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When the subject of ‘greatest guitar players’ comes up, you can be reasonably sure that the name ‘Phil Keaggy’ will enter into the discussion - you can also assume that someone will inevitably bring up the Jimi Hendrix anecdote, in one form or another. For the benefit of those who have never heard this story (I see that hand), it goes something like this: Hendrix was asked, during an interview, how it felt to be the world’s greatest guitarist – his reply was, “I don’t know – ask Phil Keaggy.” The validity of this exchange has been questioned (some people claim to have seen the interview on The Dick Cavette Show: some say it never happened), but one thing is certain – Phil Keaggy is one of the greatest guitar players of our time.  He’s a master of both acoustic and electric styles, plays with amazing fluidity, speed, passion, and skill, and continues to explore the possibilities and stretch the limitations of his instrument. 

On Phil’s new CD, Roundabout, we get a chance to go on a musical exploration with the guitarist. Like Keaggy’s previous release, Jammed, this CD is not so much about songs as it is about playing.  It’s not about the destination – it’s about the journey, and Phil let’s us all go along for the ride. This collection of 18 tracks will be of special interest to anyone who has ever put fingers on the fret board of a guitar, but can also be listened to for the sheer enjoyment of hearing a master artist working at his craft. 

The recordings on this collection were basically captured during sound checks before various concert appearances.  If you’ve ever seen Phil do a solo show (which these sound checks are taken from), you’ll know that he often plays ‘riffs’ and various elements of a song, which are ‘recorded’ live, on-the-spot, and played back in a repeating pattern – this is known as creating a ‘loop,’ which gives Keaggy the ability to build layers of sound while he plays and sings along. Sound complicated? Yeah… and yet, Keaggy has mastered this technique to the point where he is able to incorporate vocal harmony, percussion, bass, soaring guitar runs, and amazing sound textures into his live performances.  These pieces are taken from those moments before a show, where the master musical painter is mixing the colors he will use on his song-canvas later that night.

So this is all about how interested you are in watching a painter prepare his palette. Would you pass up the chance to watch Rembrandt or Van Gogh prepare to create a canvas? The simile is not as far off as it might sound, since Roundabout is not a collection of finished songs, but really about birthing ideas and techniques to be used in performances – like a painter mixing an incredible shade of blue, destined for just the right spot to complete his painting. On Roundabout we have technique more than invention, musical grooves more than songs – and there are grooves a-plenty!

Roundabout boasts a generous eigtheen tracks, although several are quite short, often fading out somewhat abruptly at the end (these are, remember, not ‘finished’ compositions). The somewhat mysterious and moody “Troops,” for example, clocks in at one minute and nine seconds! This collection has many tasty chord changes, backward guitar sounds (I still can’t figure out how that works), amazing soloing, and any number of surprises from the guitar master. There are so many interesting things to hear among these 18 offerings, it would be futile to even begin to list them. 

The only things missing on this CD are songs – you know, compositions with a beginning, middle and end. Typically, as in “Skipping Stones,” the album’s opener, a bass line is introduced, chunky, percussive rhythm is added (Keaggy uses dampened strings to great effect to create strong, rhythmic textures), amazing soloing is layered over this, along with vocal percussion, and an infectious groove is established.  Where Jammed featured mostly electric blues-based solos, Roundabout is involved in mostly acoustic progressive grooves. The creativity is amazing, the technique dazzling …but the limitations of the format prevent Keaggy from dramatic changes of key, or daring melodic left-turns. Several tracks sound like they are becoming songs, or have great potential to become songs – the vocal-like melody of “Second Avenue,” combined with the more song-like structure, and evocative mood of the piece, seem to suggest a more thought-out composition. There are other tracks in this category, and they introduce a more listener-friendly element into the mix to satisfy the average listener. On “Blue Moon” we’re treated to a somewhat spacey adaptation of the standard, with long stretched-out notes playing the main melody, sounding a bit like the Ventures playing on the dark side of the moon. A real treat for long-time fans is Keaggy’s use of the wonderful, amazing riff used in “Happy,” from the Play Through Me album (as if we needed a clue – the track is called, “Hoopy”). 

From all reports, Phil’s next CD will be one of real, completed songs. It’s still my hope to see Keaggy someday get back into that progressive pop style that birthed such great songs as “Happy,” “Let Everything Else Go,” and “Cherish The Moment.” There are few people around, if any, that have the instrumental, vocal, and songwriting skills that this great artist possesses.  We shook our heads in amazement at Jammed. We close our eyes and float on the wash of creative sounds from Roundabout. I have a feeling that, if Keaggy’s next project was a collection of pre-concert guitar tuning (please, don’t do it, Phil!) …I’d probably be pre-ordering my copy, because Keaggy is that good!

 …But I’m ready for an album of songs now.
 
Bert Saraco  (9/07/06)
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