Album Notes

After many years of musical collaboration, Thomas Handy presents a solo guitar album with the release of "Storybook" – a collection of original pieces echoing his broad range of influences and personal approach as a self-taught instrumentalist. From bass-chord-melody finger style jazz to intricate flat-picked patterns, Thomas employs the full sonic range of the acoustic guitar – sometimes extended by lowered tunings in the bass. Like a group of short stories, the CD presents a variety of styles and moods: light and dark, simple and complex, up-tempo or slow and meditative – a reflection of his continuing journey with the guitar.

Thomas has performed in various settings including folk/roots, jazz, world and experimental music. His extended cross-cultural music collaboration in the 1990’s, The Thomas Handy Trio, with Ravi Naimpally (tabla/percussion) and Oliver Schroer (violin), was Juno - nominated in 1998 for "Arc" – an album of his compositions and arrangements that formed the basis for improvisation.

Thomas now lives on the west coast of Canada. Currently he is composing new music for a companion album of solo guitar to be released in 2009.

Comments from recent listeners:

Extraordinary, intense and full of emotion Thomas is a master. His mesmerizing sound is full of surprises. A journey of sound into stillness. - Mark Huthmacher, British Columbia, Canada.

We have listened to Thomas' new CD several times and find it very beautiful. Congratulations for creating such wonderful music. - Jessica DeVaal, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The joy of the music for me is that it breathes, stirs my soul in a refreshing way, it makes me make time to listen and the fact that its very fluid just makes it that much more enjoyable. kudos to real art - Kevin Manning, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I was awestruck while listening to Thomas’ new CD, ‘Storybook’. Thomas’ music is compelling, intelligent, sensitive, played with honesty and a depth of passion. The effect is immediate and tangible, inviting the listener to open up and journey with him as he reaches for deeper layers of feeling and expression. His delivery is a natural flow and outpouring of the heart. His rhythm and sound is clearly poised and defined by contrast to his refined sense and observance of space and stillness.
The overall quality of Thomas’ new CD, ‘Storybook’, is uniquely Thomas’ gift and marked contribution as an outstanding artist in his field. - Elvira Clare, British Columbia, Canada.