Two Hand Band

Album Review

Two of America's most important musical contributions to the world, folk and jazz, meet head-on with guitar maestro Pat Donohue's Two Hand Band. The 1993 release captures Donohue's solo fingerpicked versions of ten jazz standards from the likes of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Duke Ellington, and a medley of two instrumental classics ("Tequila" and "Green Onions"). The album is both intricate and accessible. Donohue's amazing steel string fingerpicking makes it possible for him to perform songs that in most cases were originally written and arranged for large ensembles. His sense of harmony and rhythm is impeccable, but the melodies never get lost in the shuffle. While the uninitiated may initially shy away from an instrumental jazz or folk recording, familiar tunes such as "Georgia on My Mind" and the "Tequila & Green Onions" medley provide something for the listener to immediately latch onto while they may be getting used to a new kind of musical experience. More serious jazz afficionados will be amazed that "All Blues" and "The Mooche" remain recognizable when played by a single guitar player. Perhaps the most telling description comes from fellow guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke in the liner notes: "Enjoy this record, but if you're a guitar player, it's going to haunt you."