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A Northern Lass: Traditional Dance Music of North-West England
by Jamie Knowles
Dave Mallinson Publications, £8.75

This book contains just over a hundred tunes from Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire and the Lake District. It covers material from the last four centuries, some meticulously culled from an assortment of old manuscripts, and some more recently composed by musicians of the North-West of England. The book boasts a very attractive layout, with clear typesetting and musical notation. The book is also conservatively peppered with old pictures of musicians, Morris dancers, poets and milkmaids.

A special feature of the book is the suggested guitar chording, which is both more extensive and more adventuresome than in most tune books. The chords include minors, diminished, major sevenths, and the occasional ninth.

This is a fine collection, presented in a high quality format, recommended for all who are interested in expanding their repertoire. - Ivan Emke (Corner Brook, NF, Canada)

Various
Legends of Jazz Guitar, Vol. 3
Vestapol 13043 (1995)

Another addition to the Vestapol Legends series, featuring an hour's worth of footage of jazz guitar performances by Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd, and Pat Martino from 1964-87. There are some gems on this tape, including an astoundingly rapid-fire in-studio take of Tal Farlow doing "Fascinating Rhythm" and a clip of Kessell and Ellis vamping on "The Flintstones Theme," which proves that virtually any piece of music can become a jazz tune in the right hands. - Michael Parrish (St. Charles, IL)

African Fingerstyle Guitar
Taught by John Low
Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop GW 932 (1995)

John Low has made a career out of learning the vanishing fingerpicking guitar styles of Central Africa, and he teaches nine pieces by five of the greatest innovators from Zaire, Kenya and Tanzania. Low is an excellent teacher, and the video contains material that will be accessible to relative neophytes along with techniques that will benefit more advanced guitarists. The unusual picking patterns and rhythms of the material Low teaches could conceivably be adapted to a variety of different styles as well. Low is accompanied on many of the selections by vocalist/Nehi bottle player Ffranz Maathusi and Rolling Rock bottle player Keith Jackman, who provide authentic backing for Low's pieces. Although all three musicians have absorbed their respective styles well, and render the material with passion and respect, it remains a bit unsettling to see three European Caucasians teaching these African styles. Those looking for the original versions might want to consult another video, African Guitar (Vestapol 13017), which consists of field recordings of many of the artists whose material is taught here. - Michael Parrish (St. Charles, IL)

Ki Ho'alu -That's Slack Key Guitar
Vestapol 13039 (1995)

Ki Ho'alu, an hour-long documentary by Susan Friedman, explores the varied and colorful fraternity of Hawaii's Slack Key guitarists. Focusing on the group's honorary godfather, Raymond Kane, the film traces the development and diversity of this musical form through interviews and performances with the likes of the late Sonny Chillingworth, Ledward Kaapana, Leonard Kwan, and Diana Aki, interspersed with some stunning footage of Hawaiian scenery. The musicians trace the roots of their genre from their ancestors adapting the guitars brought over by Spanish ranchers to their own sentimental, expressive music, creating unique and distinctive tunings and playing styles in the process. The film succeeds admirably in capturing the warm personalities of the musicians, the environment that nurtures their art, and the vivid, emotional music they perform.

- Michael Parrish (St. Charles, IL)

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