Album Notes

ALBUM DESCRIPTION:
Music for Rest & Renewal (with nature sounds), the debut CD from The Candlelight Guitarist®, is relaxing, romantic, and inspiring. This softly melodic music is accompanied by soothing sounds of nature: ocean, birds, rainfall, a stream and waterfall, fireside, and night sounds.

Bill Binkelman, host of WIND AND WIRE, "Fresh Air Radio" KFAI 90.3 FM and 106.7 FM, writes: "The Candlelight Guitarist album will probably surpass your expectations, as it did for me. Seldom do I hear music so perfectly balanced with nature sounds where the music is of such high quality - soft yet not syrupy, melodic but not shallow or sing-songy, sincere without being overblown or pretentious. ...Singling out more tracks is tough because the whole album is excellent. The pace is never hurried, thankfully. The words 'rest and renewal' are well-earned. However, I can't help but think that this album would also play well in a car during a leisurely drive through the woods or along the shores of a lake. ...If you're someone who enjoys acoustic guitar music...you can't go wrong with The Candlelight Guitarist's Music for Rest and Renewal. Powell's playing is gently dexterous and soulful (carefully balancing finger pyrotechnics with heart and sincerity)."

ABOUT THE NATURE SOUNDS
Digitally recorded in stereo, each locale chosen for its peaceful ambience and soothing character. The music was inspired by the serenity of the nature sounds, and composed to be a melodic counterpoint. THE OCEAN: Huntington Beach, about 1/2 mile south of the pier (midnight, over two days). Santa Monica Beach, about 1/2 mile north of the pier, early Sunday morning. Malibu Beach, off Pacific Coast Highway. STREAM and WATERFALL: Winter Creek and Sturtevant Falls (Angeles National Forest). RAINFALL (after long dry spell), WITH HAWK, OWL and OTHER BIRDS: Big Tujunga Canyon WIND THROUGH TREES: Big Tujunga Canyon, after midnight. NIGHT SOUNDS, BIRDS AT DAYBREAK: The Verdugos, a mountain-desert area.

About the Artist:
The Candlelight Guitarist® is Bradley Powell. Inspired by the Beatles as child, Brad began guitar lessons at age ten. The following year he was awarded first place at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival for a guitar solo. At fifteen, Brad became a protégé of jazz guitarist Joe Pass, and later studied classical guitar from Vincenzo Macaluso, with master classes at CSUN under Dr. Ronald Purcell and Andrés Segovia. Brad was twice featured at the Hollywood Bowl, performing Gerald Wilson's "Sonata for Guitar and Orchestra" with the composer conducting, and also under the baton of Richard Carpenter, performing a suite of Carpenters' hits. Mentored in composition by David Rose ("Little House On The Praire"), Brad has composed music for TV shows, including "Hill Street Blues." He lives in a small mountain town in California.