 |
 Caught in the Carousel - Music Reviews and More
|
Michael Chapman
Time Past & Time Passing
Electric Ragtime
Michael Chapman should be part of every guitarist's curricula. He's a legendary instrumentalist and innovator out of the '60s British blues scene who layers elements of blues, folk, and rock into a unique polyphonic style. Chapman's nuanced finger-picking bridges the Delta blues of Mississippi John Hurt and the contemporary instrumental folk-jazz of Don Ross. Fans of Leo Kottke, Ry Cooder, and Mark Knopfler will find shared interest in Time Past & Time Passing.
Chapman has over two dozen albums to his credit; Time Past & Time Passing is his 26th or so, depending on how one counts reissues. Time Past & Time Passing is a richly layered, soothing, and mostly-instrumental album. Chapman plays emotive point and counterpoint, polyrhythmic, braiding melodies that seem to be made of wind, silver, and darkness. His quiet and reflective vocals—a mix of Willie Nelson and Roy Harper—add another element of complexity; like rough wool in a satin tapestry, his voice is a textural component that adds dimensionality.
It's tough to pick a favorite track from this superb CD—"A Stranger's Map of Texas," "Ponchatoulah," "Little Molly's Dream," and "Caddo Lake" are mesmerizing. "That Time of Night," "Into the Valley," and "Memphis in Winter" ("They say that Jesus saves/ I've seen none of that 'round here") are moody and contemplative. "Fahey's Flag" and "Silverking/Dust Devils" are spry tracks.
Time Past & Time Passing showcases a legendary blues finger-picking virtuoso. Check it out.
—Lyn Dunagan
Can we help you find something?
Click for a Michael Chapman station
