Music for Vacuuming

Don Ross (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 10, 2006)
• Original Release Date: November 15, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: CandyRat Records
• ASIN: B000E5N0CQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,183 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

One of today's true innovators of guitar composition and technique, Don Ross has emerged as one of the most respected musicians in Canada and one of the top guitarists in the world. In September 1996, he managed to do what no other player has done: win the prestigious U.S. National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship for the second time (he first won in 1988). The competition, held yearly in Winfield, Kansas, cannot be won only with immaculate technique, but the player's music must also display a high degree of emotion and intensity — hallmarks of Don's style. The son of a Scottish immigrant father and a Mi'kmaq aboriginal mother, Don was born in Montreal in 1960 into a musical family. He first started experimenting with the solo possibilities of the acoustic guitar at the age of eight. By age ten he was playing in alternate tunings and exploring "fingerstyle" technique, a right hand discipline similar to classical guitar playing. Preferring to write original music and develop a personal style, Don's self-taught journey on the instrument has encouraged him to follow his musical intuition. The result is an unclassifiable musical style that borrows from jazz, folk, rock and classical music. When asked, Don usually pigeonholes his music as "Heavy Wood"! Don graduated from the Music Department of Toronto's York University in 1983, but waited until 1986 to start pursuing a career as a performer. After his first win at Winfield, Don was asked to sign with Duke Street Records. He recorded three CDs for Duke Street over the course of the next four years: Bearing Straight, Don Ross and Three Hands. The CDs met with unanimous critical acclaim and numerous tours across Canada and the U.S. Don even played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Don has recently signed a new recording deal with new US-based independent label Candyrat Records. His soon-to-be-released recording, with the working title Music for Vacuuming shows a renewed optimism in Don's creative approach thanks to the wonderful changes in his life. Don recently married profoundly talented Prince Edward Island singer and guitarist Brooke Miller. Don is producing Brooke's second CD, tentatively titled All of the Lighting. Look for that project to be released in early 2006.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Guitar, October 12, 2007

By 

T. Plummer (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Music for Vacuuming (Audio CD)

Music: 8/10 Production: 5/5

Total: 13 of 15: A

Don Ross is a phenomenal acoustic guitar player. He perhaps has the best picking right hand in the business. He has won the US National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship twice.

This is an instrumental album of just Don and his one guitar. There are no overdubs. There are only other rhythm instruments on 2 songs. This is music done in one take. Little mistakes and half notes make it into the recording, but that's what makes it so human and real.

Clearly there are standouts on the album. The opening track "How to Eat an Avalanche" is a fast and furious piece with amazing up and down the fretboard movement. "Tochigi" is a swirling rhythm that hypnotizes. It gets you into a trance and then breaks out into new directions only to come back to the original. It's a very nice ride. Finally, "Never Go to Pernambuco" is a sad and soulful number making you think of loves lost on rainy days.

The only real issue is that it is very hard to write solo acoustic guitar songs that last more than 3 minutes. Nearly all Don's songs top 5 minutes. So, at times songs repeat too much or stay on the same refrain too long. I can imagine actually playing these songs or being in close proximity that it would be easy to lose yourself in the music. But the experience doesn't translate as well to the car or office.

Slightly too long songs is hardly a bad criticism, especially when the guitar is so amazing. If you like acoustic guitar or perhaps want some excellent ambient music, this is fantastic stuff. I highly recommend it and look forward to getting more albums by Don Ross.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Acoustic Guitar, May 15, 2007

By 

revstiles (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Music for Vacuuming (Audio CD)

Don,once againg shows his amazing skill as a player from the "Michael Hedges School of guitar" Ross is, however, his own player and unique in many ways. His playing has melody and is also pleasing to the ears of non-guitar freaks. ie; My 16 year old daughter acknowledged that it is "nice stuff." This CD only has one annoying song that seems out of place: On "Dracula II Mikrokosmos", he adds all kinds of techo sounds creating a completely different feel. Other than that, his self-styled "heavy wood" style of solo acoustic guitar is awesome.

5.0 out of 5 stars This is his best yet!, January 16, 2008

By 

Wrax "Wraxallman" (Bristol, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Music for Vacuuming (Audio CD)

Frankly I find that difficult to write but it's true. Albums like "Huron Street" (with the perfect reworking of his beautiful song "Catherine") and "Passion Session" raised the bar when it comes to fingerstyle playing. Some of his earlier work was pretty amazing too even though I wasn't always such a fan of his band stuff, it didn't seem to fit somehow. But this hasn't got a bad track on it. Every track stands out:

How To Eat An Avalanche - amazing technique, great song

Rockbarra - inspired

Dracula II - strange combination of electronic sounds and rhythms and some fine acoustic guitar but works

Brooke's Waltz - this is so beautiful, written for his wife I believe

Tochigi - inspired Mk2

Never Got To Pernambuco - amazing again, Brazilian style playing with classical sensibilities

Another Island of Woman - wonderful playing

How To Eat An Avalanche Family Version - despite what I said about his band stuff this works and this ROCKS!

Fleetstep Choreography - if I had the talent in two hands that Don Ross has on one finger I would be a happy man.

Buy this CD, give Don Ross his royalty. I love this.

PS If you like Michael Hedges, Pierre Bensusan (with a bit more aggression), Billy McLaughlin, then you're going to love this.