Though admittedly Brad Hoyt is a friend of mine, I would not feel compelled to write a review of his latest CD Together Alone had I not believed it deserved to be heard, and indeed it does.
Together Alone is comprised of 14 songs, all instrumentals and all duets between piano and various types of harp guitars; the latter being an instrument that Hoyt has developed a long-time fascination with. To those unfamiliar, and admittedly I was myself, there are a wide variety of harp guitars which encompass a vast array of sounds, and on Together Alone you’ll notice the difference, as some sound akin to a Spanish guitar, another like a Steel Guitar, and so on. However, the education into the world of the harp guitar is secondary to the eloquent melodies and subtle complexities that encompass Together Alone. From the opening track “Midwestern Expansion”, the CD establishes a distinct mood, one of captivation and scenic beauty, and you are immediately thrust into a world where a certain tranquility has taken over. Though there are no drastic shifts in musical tone on Together Alone, there are subtle quirks which provide a sort of subdued edge, such as on the reggae-infused “Sharper’s Lament” to the Kurt Weill-ian “Fisherman’s Mistress” to the classically-based title track, “Together Alone”.
By and large, the CD is faithful to a more subdued, melodic tone throughout, but one that only becomes more engaging as Together Alone progresses. What is also interesting is that Hoyt provides each song with an interesting back story in his liner notes, such as with the potent “Martyrs Last Crossing”, a song inspired by the 1st Century Christian martyr Saint Ignatius of Antioch. What is additionally fascinating is that much of the music actually sounds like the snippets he has written, which is no less indicative in what is my personal favorite - “Moravian Deluge”, which was inspired by the severe floods that plagued the Czech Republic in 2002. Incidentally, Hoyt lived in Prague for some years, and lived there during that period. But in this track, without even knowing the back story, we can hear the rain, the sense of loss and the silence of a society sadly and unwillingly yielding the floor to nature. It is a piece as beautiful in its mood-laden melody as it is in its restraint.
Together Alone was recorded over several years, with Hoyt having composed all of the music on piano (which he plays throughout). The harp guitar parts were subsequently recorded throughout the country (and in Canada) by an array of World-class Harp guitarists, such as Muriel Anderson, John Doan, Antoine Dufour, Don Alder, Jeff Titus, Stacy Hobbs, Mike Doolin, Carter Lancaster, Pete Bradshaw and Gregg Miner. However, Hoyt himself plays the harp guitar on the CDs final track “Sheechka Moye”, an elegant lullaby written for his daughter.
I wholly encourage you to invest in Together Alone, a beautiful and elegant arrangement of music which is both transporting and meditative.
To listen to samples and to purchase Together Alone, go to;
http://www.harpguitarmusic.com/listings/listing_bh_together_alone.htm
