Album Notes

Jim Tozier is a former student of award-winning guitarist Al Petteway, and he has followed in the footsteps of his mentor by seamlessly blending a combination of traditional Irish tunes and his original Celtic-inspired compositions. Jim's debut CD, Castlerea, was recorded at Al's home studio, and it has garnered praise from several prominent members of the fingerstyle guitar community.

A self-proclaimed "guitarist for the common man," Jim strives to create music which is accessible to a wide variety of listeners; his emphasis on melody and moods results in music that has been described as "easy to listen to" and "a pleasure to hear again and again." But don't make the mistake of thinking that his laid-back delivery and relative lack of "flash" means that his music is simplistic or ambient. His skill as an instrumentalist has been noted by players like Steve Baughman, who hails Jim as "an excellent guitar player," and Artie Traum, who describes his playing as "tasteful, inventive, and precise . . . Jim's chops are formidable!"