Superlatives describe Chris Proctor’s guitar mastery
By Amy DeGroot
Breathtaking; haunting; rich. They’re only a few of the superlatives critics have used to describe Chris Proctor’s guitar stylizations, which run a gamut from folk to jazz, pop to classical.
Closet aficionados of Proctor’s unique presentation will get to see him live and close up at 7 p.m. Monday, April 29, when he appears at an acoustic guitar workshop in the Kyrene Corridor.
A national-champion fingerstyle acoustic guitarist and recording artist, Proctor has received glowing reviews from a number of influential music publications.
And, all the while, he has been producing nine CDs for Flying Fish, Windham Hill and Sugarhouse Records.
Latest addition is the recent release of Under the Influence, which also has found critical acclaim.
For any aspiring guitar masters, Proctor’s presentation includes performances of many of his notable compositions and covers a wide variety of fingerstyle, from beginning to advanced, from simple patterns for the right hand to more complex arrangements and contemporary compositions.
Added for good measure are a series of tips for all levels on equipment and technique.
As to his latest CD, Proctor says he wanted to make sure it featured melodies with a high recognition factor.
“I decided early on that I did not want a ‘cover’ CD as such, and would only record pieces which lent themselves to arrangements that could be both familiar and original,” said Proctor.
“I wanted people to enjoy the same pleasures that great recognizable music provides and be transported to new terrain at the same time.”
In previous recordings, Proctor advanced the arts of fingerstyle guitar technique and composition with each session. However, with Under the Influence he’s raised the bar on arranging as well, focusing on the music of his formative listening years.
He finds ways not only to pay homage to each song’s origins but to venture into territory beyond that of any mere tribute album.
Proctor has long been known for his remarkable body of original works for six- and 12-string guitar, his trademark counterpoint and inner voices, his technical wizardry and his pioneering use of the E-bow.
Now he interprets songs from across the musical spectrum, preserving the distinct flavor of each piece with his senses of taste, economy and proportion, while surpassing its musical and emotional impact.
Simply listening to Proctor’s new disc offers the most direct explanation of his success and reputation among guitar fans. Recorded in a pristine audiophile setting of high-end and vintage microphones and preamps, Under the Influence takes the listener for a swim in the diverse waters of Proctor’s musical youth.
Listeners surf waves of ‘60s and ‘70s folk, the timeless and elegant Baroque constructions of J.S. Bach, driving Irish jigs and haunting, slow airs, bluegrass and Appalachian string band tunes, and treatments of guitar pieces from steel string titans Leo Kottke and John Fahey.
