Album Notes

SCOT RAY : 6, 12, & 22 string slide guitar

REVIEWS:

“Astonishing acoustic slide guitar work.” - Downtown Music Gallery, NY

"Prepare to be slain by his slide-guitar grind, which is as clean, tough and rootsy as it comes." - Metaljazz, Los Angeles

“Guitars are my main tools, therefore I always appreciate records that show love for the instrument and deep-thinking musicians who are not ashamed to lay bare their soul. Scot Ray, who is half of the fabulous Gutpuppet duo with harmonicist Bill Barrett, uses dobro, 6 & 12 string dreadnoughts and a 22-string Chaturangui (a guitar with additional sets of resonating strings in the vein of sitar) to play thirteen heartfelt homages to the words of Sufi poet Jalal Al-Din Rumi, which comprise the track titles. Ray is endowed with a sensible touch that he displays to elicit the most beautiful tones from his acoustic machines. He plays a mean slide, too, and lets every wood particle and all of his strings vibrate with passionate composure, just like never ending calls in a sacred ceremony. His use of harmonics is totally masterful, and he loves mixing them in complex combinations with shifting positions and sparkling counterpoints. Even the improvised parts sound like they've been read on a score, such is the perfect mental architecture of this fabulous guitarist. I consider myself lucky to have received this gorgeous album; now I'm waiting for "Guitar Player" to bring the artist to the attention of a wider audience. He fully deserves it.” - Touching Extremes, Italy

"While on the subject of amazing guitar players, I discovered a great record, intense yet soothing, original yet accessible. Scot's guitar playing is a flurry of glissando, harmonics, odd chords and reminiscences of India without actually sounding Indian for the most part. By using various slides guitars, tunings and approaches, Scot paints a sonic landscape that is very appealing and, despite its sobriety, endearing. Each of the nine pieces on Rûmi is titled after a short verse of the 13th century Persian poet Rumi. I love the opener, 'there are a hundred ways to kneel and kiss the ground' and the meditatively melodic 'i have escaped by one cup of wine from the frenzy of speech'. Rumi is an unusual yet ear-opening experience." - Benoit Felten, France

“Hear the masterful explorations of Scot Ray...structural improvisation...new edges of sound...indian flavoured acid musings.” - Psychedelic Folk, Belgium

"Scot Ray is one of best slide guitar players I have ever heard, incredible stuff!" - Bridge Guitar Reviews, Netherlands

"Scot Ray is a sensible master of the objective sliding truth and I wouldn’t hesitate to compare him to players on the same level of Ry Cooder and Sonny Landreth. He’s a diversified velvet-touch fingerstylist whose evolved phrasing fuses past and future seamlessly, a true joy to hear - and not only for guitarists." - Massimo Ricci, Italy