“This guy is an acoustic virtuoso, in the vein of Michael
Hedges or Tim Reynolds, very eclectic and very talented.” ~The Curent ForumPlaylist, 16 October 2005
“Many thanks to Greg Herriges
and Troy Berg who graced the air waves with their wonderful live music! Today’s guests pushed the boundaries of music
to make great radio.” ~KFAICentury Song
“Greg
Herriges
is an eclectic marvel… It
Plays Me
[is] an
intoxicating kickoff of a musical pioneer.” ~Acoustic
Café (Eau
Claire)
IT PLAYS ME ~ Greg Herriges [five stars]
I caught Herriges's
acoustic set at the Milwaukee Holiday
Folk Fair last November (2005), where he performed many of the tracks featured
on "It Plays Me." Although often drowned out by the impossibly
over-amplified Asian drum corps set up directly across the stage from which he
was performing (note to Holiday Folk Fair: What were you thinking?!),
Herriges's mastery on guitar (and bouzouki) was nonetheless breathtaking.
Herriges bills his musical style as "Eclectic Acoustic Avant Chamber Rock
with an Eastern Pfolkadelic Aftertaste"; a description that one could
perhaps blow off as New Age marketing schlock. But Herriges is no snake-oil
salesman selling pseudo-Culture... his is an artistry that seamlessly weaves
contemporary, classical, and world-music influences together with stellar
craftsmanship, erudition, reverence, and respect. One can hear-and feel-in
Herriges's songs his deep love of the music by which he's inspired.
Although I saw Herriges perform solo, the album features
guest artists (playing tabla, pipa, and a host of other interesting percussion
instruments) whose likewise-stellar contributions to Herriges's compositions
are tasteful, appropriate, and absolutely luminous. If you're looking for
something fresh, original, and authentically eclectic-THIS IS IT!!!
Excellent eclectic hard-to-put-a-label-on-it
music
August 29, 2005
An
excellent CD with a steady eastern-tinged flavor without being totally beholden to the sound. I often have it on in the car
and iit works on me like yoga - both relaxing and invigorating at the same time - perfect for mediating any movement towards
road-rage! For example, "Ashura" has a great bouzouki-driven rhythm that always gets my foot tapping, and the interplay with
the percussion is wonderful. One of those songs that builds up and then releases just perfectly. "Ashura" is then followed
by "Particles and Waves" (an excellent display of Greg's hybrid fingerstyly guitar talent) and the mystic "Ikona." By the
end of this series I always feel the urge to murmur "Nameste."
There are a wide
range of instruments on display here,
with Greg playing both a Taylor guitar and a bouzouki, while other artists play
tabla and Chinese pipa.
I live in Minneapolis where this artist lives and plays
and have been catching his gigs for the last year or so. He and Troy Berg (on
assorted percussion instruments - his usual "duo" partner) are a
great show. If you like high-quality music that is hard to put into a category,
played by real musicians, this is for you. My only regret is that some of
Greg's other tunes that he plays at gigs are not on this CD, but here's to
looking forward to the next CD!
Press
for Earlier Work:
“This
strumming acoustic rocker displays Herriges' talent for pop-juiced hooks and
earnest lyrics.” ~Billboard
[reviewing
the
Greg Herriges song “Don't Turn Me Away”]
"'Junkie'
combines Wire arrangements with David Bowie-like vocals. The breaks are
great." ~College
Music Journal
[reviewing the Us
album]
