Souvenir $3.24

About Souvenir

"Souvenir" is the BRAND NEW CD by Guitarist/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist Joe Euro. "Souvenir" is an homage to travel and incredible people, and as Joe points out in the liner notes of the CD, Souvenir is not just some trincket or bauble of a travel memory, but is actually the French verb for "To remember".
A beautiful collection of guitar and piano/guitar compositions, inspired by the memories of amazing journeys and people, all written and performed by Joe, except for a version of the classic Jean Sibelius theme from Finlandia, which Joe arranged and performed for classical guitar..taking a few liberties on this track with his own intro, variation..and return to his intro theme at the ending.
Joe's old friend, harpist David Michael, adds some nice texture with his zither work on track 6 "Coyote Spirit". A piece with a rather "Native American" feel, performed on the steel string guitar, with a percussive technique.
There are two "Ambient" styled tracks too, with that "big spacey" sound Euro is known for from his other CDs. "Alone Among Angels" is a single track (no overdubs) performed on the nylon string (classical) guitar, and "In Your Dreams" features that "big spacey" sound, this time used on the piano, this peice is then augmented by a tasteful nylon string guitar improv track. This is the final track, of "Souvenir" and as the title: "In Your Dreams" might imply...it is a bit of a lullaby. This piece might just lull you in to restful sleep and sweet dreams!!!
Some of the guitar pieces on this CD are a break from Joe's signature nylon string guitar sound, as some tracks are performed on the jumbo body, steel string, acoustic guitar, often with open tunings such as CGDGAD and DADGAD. So you may notice a slighlty different sound on some of Joe's guitar compositions, with the brighter, crisper sound of steel strings, most of these recorded at Port Townsend's "Synergy Sound" recording studio in 24 bit stereo! There's still plenty of nylon string (classical) guitar used throughout much of "Souvenir". The track "Hedges On The Ledges" is a tribute to the late, great guitar master, Michael Hedges, and features some percussive guitar work, both with the hammer-ons and pull-offs, and also using the guitar body itself for some percussive accents!
The opening track, "River Of Light" is also a lively guitar composition performed on a solo steel string, acoustic, jumbo body guitar, with a touch of percussion for added texture.
Joe Euro resides in the Historic Victorian Seaport town of Port Townsend, on Washington's inner coast, where he lives with his family and runs his retail wine shop, The Wine Seller, which he established in 1982.
Joe has been "hosting" European journeys twice a year to various parts of France, Italy, and recently to Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro as well (Fall 2007), taking groups of 15 to 20 people to some very beautiful, historic, culturally rich and "truly amazing" places!!! Always bringing a guitar along on these journeys...and, of course his wealth of wine knowledge! "Souvenir" (to remember) was inspired mostly by these amazing journeys.
"Souvenir" is finally available, and is a fitting follow up to his two other well regarded works, The High Road (1994) and Eyes On The Horizon (2002) Add this one to your collection soon, and please submit reviews of this CD, and/or any of Joe Euro's other CDs on CD Baby's "reviews" link!!