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Michael Hedges : Torched
© 1999 Windham Hill
Torched consists of recordings that guitarist Michael Hedges was working on at the time of his fatal automobile accident in December 1997. A collection of demos, this 1999 Windham Hill release has all the intimacy listeners might expect from such a recording without the haphazard performances, as Hedges possessed uncommon technique and emotional connection with every note he played. In this raw format, the rock influences of Hedges' youth appear most notably in vocal phrasings that are more expressive, almost aggressive at times. When compared to completed studio releases, tracks like "Promised Land" and "Spring Buds" have a strong contemporary singer/songwriter cast that is generally absent in Hedges' prior recordings, which possess something of a unique new age flavor. Other cuts, like "Shell Shock Venus," cover a bit more traditional Windham Hill ground. An intellectually curious and by all accounts warm and kind human being, Hedges is represented with two fittingly serene cuts ("Java Man" and "Free Swinging Soul") that finish up Torched, a concise tribute to an extraordinarily precious artist and human being.
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Michael Hedges : Beyond Boundaries
Solo Acoustic Guitar
A compilation of solo guitar selections from Michael's previous Windham Hill releases, followed by three live tracks recorded during two separate appearances on Echoes Living Room Concerts previously broadcast as part of the Echoes syndicated radio show. Each track's source appears following its title in the list below.
Michael Hedges : Aerial Boundaries
Solo Acoustic Guitar
This is the finest album from Michael Hedges, the man who is responsible for the greatest revolution in solo acoustic guitar playing since Leo Kottke. There are moments on Aerial Boundaries where it seems literally impossible that so much music is coming from one man and his guitar.
Michael Hedges : Oracle
Solo Acoustic Guitar
On an album that is mostly instrumental and generally concerned more with melody than thematic cohesion and quirky technical breakthroughs, Hedges relies on his past offerings and simplest musical instincts for inspiration, and the results are splendid.