Gilbert Isbin

Gilbert Isbin Group: Water With a Smile

Anything bearing Gilbert Isbin’s name is always welcome. Gilbert is one of the best guitarists worldwide. Don’t look for the guy playing scales at 300 miles per hour, Gilbert plays with his heart and does things that most of us can only dream of.

Add to his music, the beautiful voice of beautiful singer Lea Van Loo, the percussion talents of Peter Vangheluwe and the bass talents of Vincent De Laat and you have a magnificent recipe.

Water With A Smile is a beautifully rendered jazz album that one doesn’t tire of listening to. And when I say “jazz,” I don’t mean the kind where all the musicians attempt to outdo each other without paying much attention to the overall result. Here the musicians never put in too much, only what’s needed, but with all their hearts. Which is not to say that the musicians don’t play at full force, they do. But all together.

Water With A Smile is available at Guitar CDs

Gilbert Isbin: Red Wine

Ah, it’s nice to have Gilbert Isbin grace the pages again. Gilbert is one of those guitarists I truly appreciate. He has a style all his own. His artistry tends to draw you right in to the music and, almost hypnotically, keep you there.Unlike many classical guitarists, this CD contains mostly Isbin’s own material with only three exceptions, a nicely rendered Flemish folk song, an impressive version of Jimi Hendrix’ Little Wing and Django Reinhardt’s Nuages.

What’s impressive, yet strange, about Isbin’s style is that it’s very sober, almost conservative, yet very colorful and emotional and progressive at the same time. A rare talent which I’m glad he lets loose on the world.

With 14 tracks of beautiful, inspiring music, Gilbert’s Red Wine, as his other albums, is a must.

Gilbert Isbin and Geert Verbeke: Twins

“Music for acoustic guitar, singing bowls & percussion in original combinations.”

A beautifully rendered acoustic and percussion album. The music carries its own poetry, more than adequately replacing lyrics.

The sound is quite original, very relaxing, yet stimulating at the same time. Although it’s done using only, essentially, a classical guitar and original percussions, it creates a beautiful, melodic, landscape. Nothing useful could be added. Every aspect of the image presented is well… represented.

From the first listen, it captures your attention and moves you along its own pathway. A voyage you gladly take.

Guitar effects abound, and all are done through the use of hands on the guitar, no electronic or digital aid has been provided. Interesting guitar methods are found throughout and seem to be based more on emotion than technique, making the journey more worthwhile.

A great album to play while working, studying or simply relaxing, Twins is a great collaborative effort, bound to leave you wanting more music from this duo. An album I highly recommend.