Joined: May 2006 Posts: 4226
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Most of you know that I primarily play in church now. As such, I often wind up working out new arrangements for traditional pieces. I stumbled on this one as I was working on something else entirely. (I think it was The Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers. ) Anyway, I wound out shooting for something introspective and prayerful, so if you haven't deduced that it's religious, well now you know. I hope folks like it. It can be dangerous messing with classics in any genre. How Great Thou Art |
Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Nice work, Patch. I can relate very closely: in the early 1980s I was pretty serious about a gal who got me involved in their "roots" evangelical community in Syracuse (Greater Love; Pastor B. Lott). They had recently lost their soulful black accompanist and were desperate. So Andrea says "G. here plays guitar." Anyway, I was recruited and given the standard Hymnal with piano notation. I spent countless hours transcribing and trying to figure out a sort-of Gospel approach to six-string steel. Keith Jarrett happens to be a hero, and if you know his early work there's A LOT of great gospel riffing there. Anyway, the mixed-race congregation put up with me for two years: alone up there with my 1117 Legend jerry-rigged with a sound-hole pickup, played through a Roland JC..... Looking back on the effort I give a B-. Loved the tunes: "What a Friend," "This is the Day" "A Mighty Fortress" "Joy of Man's Desiring" "Amazing Grace" "Old Rugged Cross" etc etc |