NICK ANDREW: solo?

Nick Andrew

solo?

© 2005 Nick Andrew (5060109092028)

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Contemporary classical music featuring Scotlands top virtuoso electric guitarist. A unique blend of Classical and jazz, mixed with a bit of fire.

notes

Nick Andrew's first solo album has brought together his love of classical, jazz and rock music. With a very off the wall virtuoso panache, everything, from the delights of a dynamic chamber orchestra, to drums to beautiful Chick Corea style jazz piano, is played on guitar and guitar synth. This has to be heard to be believed!
This is the ultimate guitar album!!!!

Nick is a remarkably accomplished guitarist whose range encompasses the full spectrum from flamenco and classical to jazz and rock and is not only a dazzling soloist but also an intuitive and creative rhythm player. His playing style is technically highly adept but always innovative and appropriate to its musical context, whether on acoustic, electric or MIDI instruments.

Nick grew up in Scotland, where he established a formidable reputation as a virtuoso guitarist, composer and sessioneer. He moved to London in 1997 to further develop his career and has performed concerts at Wembley Arena, Excell, Hyde Park and various music shows.
He has also performed and recorded with various people as diverse as the Stylistics, Simon Dinnigan and members of Paul Wellers band, Mott the Hoople, Napalm Death (no joke!), Theo Travis, Incognito and Guthrie Govan.

Jazz Fusioneers Curfew (www.curfew.co.uk)also employ nicks guitaring and production skills.
Check out Curfew's new release 'Hold The Front Page' to hear Nicks jazzier side.

In 2006, Nickstarted writing two columns for the biggest online guitar magazine in Europe, www.alloutguitar.com. He writes (of course) about fusion guitar and midi guitar.

In addition to his various producing and recording work Nick also performes masterclasses for a number of music schools and colleges in the south east.
For more details, audio delights and 'interesting' pictures visit Nicks website, www.nickandrew.net.

reviews

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  • Nick Andrew - Solo?
    author: Department of Virtuosity (Poland)

    Nick Andrew comes from Scotland, but then moved to London. He was taught by a guitarist Eddie Stewart and a jazz pianist Dave Latchaw. It prepared him for playing in many various musical styles - from pop music to death metal. Nick played along with Mains Jam (jazz/fusion), The Guilty Party and Curfew (jazz/fusion). "Solo?" is his debut neoclassical album, on which he handled the whole instrumentation. From Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Flight of the Bumblebee" he produced a paraphrase titled "The Flight of the Bumble Blues". It is the neoclassical masterpiece with a bit bluesy touches. Here he plays ferocious and blistering on one hand, and also is able to perform in a subdued way. His interpretation is lush in comparison to the original and inimitable in a sense. The opening track convinced me he is shockingly gifted and ingenious artist. Playing Niccolo Paganini's "24th Caprice", Nick "struts" through the guitar neck striking the strings nobly and producing a solemn echo effect. His first full-original composition on the album is "Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra" that is characterized by a fabulous mood, lofty atmosphere, great arrangements, magic tones, fantastic guitar tricks and it sounds like a movie soundtrack divided into three movements: Allegro, Adagio and very Allegro (I think Nick actually meant "Allegretto"). Nick's guitar manner is exciting and powerful. His virtuosity and mastery of the guitar is exquisite, so the concerto is also bounty and awesome. A nice accent for me is "Nocturne" that was written by my homegrown great composer - Frederic Chopin. Its merit is unorthodox approach to the original version, yet with romantic elements preserved. Last but one "Cherubs Fairy Dance" is vivid and consisted of some jazz/fusion ingredients what makes me think of Al Di Meola's works a little bit. The crowning "L'amour d'hier" could have been included in "Concerto", since it is marked by an outstanding finger dexterity and a great sense of melody and mood. Nick is an ace who proves it with his versatility and the guitar command. A benchmark of this release's evaluation is an artistic level, and it is really high indeed. Nick Andrew doesn't replicate classical works thoughtlessly, but digs them out to perform in his unique style. They are neither rigid, nor played in accordance with any templates, however strongly embedded in the classical music tradition. If you like the music of Kevin Ferguson, Uli Jon Roth and James Byrd, you shouldn't be disappointed with "Solo?".

  • Unique and imaginative
    author: Musician Magazine

    "Illustrating the advantages of having studied Classical/Jazz composition and learnt the trade as a session player and function band member, Nick presents a debut album that shifts from Rimsky-Korsakov via Paganini, to his own Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra. Unique and imaginative, his mastery of the solo guitar shines throughout."

  • Unique and imaginative
    author: Musician Magazine

    "Illustrating the advantages of having studied Classical/Jazz composition and learnt the trade as a session player and function band member, Nick presents a debut album that shifts from Rimsky-Korsakov via Paganini, to his own Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra. Unique and imaginative, his mastery of the solo guitar shines throughout."

  • Nick is a guitar Jedi Master!
    author: Latchmusic

    Nick is a guitar Jedi Master! Very impressive. I think solo? is a great example of what all musicians should be trying to do with their art. The playing, compositions, and arranging are beyond cool. I completely dig that you stuck out your artistic neck and really made some great music.

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