AUSTIN DURACK - A Guitar Journey (2008)
Austin has provided a few tracks from the album (mp3 format) for your listening pleasure!
He performed 4 tunes from the C D live on The Arts Show ( R T E Radio 1) on Jan. 13th 2009.
Follow the link http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/0113/theartsshow_av.html?2474521,null,209
to hear the podcast.
A Guitar Journey was launched in Limerick, Ireland on Feb. 11th 2009 by Sheila Deegan , Limerick City Arts Officer.
Reviews Oct. 2008 – Jan. 2009 and background information.
"...an album full of expression and charm with an emphasis on melody . Having listened first before studying the tracklist, I was surprised at how many originals there were - such are their melodic strength."
PipeLine Instrumental Review ( U K Instrumental music mag. ) Spring 2009
" Stylistically catholic, Durack takes in ragtime, neo-classical and jazz standards, and everything is delivered with a sense of being laid back on a sofa. Durack is the kind of musician you'd listen to outside a café on a sunny afternoon and unexpectedly lose several hours, and this album gives you just that feeling"
Sam Wise ,Acoustic ( U K Guitar mag. ) Dec 2008/Jan 2009
"in addition to his originals, Durack layers A Guitar Journey with fresh fingerstyle acoustic instrumentals of Fats Waller's " Ain't Misbehavin", Roy Orbison's " Blue Bayou" and Van Morrison's early 70's classic "Moondance". A Guitar Journey is yet another worthy outing from this journeyman guitarist."
Robert Silverstein ,20th Century Guitar ( U S Guitar mag. ) Oct, 2008
Irish approval comes from Jackie Hayden ( Hot Press ) "There's a nice mood running through the album, as well as fine playing and it's interesting to hear a well –known song like Moondance given a fresh approach. The Warmest April ( an original Austin Durack ragtime tune ) is really good"
and R.T.E who have played a number of tracks from the CD on Radio 1 and Lyric F M.
Austin Durack is an Irish guitarist/composer who performs his own instrumentals alongside new arrangements of jazz, blues and popular standards. He plays acoustic, jazz, classical and flamenco guitars. He has already had two appearances as a solo guitarist on T G 4 (the Irish language T V channel ) and instrumentals from his last two albums have been played on the Irish radio stations Lyric F M , R T E Radio 1 and Radio Na Gaeltachta. He performed W C Handy's St Louis Blues live on Pat Kenny's radio programme (RTE Radio 1 ) in October 2006. Having toured the world as a singer songwriter and produced five albums as such including one released by Larrikin records in Australia and New Zealand , Austin now releases his first all instrumental album, A Guitar Journey.
The album was recorded, mainly live in Studio Fiona, Fermoy, Co Cork with U S born double bass player Peter Hannagan and was engineered by Brian O Reilly (Loudest Whisper ). Other musicians include Ken Hinchy (Sax),Bart Kiely (drums and percussion) and Joe Mulcahy, former bassist with Reform and the Limerick Jazz Quartet.
To order A Guitar Journey click on Contact Austin.