Sunday, June 21, 2009

Great Music - Garrin Benfield

While I get my stuff together about the live Tom Goss/Jake Walden show last night, I thought I would drop another post in here. After the show, a guy walked up to me to ask me about Garrin Benfield [since I was wearing a GB shirt], and I was more than happy to tell him how much I loved his music.

Garrin Benfield

Several years ago, I read an article that spoke of a young guitarist named Garrin Benfield, so I sought out his music to see what the superlatives were all about. The San Fransisco based artist is an amazing guitarist - I could listen to him play instrumentals all day. But he can also sing, a point made clear in the first song I fell in love with, What You're Hiding, a song dedicated to the memory of Matthew Shepard



I have purchased all I could find, and think I have a complete collection of his discography. What is missing from the puzzle for me is seeing him perform live. He mostly plays in Northern California, and I haven't had the chance to catch him. Recently, I was excited to see some East Coast dates on the schedule. However, once I really looked at those, it coincided with the 10 days I was going to be watching my niece and nephew, and wouldn't be able to make the shows! Argh! Yes, I have almost gotten over it, but sure hope I get the chance again soon.

Garrin Benfield

It is tough to say which is my favorite CD, but if pressed, I will most likely say August Live '03 by The Garrin Benfield Band. His style is this interesting combination of West Coast folk and jazz, although there are times when rock and country find their way in. The CD is a great combination of original music and interesting covers. There is a smoking version of the gospel song Children Go Where I Send Thee and the 19th Century classic, Hard Times. There are also the haunting melodies of Unbound and Hungry Ghost. This is I Let You Go.



Well, my West Coast friends, I might just be showing up on your doorstep one day, asking to use your sofa for the night, because I made the cross-country trek to see Mr. Benfield live. You can find out more about Garrin at his website or on MySpace.

No comments:

Post a Comment

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails