Thank you very much for this excellent guitar music. Id`s good for my brain and my mood. Please dont stop making music.
Dr. Ernst Weeber/Germany
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Travel reveals the textures of people, places, and culture. The music of Teja Gerken on his solo guitar release "Postcards" is a travelogue of textures, a satisfying mix of style and substance played on six and twelve-string steel string, and nylon string guitars. Readers of Acoustic Guitar magazine will recognize Teja as Gear Editor, and moderator of some of their on-line discussion forums. The 12 tunes on the CD (7 originals and 5 from other San Francisco bay area players) aren't an adrenaline rush of sound, but more a respectful exploration of the fusion of man and instrument. Teja's playing doesn't drip with the languid fluidity of Ed Gerhard or Martin Simpson, but carries a more dynamic immediacy. It's evident from the chord changes and picking patterns that he is consciously stretching his own musical limits, not playing it safe. "First Smile" has a bluesy feel without being too in-your-face. "Nine Bridges" reveals an eastern European side (the tune is titled after the Budapest bridges which span the Danube river) strangely brought to life on steel strings in Orkney tuning (used so effectively by Steve Baughmann for his Celtic guitar stylings). Gerken gives his own spin to Baughmann's "Plantxy Bongwater." The bends and single note runs of "City For Sale" juxtaposed against strings of chordal shifts brings to mind some early Alex DeGrassi in an elegant exit to a fine CD of good guitar music.
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This is the kind of music that works well as background music around the house... but it works equally well for intense listening. Guitarists like me can learn a lot from this record. There is a nice variety of stuff here. Teja's playing is marked by his strong fingerstyle technique and warm tone. Highly recommended!
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This recording offers a great set of compositions with a theme which is an authentic reflection of Teja's daily life and work. While featuring compositions from notable fingerstyle guitar friends in the Bay Area on the recording, his own compositions radiate sensitivity balanced with an urban edge. The production value on the recording is original and standard setting. The world would certainly be a better place if more guitarists could only sound like this!!
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