Tuesday, December 13, 2016

USA: Ralph Towner-My Foolish Heart (2017)

After critically-lauded projects with trumpeter Paolo Fresu (Chiaroscuro) and with fellow guitarists Wolfgang Muthspiel and Slava Grigoryan (Travel Guide), Ralph Towner returns to solo guitar for My Foolish Heart.

Whether on classical guitar or 12-string, Towners touch is immediately identifiable. Solo music is an important thread through his rich discography and this new album recorded at Luganos Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in February 2016 and produced by Manfred Eicher follows in the great tradition of Diary, Solo Concert, Ana, Anthem, and Time Line.

It features finely-honed new compositions among them a dedication to the late Paul Bley (Blue As In Bley) - as well as a pair of tunes (Shard and Rewind) from the songbook of Oregon, and a single standard: Victor Youngs My Foolish Heart, which Towner first came to love in Bill Evanss interpretation.

Ralph Towner has been an ECM recording artist since 1973. My Foolish Heart is his 29th album for the label.