A LONGING FOR HOME

This is the first time I have come across guitarist Nick Fletcher, who has only recently returned to the electric version due to his collaborations with John Hackett but is well known for his works in the classical and Celtic fields. It was only on reading his biography that I realised he worked with Dave Bainbridge in bands prior to the forming of Iona, and he has worked with Dave on and off over the years. Now I know why the classical piece "Joy Turning Into Sorrow" is such a delight, as this is where he is actually most at home as opposed to coming to it from the other direction, like Steve Hackett (who incidentally has said, "Nick Fletcher is the best jazz rock guitarist in the country. His fluency is outstanding, I consider him a real star").

Having been professionally trained in the Seventies, Nick has had plenty of time to absorb influences and to my ears the two which really stand out are Allan Holdsworth and Andy Latimer, although there are elements of Steve Hackett and Steve Howe in there as well. It is the fluidity and musicality which really makes this work. For the most part he is combining with the band to create real songs, just without words. He obviously felt there was a need to show he could do more than just be melodic though, as "The Sage, The Monk and The Scholar" shows him at his rocking best with complex runs which also allow bassist Jonathan Ihlenfeld Cuniado to show he can keep up with the best of them.

The final song is "To Hear The Angels Sing" which include wonderful wordless vocals from Olga 'Dikajee' Karpova, an amazing ethereal singer I have come across before, and here Nick ensures he is at his Holdsworth best as he provides perfect accompaniment to really let her shine. This is one of the most interesting guitar albums I have ever come across with a focus on music and melody as opposed to just showing off with shreds, and as Harry Chapin said, "A fool plays the blues like Machine Gun Kelly, Five hundred notes to the bar" ('Bluesman'). We don't have to worry about that here as this is one of the most interesting and delightful guitar albums you are ever likely to hear.

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