Seattle-based, Italian-born Andre Feriante is a classical trained guitarist who studied with guitar masters Andres Segovia from Spain and Henry Rivas from Columbia. His travels throughout Europe and South America have made him develop his unique guitar style that you can enjoy on one of his seven albums. His latest release is Bohemian Boulevard, a collection of all-guitar instrumental tracks featuring seven improvisations and eight compositions.

Passionate flamenco guitar like on the two virtuoso Malaguena improvisations or on Feriante's "Spanish Rhapsody" is followed by the beauty of J.S. Bach's "Preludio No. 1." "Transcendental Lane" is another brilliant improvisation with breathtaking rhythm changes from adagio to allegro. There are also some very melancholic airs and dreamy moods like on the hauntingly beautiful composition "Elysian Fields." Improvised sketches like "A Gypsy in Paris" and "Santa Fe Blues" were inspired by Feriante's travels, as well as "Samba de Alma," a fiery and at the same time sensible samba tune.

I love those stunning improvised sketches because of their unexpected musical inspirations and I equally appreciate Feriante's fine compositions, such as the rhythmic title track "Bohemian Boulevard" or the elegiac "The Lotus Song."

The CD is a collection of contemporary and pure guitar music, a creative blend of different styles from classical to flamenco, from Brazilian samba to blues and further on. Feriante is an excellent musician and composer and certainly a powerful and inspired guitarist.

[ visit Andre Feriante's website ]