SHARON ISBIN By LAWRENCE DEL CASALE THE GUITAR through its polyphonic nature lives 'Best Instrumental Soloist Performance' for her in many worlds. It can also be said that the gui­ 2009 CD Joumey to the New World (SONY) . tar is an international instrument, popular in its Journey features Isbin in solos, in collaboration appeal to virtuosos of varied genres. In the clas­ With the iconic folk singer Joan Baez, and with sical realm, the guitar of nineteenth century per­ virtuoso violinist Mark O'Connor. Isbin accompa­ formers Fernando Sor and Mauro Giuliani is still nies Baez on the song Wayfaring Stranger (arr. evolving, taking into its repertoire music from Barbosa-Lima) for an absolutely beautiful rendi­ around the world and morphing it into something tion, and she later joins O'Connor to perform his new. Reviewing a concert .in New York City the composition Strings and Threads, a quasi-blue­ New York Times music critic Allan Kozinn wrote: grass/jazz suite. Both works speak directly to 'The world of the classical guitar has become Kozinn's view of collaborations With musicians appealingly chaotic over the last few decades, in grounded in folk music. much the same way the new-music world has: Moving to the present, Isbin's latest release, players With traditional tastes and interpretive Guitar Passions: Sharon Isbin & Friends (SONY) instincts work alongside guitarists steeped in pop anchors itself securely in Latin America and fea­ and folk sensibilities, With avant-gardists and tures a number of her guitar heroes: rock gui­ world-music devotees contributing new textures tarist/ composers Steve Vai and Steve Morse (the and languages to the mainstream' (NY Times, latter of Dixie Dregs fame). jazz guitarists Stanley July 2011). Jordan and Romero Lubambo, singer/song­ In keeping with Kozinn's comment, one gui­ writer/guitarist Nancy Wilson (of Heart). tarist who has been a leader in creating such Brazilian singer I guitarist Rosa Passos, and above mentioned parameters is Sharon lsbin. Gaudencio Thiago de Mello who teams up With Isbin received her second Grammy award for Isbin and saxophonist Paul Winter. And so it goes Classical Guitar Magazine 11 Sharon Isbin and Steve Vai. throughout this incredible recording. Many of the that I develop a guitar tribute album, and they eleven titles on the album are premiere record­ gave me the freedom to choose from players ings, including the Barbosa-Lima/Passos whose music I love and admire. The net cast was arrangement of Pixiguinha's Carinhoso, as well as wide, and embraced not only current friends, the arrangements by Vai, Jordan, Wilson, Wolff heroes and colleagues such as Steve Vai, Stanley and Lubambo. Jordan, Steve Morse, Nancy Wilson of Heart, Isbin is ahead of the curve with Guitar Passions, Rosa Passos and Romero Lubambo. but also perhaps in the running for another Grammy, and icons from the past including once again pushing the envelope to the benefit of Segovia with whom I first studied at us all. fourteen, Rodrigo who was a friend of 20 years, and Brazilian pop leg­ Your latest CD, Guitar end Antonio Carlos Jobim with Passions: Sharon Isbin whom Carlos Barbosa-Lima and and Friends (SONY) is I collaborated and shared a something Like your previ­ warm relationship. ous 2009 CD, Journey to I also pay tribute to two great the New World (SONY). guitar makers of our time Please explain how you whose instruments I play on developed this wonderful pro­ the CD: Michael O'Leary ject from Ireland (cedar with During the late 80s when I was double back and sides) and recording and touring with Antonius Mueller from Larry Coryell and Laurindo Germany (cedar double Almeida, I envisioned making a top). Enhancing their multi-genre collaborative guitar artistry are revolutionary cus­ disc with a New York-themed wish tom made signature model tuners by J org list of performers and composers to Graf (www.graftuners.com), and Savarez New be titled, somewhat playfully: Crista!, Alliance and Cantiga strings. Muggers Holiday. Hah! Maybe I had just moved to the city and feared what might be lurking down Passions contains traditional solo guitar pieces the block... Anyway, though that project never such as Segovia's setting of Asturias by Albeniz came about, flash forward a couple dozen record­ next to an arrangement of the Adagio from the ings later. .. Concerto de Aranjuez by Laurindo Almeida. In After Journey to the New World with guests this particular arrangement the piece moves from Joan Baez and Mark O'Connor, Sony proposed traditional classical to bossa nova and then to 12 Classical Guitar Magazine •, improvised rock with an excellent solo by