. The recording was cited by Guitar Player Magazine as, "An exhilarating, oddmeter minefield inspired by Near Eastern music. An important recording from a gifted composer, arranger and performer." Two more releases followed on the Acoustic Guitar label. In recent years, Sparks had been immersed in the ethnic music scene, performing on Oud in middle eastern ensembles, and accompanying on guitar in Greek and Klezmer orchestras. He was a featured performer with Crossing Borders at the Bethlehem International Music Festival in July of 1995 and has received two Arts Fellowships to pursue ethno-musicological studies. He spent one fall studying Fado and Portuguese Guitar in Lisbon. .................... The tunes featured on the music page here are from Tim Sparks' ROOTS RAGS & BLUES, a video instruction package produced by acousticguitarworkshop.com. ..................... Produced by - "an important recording from a gifted composer, arranger and performer". - "Sparks shows his tremendous versatility moving between jazz and the classics." - "A major contribution to the world of guitar transcriptions...Sparks is an extraordinary guitarist" - "Fresh, exotic, and totally cool." - "Sparks' musical goulash is spiced with Celtic, blues, and jazz flavors for a truly unique work. The effect is exotic, rich, and sensuous." - "You can hear Tim Sparks think. He plays by choice not habit: ideas not licks. I've heard him do this on guitars so badly intonated, they wouldn't make a good ashtray; the same guitars - I remember a piece called Blues on Bartok Street - are guitars in Tim's hands. Beautiful. I'm Tim Sparks' biggest fan. His stuff is very difficult to play but it doesn't sound difficult. I think that's real musicianship. He's really one of the best musicians I know."