When I first received this CD from NewMillennium, it was not my first exposure to Maestro Monti. I had, many times, read what Larry Cooperman had written and published on this site about him. Otherwise, however, I had never heard his name. This is a shame, for he is a musician with a lot to offer.

Although Monti is a superb guitarist in the traditional sense, he is also armed and dangerous with a whole host of contemporary techniques: head-stock notes; violent Bartok pizzicati; micro-tones; hammering of the notes on the fingerboard with the left hand (and I don't mean just a few notes here and there, there are whole textures he plays this way!); etc. As much of this sort of music (whatever that means) is so different from what we classical guitarists usually hear, it is easy to dismiss it as merely music that "those other people listen to". Not so. This is a musician NOT to be ignored. Besides, he defies categorizing. Like Koshkin, he is always at the ready to employ odd techniques to complete his many ideas, but just as often (well, almost as often) his music can be lyrical, even gentle at times.

Track 1, Origini, is a live concert recording. It opens with swaying rhythm, then progresses to include multiple types of tambour. A secondary (actually, more responsory) section has more exotic effects, yet: a short lower-voice accompaniment for left hand alone maintaining a slow trill, with masked notes playing a quiet melody. Next comes a lyrical section that actually sounds a bit Brazilian! Monti has covered a lot of territory in less than two minutes. Then, in a bit, it is back to Bartok pizzicato and stretched (or pushed) notes, producing those pesky micro-tones. Then comes a very interesting section with a hammered-only lower line PLUS multiple tambour techniques. Melody and chords (harmony) are provided here via rasqueado passages. Finally there is a reprise harking back to the opening ideas.

Track 2, Satori. True to its title (Satori is a Japanese word that refers to a highly meditative state but also to the journey itself that one takes to get there) this music is both meditative and garrulous. A recurring passage is the traditional Japanese folk tune Sakura, Sakura. There are many passages in which the guitar is made to sound like a koto. I even hear a human sigh (Monti's?) at the very end!

Track 3, Camino el Alba. This must be a misspelling. Literally this means Path the Dawn. No, it doesn't make much sense in Spanish, either. It may be, more properly, Camino del Alba (Path of the Dawn) or Camino al Alba (Path to the Dawn). A plaintive melody recalls a lot of Peruvian music that I have heard. By the way, an unexpected event was to hear that this monster player has a rather weak, ragged tremolo. It's not a big deal, just unexpected when he plays so many other frighteningly difficult passages so cleanly and effortlessly. Next is a jazzy section. And finally it closes with quite a driving finale.

Track 4, The Forest of Gokarnath. Sitar sounds and odd rhythms made by an array of techniques make this is a particularly fascinating track. Do I hear an altered tuning (scordatura)? There is even a section with a recurring descending bass line, reminiscent of the quasi-Passacaglia passage near the end of Britten's Nocturnal. Then, as if that isn't enough color and variety to cram into 5-plus minutes, it wraps up with a return to the sitar-like sounds!!

Track 6, Mantra, another texture yet again! Let it be enough to say that this track could have been written by the great Hans Werner Henze!

Track 9, The Way of the Warrior, is a startling duet. If you thought ONE guitar from this master is impressive, you should hear TWO!

Track 10, Why? Is even more impressive than track 9! It is for THREE guitarists. I assume that in these multiple-guitar performances, it is Monti multi-tracking all parts.

Track 11, Saruti. This title means That which is Heard in Sanskrit. This track is for guitar and electronics, as is the closing track (#12) titled Holocaust. Both of these tracks testify to Monti's endless imagination and musical fearlessness.

Monti is a guitarist unlike anyone else I am aware of. His genius as composer and performer, plus his interest in more catholic regional musical tastes, puts him into a class by himself. If you are not happy listening to yet another recording of the Bach Chaconne or Giuliani's Grand Overture, etc, you might give this CD a try. One think I promise, you will never be bored!!

John Bent
Marion, Iowa USA
July 19, 2009

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