Customer Reviews

Sketches of Satie

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"Sketches of Satie" is a collection of Erik Satie's compositions for piano, rearranged and performed by Steve Hackett (guitar) and his brother John (flute). The songs translate so well to flute and guitar, it's hard to believe they weren't originally composed for these instruments.

Fans of early Genesis won't be surprised by Hackett's virtuosity; the revelation here is John Hackett on flute. John's playing is so natural and fluent, it seems almost divinely inspired. On the first six tracks (Gnossiennes 3, 2 and 1 and Gymnopédies 3, 2 and 1), Steve provides subtle and steady accompaniment, allowing John's flute to handle the melodies. The next three tracks (the "Pièces Froides") highlight Steve on guitar, but John rejoins him for the rest of the album. The performances exhibit a hypnotic, haunting, and exotic beauty. Steve Hackett again demonstrates why he's one of the world's best and most versatile guitarists; by ceding the spotlight to his brother, he exhibits admirable modesty and restraint.

You don't have to be a fan of Satie or Hackett to enjoy this - just someone who enjoys gentle instrumental music that stimulates the mind while calming the soul.

This is Steve Hackett at his classical best, along with the excellent flute-playing by his brother. The melodies are wonderful--perfect for when you want to relax and unwind. Other Steve Hackett albums in the classical vein are Bay Of Kings; Momentum; There Are Many Sides To The Night; and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

A nice cd to get up in the morning and still feel in a dreamy kinda mood for the next couple of hours...if you are looking for progressive stuff check his first 3 or 4 albums...and thats it! there is nothing more worth checking out...this has his acoustic gt sound and his bro is a nice flute player too, and of course , the music of Satie, which has inspired so many Prog groups, is also great, but still you can not really relate this to earlier works of his...nice anyways!

Wow. I thought I'd heard it all. As a Steve Hackett fan since 1971, I knew all there was to know about his musical range. Then he released this album. Unlike Hackett (and his brother, John) I'd never heard of Satie before. My loss. This interpretation is wonderful-light and airy, soft and sometimes haunting. I love it. Buy it now.

Exquisite' showcase: Hacketts' Satie. I'm giving this my 3rd listen so far
since purchasing today. It glows on you like a magical silk robe. Steve's
departure from Genesis was thought to be another* death knell for (what was
thought to be) the finest Prog. Rock group in history. John has been adding support to his more famous brother since the 1st solo project (more 'Genesis' than the band at the time). Satie's century-old compositions have been more than just a proving ground for classical musicians thru time and like many true strokes of genius, the piano works weren't thought to be 'music' at all by some of the most respected critics of the day. We have
the pleasure of recognizing it's beauty today, in this fine adaptation.
Steve was one of 2 great rock guitarists who began performing the electric
guitar w/ his band while sitting down in a chair (classically trained so).
The other guy is Robert Fripp (who's Crimson Kings have graduated to play
with S.H. on more recent prog. projects). Respected, is the word that is
often used to describe the subdued, previously nerdy Steve. Brother John's
flute is honed into an ethereal transport through space/time on this CD. If
you don't share it with a friend or lover, you're neither.

*Steve was the heart transplant for early Genesis. The next death knell in
that book was the departure of Gabriel.