcracker ballet piece and the hysterical complexity of Couperin's Les Barricades Misterieuses.

And the list goes on and on. There is literally no mischosen or misplayed work on this album. Something to marvel at in an age which has become sadly accepting of shoddy corners. York has other albums that demonstrate his classical side (and let's not forget his and Tennant's membership in the Los Angeles Guitar Quartett) but Perfect Sky is the album if you are looking for a deeper look into Andrew York as a musican. Highly recommended.