Clive Carroll - Reviews

TAPLAS

I was reminded of the recent passing of Davey Graham by two tracks on Clive Carroll’s impressive Life in Colour. Mississippi Blues and Dehli Fratelli both carry echoes of Graham’s idiosyncratic guitar stylings. Of course, they are but a fraction of the many styles that feature on this album, from the swing-inflected Doodup (dedicated to his late father) to the reflectively jazzy Oregon, the Pat Metheny-esque The Boatman and two Dowland lute pieces – all performed with the same masterful ease.

Carroll’s guitar playing is always virtuosic, but never gratuitously flashy, so this is certain to delight guitarists – especially as the tunings are included on the sleeve! This is an essential purchase for any self-respecting guitar aficionado.

Nick Passmore

http://www.taplas.co.uk/

Guitar Techniques

A new release from Clive Carroll is something of an event, as Clive usually sets the benchmark that other acoustic players then try to achieve. This is certainly the case on Life in Colour, as he takes us on a fairground ride of instrumental styles with effortless aplomb. The CD begins with a beautiful ballad called All This Time, but almost before the last notes fade away, we’re off into Django territory with hardly a pause for breath. But the fun doesn’t stop there because the third track drops us off at the Delta for some of the deepest blues you’ll ever hear. Add to this the fact that the album closes with two classical pieces by John Dowland from the 16th Century, it’s tempting to wonder if there is, in fact, any acoustic guitar style that Mr Carroll hasn’t mastered.

http://www.guitar-techniques.com

Guitarist Magazine

Incredible acoustic talent, fully demonstrated.

This instrumental offering from one of England’s finest acoustic guitarists is stylistically very varied. Doodup is light-hearted swing-style jazz full of Django runs and Les Paul-style harmonies, while Mississippi Blues displays Carroll’s command of, yet willingness to bend, traditional delta and country blues. The spacey, neck-bend-tastic Oregon brings in cinematic musings, while a brain-mangling version of John Dowland’s The Right Honorable Robert, Earl Of Essex,His Galliard makes the most of Carroll’s extensive classical study. The banjo and guitar craziness of Dehli Fratelli is an interesting take on creating an Indian theme, leaving the out-of-place Tele-spankin’ as the only slightly questionable contribution to the release.

Where Carroll scores compositionally and in terms of performance is that he leaves space where few other guitarists would dare, and fills others with harmony, melody and rhythmic twists that even fewer could conceive, let alone play. The tone from his Ralph Bown and Nick Benjamin OM-style guitars is a joy throughout with beautiful clarity and string separation and, helpfully, Clive also includes tunings and capo positions on the track listing. If you think you can play this stuff, however, you must be tripping. Incredible. (MT)

Standout tracks : All This Time, Oregon, Eliza’s Eyes

For fans of: Tommy Emmanuel, Eric Roche, Martin Simpson.

http://www.guitarist.co.uk/

Folk Roots Magazine (March 2009)

(Thumbs Up) Clive Carroll 'Life In Colour' (own label CC290908) The astonishing young guitarist's third CD, on which he again proves his absolute mastery of a myriad of musical styles over the course of a dozen of his own compositions. The great thing about Clive is that his breathtaking playing and ever-impressive technique is never allowed to triumph over intense musicality and listenability. Peerless - no other word for it.

Guardian
Ever since the 1960s, and the glory days of Davy Graham and the early Bert Jansch, the folk scene has provided the starting point for experimental acoustic guitarists who mixed traditional styles with jazz, classical, or global influences. The tradition has been continued by the likes of Martin Simpson, and Clive Carroll looks set to become the latest acoustic guitar hero. He studied classical guitar and composition, and came to the attention of Jansch's former guitar sparring partner John Renbourn, with whom he toured.

This virtuoso instrumental set, first released earlier this year, is remarkable for its sheer bravery and variety. Ten of the compositions are by Carroll himself, and range from thoughtful pieces like All This Time through to dazzling, rapid-fire displays of jazz and swing and equally virtuoso but sensitive banjo work, along with compositions by the 16th-century lute player John Dowland and bluesman Willie Brown. If he were to team up with an equally talented singer, Carroll would be a major star. For now, this is a set to delight guitar enthusiasts.

Robin Denslow

Acoustic Magazine

From the opening notes of Clive’s own Jerry Douglas style All This Time to the closing classical chords of John Dowland’s tune this is top shelf virtuoso playing. But there is nothing high brow or po faced about this cd. Clive takes us on a touching and joyful journey through his musical influences where Django meets Chet while Renbourn picks out a Delta Blues in the background. Masterful.

Rick Smith.

http://www.acousticmagazine.com/