Palermo Snow

by John Renbourn

Overview

John Renbourn's 2011 album Palermo Snow, his first new studio recording in 13 years, finds the veteran British guitarist turning in a varied set of acoustic guitar instrumentals that go well beyond the simple designation "folk." Renbourn is joined on some tracks by clarinetist Dick Lee, who first appears several minutes into the seven-minute title tune, a Renbourn original full of textured chording and careful fingerpicking. Lee also adds melodic flavor to such later tracks as the jazzy "Ugly James" and jazz musician Randy Weston's low-key "Little Niles" (which has some of the feel of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat"). Renbourn turns classical with his guitar transpositions of Erik Satie's "Sarabande" and Bach's "Cello Prelude in G," the latter sounding like it might have taken quite a while to work out for guitar, even if it lasts less than three minutes. A bluesy style enters with Renbourn's original "Weebles Wobble (But They Won't Fall Down)" and with the closing cover of "Blueberry Hill." This is the work of a master guitarist who has taken his time to come up with a quality record. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	01/25/2011
Label:	Shanachie
UPC:	0016351786524
Rank:	49136

Tracks

1. Palermo Snow
2. Dery Miss Grsk
3. Bella Terra
4. Cirque d'Hiver
5. Ugly James
6. Sarabande
7. Cello Prelude in G
8. Weebles Wooble (But They Won't Fall Down)
9. Little Niles
10. Blueberry Hill

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Renbourn   Primary Artist,Guitar
Dick Lee   Clarinet,Clarinet (Bass)
Nick Kukich   Guitar

Technical Credits

Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer
John Renbourn   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Randy Weston   Composer
Al Lewis   Composer
Erik Satie   Composer
Vincent Rose   Composer
Ian Davies   Photography
Colin Hodd   Engineer
Nick Turner   Engineer
Larry Stock   Composer