Archipelago for Solo Guitar
Milonga
(Island One)
The First Island in the archipelago! Written years ago, before I even knew there was an archipelago to be discovered.
This is from a November 2016 lunch recital on the “Piano Lunch” series Christ & St.Steven’s Church in Manhattan-. Amazing acoustics and wonderful, receptive audience
The painting that goes with this piece is here.
Bossa Paraiso
(Island Two)
This is the second adventure of our guitar hero, in which he passes through the 997 islands of Bossa Paraiso. He’s left his home, the Island of Milonga. He’s on his way to the Last Island before he launches his tiny boat into the unknown of the Sea of Song.
Island at the Edge of the Sea
(Island Three)
This piece portrays our hero as he is pulled, chariot style in his guitar-powered boat up the rivers and waterfalls, until he is catapulted into the Sea of Sound, with the help of two Mer-horses and some musical monks. 
The painting that goes with this piece is here:
Tiento
(Island Four)
The music of the highly mysterious Island 4 is in a very free meter—musical flourishes of varying rhythmic persuasion push up against each other, like schools of fish
The guitar tuning is one of my favorite: Sixth string is E, 5th string is G, and then the usual D, G, B, E.
The painting that goes with this piece is here.
Written for Kristina
Island Six
(World Premiere)
This is the sixth adventure of our guitar hero,, in which he visits an island that seems to exist in a state of eternal springtime.
Another clip from the November 2016 lunch recital on the “Piano Lunch” series Christ & St.Steven’s Church in Manhattan-.
The painting that goes with this piece is here.
Dream Lullaby
(Island 8)
This is a rare performance of the 8th Island in my Archipelago for Solo Guitar. It’s a lullaby that takes place in a dream, hence the title, Dream Lullaby.
In this piece I use a new tuning —-6th string tuned to F#—-that was perfectly suited to transcribing the magic of this particular dreamed island into music
Written for Krisina
Island 6
(Played at Spectrum NYC)
Here’s aniother performance of Island 6, from 2017, at Spectrum NYC. It was part of my friend and colleague Sean Satin”s Recital, aptly named “Sean Satin & Friends”
Milonga
(Early Version)
Island 3
(Early Version)
Excerpts
Here are the excerpts in order of appearance:
Island 6/Island 4 (Tiento, with improv section at end)/Island 5/Prelude 5 (moto perpetuo–full piece)/Island 3 (Island at the Edge of the Sea)/Island 1 Milonga
Subscribe to the Art of Guitar Email List