Customer Reviews

Carnegie Hall

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The title of this should be "Just Showin Off Cause I Can. This is one twisted, funny, and tallented individual.

By chance, I caught a "showcase" by Mike Rayburn at a music conference and figured I'd give him a look over. For the next - all too brief - 20 minutes, Mike had me rolling off my chair with laughter. This guy knows his pop culture inside and out! But between the laughter from his oddball pairings of country and heavy metal (Dan Folgelberg sings AC/DC) he performs some amazing music using just the fret board on his guitar. ("Bele Chere" on this CD is an example - though you can't SEE him doing this.).

Make's also a very funny comedian and how he remembers all the line is "Questions" still astounds me.

Anyway, I got this CD so I could experience Mike's whole show - beyond the 20 minutes I experienced - and loved it. Sure there are visuals that are missing (Mike has DVDs of his show - basically the same as the Carnegie Hall gig - for sale on his website). But most of the fun is on this CD. Though you probably won't play the introductions to the songs as much, the CD allows you to program just the songs.

Mike is "classically trained" and has some non-comedy CDs out as well which I plan to pursue. I definitely want to hear more of the fabulous finger work he demonstrates on the album.

If you grew up on music of the 1970s - no matter what style - you'll love this CD. And you'll find your self one of "Mike's people".

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

If you've seen and enjoyed his show, this CD pretty much covers all of it so you can laugh and hear it again later. Mike has a fantastic humor about him, and plays one heck of an amazing guitar, all wrapped into his comedy/motivational routine. This CD doesn't really focus on the motivational part, although you do hear a few gems here and there (He is all about "What if?" as in, what if I could be a great guitar player? getting you to believe in your own possibilities). I love listening to this funny and musically upbeat CD as I'm driving into work, to start my day on a positive note, to carry into the hum-drum workplace.

I have seen Mike Rayburn in concert several times. His blend of "artistic, sparks flyin' from his fingers guitar," hilarious, comedic parodies, and thought provoking modern rock original songs makes for a great listen. If you haven't experienced this guy, you need to check him out. His CDs and his DVD are different in that they each feature one of his genre. You don't get to Carnegie Hall unless you have serious chops. Mike has them.

I heard the cut "Hang the Jury" on XM Comedy while driving and ordered it as soon as I got home. I expected most of the other 23 cuts listed to be just as good. Some of them are but a couple of cuts are just introductions or segues and some are more Rayburn talking about how clever and musically talented he is instead of just playing more to show how clever and talented he truly is.