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KZAM recommends "Gratitude" from Adam Rafferty

"Acoustic guitar album" can mean many things these days. I want to recommend a new acoustic guitar album that both expands the genre and showcases the kaleidoscopic talents of a NYC player KZAM listeners have been enjoying since 2003's Three Souls. Adam Rafferty's newest self-produced effort, Gratitude, lifts him out of the small ensemble of his last few releases and sets him down in the lonely and unforgiving context of solo performer. It's clearly a place where he feels comfortable.

Mixing sweet and funky originals with covers of classic pop songs, Rafferty's new album is a logical evolution of his lifelong love of the guitar. His new compositions demonstrate an impeccable sense of melody and structure. His spare but elegant interpretations of Stevie Wonder and Lennon-McCartney peel away the production and instrumentation we all associate with these familiar tunes to reveal the pure, unadorned center of each song as we can imagine it being played by the writers when they were young and unjaded.

This is not to say that the record is all sweetness and light. Adam has clearly spent many a night in divy clubs, playing beside great drummers and bass players. When he conjures up the rhythm section with his percussive fingerstyle, the funk heats up and rounds out the music in a very satisfying and modern way. There is nothing "new age" about this guitar record. Tunes on the album like Adam's "Machine Gun" and Lonnie Smith's "Play it Back" won't be getting much play in yoga classes or aromatherapy sessions. Driving down the 1 on a sunny day with the top down, or walking up 6th Avenue toward Central Park with those tunes on your 'pod...now that's a different matter.

Although Adam insists he hasn't given up playing well with others, this solo direction is his current passion. Having spent an evening with him recently, recording a video interview and performances of this music before the album was released, I can attest to his sincerity and focus. He spoke of being inspired by Tommy Emmanuel, and of returning to the rock idioms of his earliest guitar playing.

I personally recommend "Gratitude" by Adam Rafferty. It's beautifully recorded and crafted. Listen to KZAM to hear tracks from the record. Adam Rafferty's new music is in heavy rotation, which is rare for an acoustic guitar album.