In the Morning Twilight

Our first presentation in the L. Series is an album of transcendental embroidery by one of the truly GREAT masters of the art of acoustic guitar; Steffen Basho-Junghans.

Also, this is his very first live recording ever to be released on a cd, captured on a magical night in Göteborg last summer (2005). One man and one acoustic guitar invites You to a journey, destined to places You never visited before!

Live recording by the guitar legend that manages to be both straight-ahead and experimental, a fitting tribute to the scope of influences Junghans has absorbed and extended through his career.

With the exception of “(Excerpt) Waters I-III” which features a 12 string slide, the other five tracks here consist of Junghans on a simple six string acoustic guitar. The longer tracks, like “(Excerpt) from 7 Books” and “Last Days of the Dragons,” are the most interesting, with Junghans expanding delta blues through Henry Flynt/Derek Bailey-esque harmonics and odd changes, creating a centered drone that is moving and cerebral. Of the shorter tracks, “Charlette” has much the same effect.

Like his contemporary James Blackshaw, Junghans is both poetic and gritty, willing to take chances as well as pay homage. This live set does both, in stunning fashion.
Mike Wood
Digitalis Industries (9 January, 2007)