Guitar Tricks Insider July / August Issue | Page 6

RIFFING
ANDY
SUMMERS
I love Ralph Towner!
Solstice is still my
favorite album of his.
Actually, this is one of my favorite
pieces he’s ever done. Towner has
such a high standard that all of
his work is good. Specifically, this
is a great piece of guitar-playing.
He’s certainly taken the guitar
in a new direction. It stands as
pure music; it’s music for itself.
It doesn’t have to pretend to be
an accompaniment for something
else. Towner is obviously combining
classical technique and some jazz
improvisation. He’s brought them
to a new realm together, and this
piece shows it off very well. This is
real guitar music. In some ways it’s
pianistic, too. I love that icy, remote
ECM sound. ■
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Andy Summers by Chris Schwegler - Atlas Icons
JULY / AUGUST