Search - Craig Chaquico :: Shadow and Light

Excellent Disc

Charles Calvert | Bellevue, WA United States | 03/14/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is an excellent record by a very fine guitarist working at the top of his form. I think its regretable that this music has to be pegged as smooth jazz or new age music. It rocks a little harder than most music in either of those genres, and it is so close to the instrumental rock music of Carlos Santana or the jazz fusion of the Pat Metheny Group that it is not clear why one artist is labeled rock, the next smooth jazz and another jazz. Almost all the well composed songs on this fine album are upbeat, with an almost mystical sense of joy. The music makes me feel good, or compliments a good mood. This is not the kind of deeply emotional or deeply soulful music found on a great jazz album like A Love Surpreme. On the other hand, it is not cold or clinical music. It is more like a beautiful sunny day at noon. It is clear and bright and cheerful. It lacks the kind of deep soulfulness that one finds at sunset or on a moonlit night. Nevertheless, the music is not trite. It has depth and real feeling. But rather than being deeply emoitional, it has the feeling one would associate with a very good mood on a beautiful day. Nothing wrong with that!The band on this album is excellent, but most of the time one focuses only on Chaquico's playing. I don't find myself listening for the delicate interplay of the kind one finds on a good jazz album, but only for the glorious, soaring, and brilliantly executed guitar solos that Chaquico lays down one after another. The other big sell is the great melodies which abound on this album. There are no bad tracks on this album, and most of them have stronger hooks and a better beat than the average pop song.To give an album like this five stars would make it impossible to give appropriate credit to the truly transcendant albums that come along at most once or twice a year. Nevertheless, I don't see how this album could deliver much more within the bounds of its genre. It stands head and shoulders above the vast majority of music being released today, and will definitely please fans of other Craiq Chaquico albums, and most fans of Pat Metheny's jazz fusion albums."

"Shadow and Light" one of Chaquico's Best!

D. L. Worthing | Arundel, Maine United States | 05/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's been a long wait for Craig Chaquico fans, like myself, waiting patiently for a disc of new material from the New Age-Jazz legend, but after listening to Chaquico's first recording in four years you'll find that it was well worth the wait.
"Shadow and Light" is one of Chaquico's finest outings yet. Once again produced by himself and Ozzie Ahlers this disc triumphs. His seventh disc has both acoustic and electric guitar on four of the ten tracks.
From the opening track "Innocent Kiss" to the final track, a remix of his #1 hit "Cafe Carnival" off his greatest hits disc "Panorama" you'll find no better new New Age-Smooth Jazz disc out there. My personal favorites are tracks five and six "Keepers of the Flame" and "Afterglow".
This CD is a must have for new age, jazz and Chaquico fans alike. Get it!"

"hot & sassy smooth jazz, funk and rock makes this a winner"

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 04/26/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Listen up, this is for all fans of acoustic guitar music. Higher Octave presents superb acoustic performances blending funk, rock, smooth jazz. Solid elements of compassion gives each tune their own signature. At times this can be down right hot with melodic counterpoints "up in your face" expressions, don't get me wrong this is what gives Chaquico his edge, he is an original and not a carbon-copy. As usual, there are stand outs, so here goes ~ "WESTSIDE HOTEL", very gentle as Craig blends smooth rhythms, with a touching sax covering all exits ~ "LUMINOSA", talk about the latest craze of "smooth jazz" with a latin beat, this one shows you why he is the "Best Instrumental Guitarist of the Year", I know he's got my vote. But the highlight has to be ~ "COMPARED TO WHAT", a hot-sassy arrangement featuring Warren Hill (sax), Jeff Kashiwa (sax), Kevin Palaldini (sax) an innovative style from Craig on a higher plain with vocal thrown in, what a turn on track this is ~ "HURRY HOME", great finger-work by Craig, a six minute "get down" funky blues tapped with themes that brings the whole gang into the thick of things, Ozzie Ahler's groove on the organ is out there, gotta love it ~ "CAFE CARNIVAL", this sax in the sun remix pulls out all the stops, it's party time at the carnival, and this track puts you smack-dab-in-the-middle! Craig has come a long way since "Acoustic Highway", always with fresh new ideas...blending funky blues, rock and jazz into one fabric of lush sounds. Imagination and pure talent takes
the listener into the realm that always hits the mark...and "fellow-music-lovers"...this album is a keeper. Total Time: 49:58 on 10 Tracks ~ Higher Octave HOMCO-12142 ~ (2002)"