Chasing Horizons
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley December 17, 2022
Artist – Russ Hewitt
Artist(s)
Distributor
Released
Running Time
Website
https://russhewittmusic.com/
FaceBook:
YouTube:
Instagram:
X formally Twitter:
Vital, fresh and full of life Russel Hewitt’s latest release Chasing Horizons is just that, with each piece shaping into something that is looking forward to a new element, a fusion of joy, happiness and at the bottom of it all, pure enjoyment in the music, the sound, the beat and the encapsulation of so many elements of life.
Allende commences the journey into wide open spaces and places, with a lovely up-tempo beat and some skillful guitar work, to create a catchy rumba flamenco beat. Allende is one of only four tracks on the album that showcases Hewitt’s intricate guitar style
As Hewitt states on this album jacket, ‘Chasing Horizon’s is a work of collaboration and fusion of many styles’, which is established by the signature tune with guitar virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt. A lively and very catchy piece with two masters of their art working as one.
A beautiful blend of the Bucharest All-Stars Orchestra and guitar is offered with the gentle waltz like Amor Perditio, which enchants, as captivates. The melody floats through the ether, setting the moment for the Milonga to be danced until the final step is complete, the last note played. Soft, gentle and subtle this is as romantic as this flamboyant album ever gets.
Sunset Samba delivers yet another element or fusion of beats and sounds with a lively samba melody that does what it is supposed to do; lightens the day, uplifts the mood and temps the soul to dance, just a little or maybe even a lot!
Another catchy dance piece is the Cubalia Café; a very nicely presented cross-over piece with Iranian American guitarist Ardeshir Farah. Together they capture the rhythm of the lively Cuban peasant dance known as Gaujira. It is an intoxicating piece with an almost additive foot tapping beat.
Luna is once again a solo piece by Hewitt which is enchanting and brings with it a tribute to the night, the moon, that certain something, difficult to define, that pervades the atmosphere once the sun goes down and the music of the night begins; the sultry rhythms, the shared times of dance, music, food and wine.
Return to Simitai presents a unique blend of Vietnamese Zither, played by Tri Ngyuen, and guitar as the two styles merge together, the notes dance across the strings. The busy world of everyday captured with the back beat, with the lovely overlay of almost a meditative, temple like melody that immediately leaves you wondering where you are; in the pulsing beat of Latino rhythms or the calmness of an Asian temple – a true fusion of sound and elements, graced with a touch of the exotic.
Chasing Horizons took four years to complete and could be a considered as maturing in the journey. The stellar cast of artists in Nuno Bettencourt, Bucharest All-Stars Orchestra, Ardeshir Farah, Tri Ngyuen, Marty Friedman and Jorge Strunz, all masters of their craft, add to the unique blend that has been perfectly captured from the first to the last note.