Michael Hughes
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The Mountain of the Night The Mountain of the Night
My guitar arrangement of the piano composition by Abdullah Ibrahim. For Stephany--such a long night, and such a big mountain. Classical & steel-string guitars, electric bass.
Insensatez (How Insensitive) Insensatez (How Insensitive)
My favorite A.C. Jobim song: bassline descending in half-steps, lovely pedal point melody with leaps over the verb 'told,' the unbearable lyric. Classical guitar wi Fantom for percussion & pad in this 1.0 version.
Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World
A shameless tribute to the late Israel Kamakawiwa Ole. Shane McMahon, vocal; yrs truly, guitar & octave mandolin. That's Shane in the pic.
A Silent Night Fantasy A Silent Night Fantasy
My take on Silent Night by Franz Gruber, who composed it on Christmas Eve, 1818, in the schoolhouse of Arnsdorf, Austria. Two steel-string guitars in 'Nashville tuning,' National steel guitar, acoustic bass--The Snowplow String Band. Thanks, Franz!
The Christmas Eve Waltz The Christmas Eve Waltz
The Snowplow String Band here with a little seasonal country waltz around the subject of dreams. This began life as an instrumental, but just a few days later it grew some lyrics. Acoustic guitar, stand-up bass, mandolin, piano and lap steel.
Nocturne Nocturne
A little nocturnal piece from The String Band From Hell. Steel-string guitar, mandolin & octave mandolin. We've gotta returm to this one & make it sound like a guitar and mandolin orchestra...
Stephany's Waltz Stephany's Waltz
We wanted this to feel like the last waltz at a summer night's contradance at the Liberty grange. A song for my mother. The Suck Tones on National steel, octave mandolin, guitar, bass & piano.
Slacker (Aloha Au Ia Mau 'Oe) Slacker (Aloha Au Ia Mau 'Oe)
A slack-key tune, trying to get at that aloha feeling, and Lord knows it's elusive sometimes. Slack-key steel-string (DGDGBD), National steel guitar in the same tuning, octave mandolin and my old blonde Kay stand-up bass.
Ohio Ohio
A song about beginnings and endings. I didn't know I was writing it for myself! Fantom for piano & drums; lap steel lead on the bridge. Acoustic guitar with piano as a verse dialogue about what, exactly, happened.
Cadenza Cadenza
This is an improvised duet on classical guitars from me and Michael Silvestri, a coffee-fueled conversation from our days playing as Cadenza.
Hills of Manchuria Hills of Manchuria
A traditional dance tune done on mandolin & guitar.
O'Carolan's Farewell to Music O'Carolan's Farewell to Music
One of two versions I've heard of this beautiful Turlough O'Carolan composition. Guitar & mandolin; this is a practice recording made for a mandolin orchestra I started a few years ago.
Simple Gifts Simple Gifts
A song from Elder Joseph Brackett, written in 1848 while he resided at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine. Also known as Lord of the Dance. Sarah Radovich, vocal; yrs truly guitar--we kept it simple.
Down the Rabbithole Down the Rabbithole
Solo guitar, a piece in Gmsus4 tuning. A little meditation on transformative experiences & open tunings. That's Jeremy Young in the funny hat, reading his wonderful poetry at the Last Coffeehouse.
Cupid Cupid
A recording of the great Sam Cooke song, live & straight to tape in a Portland bar one afternoon a long time ago. Rock & a Hard Place here: Linda Pervier, vocals; Steve Hamelman, drums; Craig McRae, bass; yrs truly on Strat.
Meditation #1 Meditation #1
A peaceful meditation done on the Fantom X & electric guitar, this is my first sequencer-based piece.
Kelsterne Gardens Kelsterne Gardens
A stately English dance from The Dancing Master, one of the great tune collections; around 1726. Acoustic guitar & octave mandolin.
Freezing Rain Freezing Rain
This begins with a minor scale loop in 5/4, a djembe & a second guitar enter in 4/4 & pretty soon there's 1/4 inch of ice on the branches. Another in my insomnia series.
