Having never heard of Brian Frederick (http://www.brianfrederickmusic.com) before, I was a little surprised to have received a "Best Of" compilation from him. Isn't that something you'd expect from a music who's already well known? Well, as a career retrospective this collection of instrumentals certainly has me longing for more.
Playing every instrument except for a guest flute from Wendy Herbener Mehne, Frederick juggles multiple styles, experimenting with soft and progressive rock, jazz, pop, and classical. The most memorable cuts seem to have emanated from his "Short Stories" album although there is virtually something to commend from each sample here.
"Let's Go!" and "Hot Potato" are about as catchy as wordless rock music gets. "Let's Go!" is aptly titled; Frederick's bluesy, ripping riffs makes you want to leap from bed early in the morning and conquer the day. On "Rhode Reverence/Heavenly" and "Ode to Paul," both from "Lakeshore Nights," Frederick takes a more atmospheric approach. The supple guitar playing on "Rhode Reverence/Heavenly" creates a scenic view while "Ode to Paul" recalls Mark Knopfler's sonic storytelling.
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Variety is in Frederick's menu, from the smooth jazz of "Canal Ride" to the shuffling beach beat of "Surfin' Turf."
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