guitarist Steve Morse. Was Steve Morse originaLLy slated to do a solo over the bossa groove? Yes, Steve was the man! We first met in 1985 when I invited him to perform in the Guitarstream '85 festival I created for Carnegie Hall. What he came up with in this rocked out improv on Guitar Passions is amazing, one of the coolest things I've ever heard. Laurindo, with whom Larry and I premiered the work. designed his arrangement to feature classical. Brazilian and rock in a very innovative way. To our delight. Rodrigo loved our recording. This time around, Romero is at the bossa helm, and he spices up his solos with a jazz infused freedom, which adds such a :fresh vision. Later in the disc, Romero and 1 play Jobim's Chovendo na Roseira based on an arrangement by Carlos Barbosa-Lima. We had played it in Paul Winter, Sharon Isbin and Carnegie Hall in one of the first Jobim memorial Gaudencio Thiago de Mello. concerts. The CD opens with a duet version of the You and Steve Vai have toured together in the past, Colombian dance Porro, in which I play both the what was that like? original Gentil Montana part, and the delightful He's like a brother, and a really wonderful, smart, second guitar part written by Gustavo Colina, witty. fun person - in addition to being a phe­ with a few extra measures penned by Berta nomenal rock guitarist and composer. We met Rojas. And another work not yet mentioned is performing together at a Recording Academy Jorge Cardoso's arrangement of Aljonsina y el event and hit it off. When Theatre du Chatelet in mar, music I've always wanted to play ever since Paris asked me to do a week of performances a hearing Mercedes Sosa's moving performances. few years ago, Steve wrote The Blossom Suite for us to premiere. That's a future recording project. Do you see the traditional classical guitar giving On this album, he does a lovely, lyrical improv to way to a blend of classicaL and popular music the the Allegro from Barrios's La. CatedraL. The idea way you have presented it to us on Passions? evolved spontaneously when we were playing After all, the album is rooted in Latin America together at his home for a segment in a docu­ where the boundaries between classical and pop­ mentary being made about me. Have a look on ular are often blurred. my website at the video sample of Guitar A project like this dissolves traditional bound­ Passions. which also includes behind-the-scenes aries and leads us to simply revel in the joy of the footage With Stanley, Nancy, Thiago de Mello and music. We celebrate the diversity of the guitar. Paul Winter. And it's our passion for the instrument that brings us all together. Can you talk about some of your personal jcwourite tracks on Passions? Sharon, you have performed aLl over the world. Do In addition to the above, it was such an honou r you see a difference in the way the Segovian clas­ to play Dreamboat Annie with Nancy Wilson. I've sical guitar is received in the United States as loved Heart for years, and that song has always opposed to say Western or Eastern Europe or even been one of my favourites. Not only is she an ele­ Asia for that matter? gant singer songwriter, but also a terrific gui­ So many cultures have a history of plucked tarist. Rosa Passos's interpretation of instruments, which makes the guitar feel familiar Pixingu inha's Carinhoso is melting, as is the and welcome almost anywhere. For example, I Brazilian jazz-infused lyricism of my musical was just in China in June where I performed and partners of many years, Paul Winter and Thiago taught as a guest of the Central Conservatory in de Mello. Beijing. I've never heard so many fine students in One of the highlights is Stanley Jordan's bril­ one place before! In between climbing the Great liant improv to a hot work by Argentinian com­ Wall, visiting The Forbidden City, temples, and poser/guitarist Quique Sinesi, Sonidos de aquel Xi'an warriors, I had the opportunity one evening dia. You have to hear it to believe it. Stanley and to attend a party given by a painter friend, and I I first met in the late 90s performing together on improvised with a banhu player. singers, and a Guitar Summit tour. His unique innovative tap­ China's top pipa player. We were drawn to the ping technique in which the electric guitar is magic of each other's cultures, finding common played almost like a piano is legendary. Wild stuff ground in both Western and Eastern music. The -I still can't figure out how he does it! music Tan Dun wrote for me has inspired an 14 Classical Guitar Magazine appreciation for the colours, gestures, lyricism and ritual in traditional and contemporary Chinese music.