Hewitt, Russ: Chasing Horizons

Acoustic based guitarist Russ Hewitt weaves lovely melodies, speedy fluid runs over Latin-tinged music and percussion on his fourth solo release. Chasing Horizons features some big name guests including Nuno Bettencourt on the title track. A real Spanish flair is present on “Vivir Libre� which features guitarist Marty Friedman (Megadeth). The speedy unison lines stand out, and make one consider the serious firepower a full album collaboration between Friedman and Hewitt could generate. “Amor Perdido� features the Bucharest All-Star Orchestra, another pretty melody, but I find it a bit tame, thinking there should be more power with an orchestra backing. “Luminous� is another track that features a nice melody, but again, maybe a bit too nice. Just because you have an acoustic guitar in your hand, does not mean you can’t add a little bite.

Hewitt has excellent chops, as you’ll hear throughout the CD. He also has an ear for melody, but everything feels too light and easy. A bit more contrast in the compositions would be most welcome for someone not familiar with this style. I’m certainly impressed with Hewitt’s skill, he is an amazing player, but I need more meat on my plate to stay to the end.

Track Listing
1. Allende 04:13
2. Chasing Horizon (feat. Nuno Bettencourt) 04:54
3. Vivir Libre (feat. Marty Friedman) 05:27
4. Amor Perdido (feat. Bucharest All-Star Orchestra) 04:30
5. Luminous 03:50
6. Sunset Samba (feat. Jorge Strunz) 04:03
7. Luna 04:00
8. Cubalia Café (feat. Ardeshir Farah) 04:15
9. Serein 04:30
10. Return to Simitai (feat. Tri Nguyen)

Added: January 23rd 2023
Reviewer: Eric Porter
Score:
Related Link: Artists @ Bandcamp
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Language: english

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