Ray Ashley: Cinema Inferno

John W. Patterson

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Published: February 1, 2000

This is a unique assortment of Ray Ashley compositions with Ashley playing Touch guitar —yet another tapping instrument versus picking or strumming exclusively. Paul Mimlitsch guests on Warr guitar/loops, (another stringed, tap-type thing). Freedom Electric is drums, Dema San Tuna is organ, Amy Ksir is oboe and flute, with Jim Speer on clarinet and bass clarinet.

Greg Howard, Steve Hahn, Oracular, and Chapman Stick fans might enjoy this release. With novel song structures and extra instruments to augment things, Ashley will serve to please. Strongest “jamming out, overdriven, slightly fuzzed” moments are found on the Frippish/Santanesque “Cinema Inferno” and “Crazylegs” tracks. Best cuts to “space-out” to are the loop effects on the outros of “Pyramid of Five” and the flute/ Warr guitar loops on “Crazylegs”. Songs vary from 0:37 to 23:10 with shorter cuts being sombre reed-based, chamber music interludes. Each is interesting and executed with polish. The organ textures add a truly eclectic nostalgic flavor to Ashley’s improv voyages. Ashley has a nimble Touch and does well on every cut he Touches.

Reprinted with the permission of John Collinge and Progression Magazine .

Record Label: Clever Sheep
Style: Fusion/Progressive Rock