For his 14th solo effort Beppe Gambetta reveals himself to be not simply a master guitarist but also a new songwriter of great feeling and maturity. Where the Wind Blows is a collection of songs and tunes all written, arranged and performed by Beppe with the extraordinary collaboration of bass player Rusty Holloway and percussionist Joe Bonadio.
Singing in three languages (English, Italian, Genovese), Beppe unveils four mostly autobiographical songs about his family and hometown of Genova, his life on the road, the fathers of the music that inspired him and the love of his life. In these songs and the new tunes that round out the album, you can experience the Italian melodic sense and wide range of rhythmic variety and textures that help define Beppe’s first “all original” album. In the foreground are the sentiments: from the innocence of “Hide and Seek” to the sadness of “Lament” and the tender melody of the “Sunrise Melody” to the hope of “Fighting While We Can” and finally the joy of “Forget About Me Not”, a modern fiddle tune dedicated to his adopted homeland New Jersey.
The symbol of “Where the Wind Blows” is the weathervane on the CD cover where a guitar is substituted for the usual arrow indicating that music and art may be the best directions to follow in the awakening from the uncertain times in which we live.
Available on Borealis Records