Urban Soundscapes

jazzy groove

     

From guitarist and composer Gerry Cott, Urban Soundscapes is a terrific listen. Cott, co-founder of the 1980's new-wave band The Boomtown Rats, draws on a lifetime of experience and deep musical knowledge to offer up a collection of original solo-guitar pieces each reflecting the composer's memories of a place close to his heart. In NYC: Cab Ride, Cott performs a jazzy groove over a steady, insistent bass beat to recall the varied non-stop rhythms of Manhattan. Cott's musical lines grow increasingly complex as the piece progresses, becoming a conversation between the swaggering sophistication and rough edges that co-exist in New York. Cott creates an altogether different mood in Maui: The Road to Hana. His playing gently swings, lulling the listener into memories of a blissful drive along the island's northern coast. Nostalgia for Cott's childhood in 1960s Ireland emerges in Carrickfergus: Looking Back. Recasting a traditional harp tune, Cott plays with freedom, with long melodic lines punctuated by musical ornamentation, perhaps meant to convey earnest bursts of emotion.

Throughout, Cott's playing is beautifully clean but possesses soul. With no lyrics, Urban Soundscapes communicates through music alone Cott's sharp sense of place and invites listeners to create their own stories and impressions of their own personal landscapes.