Andreas Kapsalis Trio

Artist: Andreas Kapsalis Trio
Label: O.I.E. Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD

UPC: 825346183022
EAN: 0825346183022
ASIN: B000BNKAHO

Release Date: 2005-11-15

Related Categories:

General

| International | Styles | Music

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Cubist
El Mariachi
Wave
Recycled
Lava
Angel Hive
Glass Statues Iron Flies
Speckled Band
Poesies
Music To Spy To

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Customer Reviews:

A true pioneer.......2006-05-31

If you like guitar, but feel as though you've heard it all, let me recommend Andreas Kapsalis. Like Stanely Jordan or Emmet Chapman, Andreas Kapsalis plays with two hands on the neck, tapping. The sound is alternately delicate and powerful, always percussive. Unlike Jordan or Chapman, Kapsalis is an acoustic guitarist, and as such, invites comparison with Kaki King or the late Michael Hedges. His music has more form than that of King or much Hedges, in this reviewers opinion. He is always harmonically interesting and really knows how to establish a groove. One of my favorite tracks here is "El Mariachi": if you live in Chicago see him live at on or more of the venues (see his website). Ya sou Andreas!

High School Guitar Hero.......2005-12-12

Well, isn't this Indie.

I had to drop some near 19 dollars on this album, from Tower Records, because it wasn't on a major label. Fortunately, O.I.E. Records made a deal with Redeye Distribution, so now you can find this album on Amazon (hey!) or other big[ger] stores.

Aside from the obvious fact that I'm crazy for paying 19 dollars for an album, it's worth mentioning that you can snag a few free mp3's on Kapsalis' site. In fact, you can actually snag his full first EP, which is nice, so you can see if you like this type of music or not.

And, that's where I leave off: on the actual music itself. If ever I were to have a "high school guitar hero," Kapsalis would be my man. From the odd, but not overly abstract artwork, to the minimalist packaging (I'm not going to lie, I was kind of pissed off when I opened up the CD to find no book of linear notes), everything about this album is nicely presented.

Placing the album into your CD player yields the sound itself, which is acoustic. Kapsalis is to acoustic guitar as Yngwie is to electric. Except Kapsalis isn't a flamer. There's a lot of virtuosity here. Kapsalis uses a complex finger tapping method, one that he learned when he injured his hand in his youth. The guitar parts are layered, and often sound like there are multiple guitars playing at once. It's a similar effect that lots of math-rock/metal bands like Don Caballero and Hella use. The difference is that Kapsalis plays acoustic. Kapsalis' music also is slightly more eccentric then what you would come to expect from the average guitar virtuoso. There are splashes of Greek, Mediterranean, and Spanish spread throughout the entire album.

This album has a lot more color to it than a lot of the virtuoso albums out there. This is the type of album that you can listen to on a late night drive home, or dare I say on a Greek beach at night. Still, there is much talent here, and Kapsalis does things to a guitar that should scare most casual musicians.

The saddest thing is Kapsalis has generally gone unknown. He plays shows throughout Chicago, and is well worth the price of admission. Unfortunately, small bands backed by small labels that play music outside of the box really don't get to bask in the limelight.

Try this on for Indie.

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Disturb N Tha Peace ~ Professor Griff

Underwater Cinematographer ~ The Most Serene Republic

Live in Cuba ~ Audioslave

Soak ~ Rachel Farris

Open Your Eyes (Clean) ~ Goldfinger

Sex Angel ~ S.O.M.

Divine Sheena Easton

Thugs Are Us ~ Trick Daddy

Flava for the Soul ~ I.C. Red

Bomb Shelter Poetry ~ Sentence