Customer Reviews

Luna

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This masterpiece gets better with every listen. Spellbinding, deep, mystical, uncannily beautiful solo guitar. The emotional penetration of this music is profound-the clarity of sound, absolutely first rate. A work of genius and towering beauty. Thank you Ed Gerhard for the gift of this very special music.

As an amateur fingerstyle guitarist, I was informed that this CD is a "must have." Ed Gerhard is not only one of the finest guitarists to arrive during our time but also one of the most tasteful. There are no "duds" on this recording every one is a gem. The Handing Down is slower and even more beautiful than the version on the "Windham Hill Guitar Sampler." Every fingerstyle guitarist must learn this piece as it becomes the most beautiful tune in their repertoire. Jack

I've had the joy of seeing Ed Gerhard live a few times and attending a workshop he put on. Luna is my favorite work of his. I enjoy almost every tune on the disc which is something I can't say about most discs in the same genre. The recording quality is also top notch. Some acoustic fingerstyle recordings are either "too far back" or too "in your face". This one is just right.

I also recommend getting the Ed Gerhard song book. There are many lessons to be learned from learning to play his stuff. The biggest lesson I learned was actually from his workshop when he said pay attention to the dynamics more than anything else. Subtle, but he is a master of dynamics and it shows on his recordings.

I stumbled on Ed Gerhard many years ago when I bought a sampler of guitar music. I'm always looking for something good to listen to. I found what I was looking for in Ed Gerhard.

I've been playing acoustic and electric guitars for forty years, mostly as an amateur, but sometimes as a semi-pro. I've listened to many guitar players. The ones I return to listen to are musicians -- they feel something in the music they play and they bring that emotion to their playing. Ed Gerhard fits into the latter group. His work is ultimately tasteful, well-executed, guitar music. His technique is impeccable, and like all good technique, stays out of the way of the music and enables Gerhard to bring forth the beauty of what he plays.

My favorites from this collection (YMMV) are Tennessee, The Handing Down, and Howl. These three pieces are the recording's gems. I listen to them anytime I want to take a few minutes and let the troubles of the day slip away. The remaining pieces are good too; these are just the best.

If you're looking for acoustic guitar music to listen to, give Ed Gerhard a try. He has a number of recordings, and all of them I own are good. Put the disk in the deck (or the computer), grab some hot tea, turn the volume up a bit, then recline and let Gerhard's work flow over you and take you somewhere nice.

Ed Gerhard writes acoustic guitar pieces which are incredible melodic and intense. The sound of this recording is absolute superior. One of the greatest fingerstyle guitar CDs ever made.

This is a must have if you're into fingerstyle guitar. Pleasant, but not boring or avant-garde compositions make for a good listen. Price, quality and delivery time were very good.

While I think some of the other songs will grow on me with time, I'm giving the album a "5" based soley on "Howl" and "The Handing Down" and the joy they've already given me in the week I've had the album.

This is one of my favorite Ed Gerhard C.D.'s, but I like many of them. It's relaxing and interesting to listen to. Highly recommended if you like good guitar music.

Many fingerstylists today possess superior compositional abilities but Ed Gerhards sense of timing, especially his restraint, in addition to his complex compositional abilities is what takes this guitar music and the listener to that land of enchantment. From the first time I listened there was an overwhelming sense of familiararity with these melodies, intervals and pauses. This CD is one of my all time favorites

Ed Gerhard is an artisan, a musical craftsman. He takes his work very seriously without seeming to take himself as seriously. This CD extends upwards and out from his earlier works; the roots of the outstanding "Night Birds" are evident here. There is the common mistaken assumption that instumental guitar music is all the same, the artists and compositions blending together, one indistiguishable from another. With "Luna", the listener cannot mistake Gerhard's unique musical signature.

His compositions are passionate, intelligent, introspective, as is his playing. One does not get the sense that Gerhard is "trying" or emulating. This is beautifully, lovingly crafted music which merits an objective listen. One hopes for Gerhard that he might in time find the same following, success and longevity of Kottke.