African Guitar

Huary Perry "U.P." Wilson (September 4, 1934 – September 22, 2004) was an African-American electric blues guitarist and singer who performed Texas blues. He recorded five albums for JSP Records, the first being Boogie Boy! The Texas Guitar Tornado Returns! He was known for playing a style of deep Southern soul blues that was gospel inflected.

New Focus Recordings presents Scenes from Ellis Island, the new album from Ben on the Panoramic Recordings imprint. Scenes from Ellis Island contains selections of Ben’s eclectic solo and ensemble music. Verdery's broad sources of inspiration include world music traditions, gospel, pop music, history, philosophy, and virtuosic guitar composition, combining these together in music that resonates with an expansive joy. Guest artists on the album include West African singer Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté, guitarist Simon Powis, beatboxer Mark Martin, and cellist Guilherme Nardelli Monegatto. Scenes from Ellis Island will be available for downloading and streaming starting on February 14th from Amazon, iTunes, Naxos, Spotify, Bandcamp & New Focus Recordings.

Not just Piazzolla: there are 13 composers represented here, many of them hardly known outside their native Argentina, giving this newly recorded set a unique place in the record catalogue. Anyone seduced by the smoky harmonies and the sensual rhythms of the tango will discover hidden treasure.