Sounds of Wood & Steel 3

Sparkling with talent, Sounds of Wood & Steel 3 is a celebration of the acoustic guitar. Taylor Guitars and Windham Hill Records have teamed up for the third time to sing the instrument’s praise, with top-tier artists exhibiting their acumen in an array of styles.

While the acoustic guitar remains a cornerstone of so many musical genres, rarely has its dynamic and emotional range been explored within a single collection. Every cut finds the instrument—and the artist—in a new setting. On “Litho Blitho,” Dave Matthews’ spiraling guitars recall Philip Glass. Robben Ford, known for his electric blues, reveals his jazz side on an atypical read of Louis Armstrong’s “St. James Infirmary.” Country superstar Kenny Rogers lays back on bass, allowing guitarist Randy Dorman to shine on “Night Winds.” The pensive “Jesse’s Song” sounds like the backing tracks to a mellow pop hit for Jars Of Clay, but the vocals are never missed. Open chords and a yawning sitar provide the background for Billy Sheehan’s bass on “Bombay Doors.”

“The album delivers a mixture of solo guitar heroes, singer/songwriters, producers, and celebrities,” says T.J. Baden, series producer and Vice President of Taylor Guitars. “The common thread is the powerful influence that acoustic guitars have on how modern music is written and performed. The acoustic guitar can lead worship in church or back a rock band. It can handle the intensity of the powerful right hand of Doyle Dykes and Phil Keaggy [whose remarkable “Cajon Pass” was written and recorded in a single afternoon], and still have the delicacy to mix soothing tones with the voices of Susanna Hoffs or Paul Rogers.”

This third volume in the Sounds of Wood & Steel series marks a musical trifecta for Windham Hill and Taylor Guitars, a great pairing with a shared vision. Famed for their roster of post-modern instrumental artists, Windham Hill was key in bringing world-class guitarists like Michael Hedges, Alex de Grassi and Tuck Andress to the fore. They’ve upheld the tradition with releases by the likes of Doyle Dykes and Snuffy Walden, among others. Formidable players all, many WH guitarists have contributed tracks to the Sounds of Wood & Steel albums.

At Taylor, Vice President T.J. Baden has spearheaded all three Sounds of Wood & Steel projects—not only as producer, but as a performing artist. It is through his friendships that such an impressive roster of musicians has recorded tracks especially for Wood and Steel. Like most worthwhile musical ventures, T.J.’s experience with this album has personal resonance. Doyle Dykes (“Three Little Miracles”) and C. Michael Spriggs (“Trio”) both penned their contributions for T.J.’s family when his wife gave birth to triplets. On “Trio,” Spriggs weaves together three motifs, each voiced for one triplet’s personality. Dykes, as always, pulls the moon, stars and sun down and lays them at the newborns’ feet.