Damon Buxton

Después de su debut "Forgiving Dreams", Damon Buxton, compositor y guitarrista, vuelve con un trabajo admirable, lleno de frescura; Buxton arranca con pasión de su guitarra cautivadoras polifonías con un cuidado y una delicadeza que asombra. Mezclado y masterizado por el ganador del premio Grammy, Corin Nelsen, este trabajo respira una tremenda calidad, una maravilla de lo acústico que goza de un sonido nítido y brillante que realza la belleza de cada pieza que lo compone.

"Cadence" abre el álbum. Una composición entrañable y juguetona que mantiene un ritmo amable, representando la estrecha unión que mantiene la música y la propia vida del artista. Despreocupada, esta pieza es una de mis favoritas!.

La pista que da título al CD, "Rotation Of Earth", es fría e inquietante en su comienzo. Repitiendo una y otra vez la misma melodía, esta da un giro inesperado, mostrando en su cenit una música alentadora y pegadiza. Me gusta!.

Al igual que la pista que abría el CD, "Childhood" es otra de las composiciones entrañables que se incluyen en este. Con un tenue toque de fragilidad, el significado exacto de la palabra "infancia" nace de entre los dedos de Buxton; un punteo cariñoso que da vida a una de las más bellas melodías.

"The First Day" destaca por ser casi inalterable, su melodía permanece constante de principio a fin con leves variaciones a pocos instantes de su conclusión. Una pieza alegre y no excesivamente rápida que capta con gran acierto el encanto y el jubilo del momento.

"Three Muses" es una pieza inspirada y dedicada a las mujeres que han influenciado la vida de Buxton. Una pieza que en ocasiones mantiene un carácter profundo y posteriormente, cambia a un tono ligeramente alegre y danzante.

La pieza romántica para este CD es "Cupid's Bow", una hermosa composición escrita a su pareja. Una linda música que dibuja un cortés baile y deja ver los principales pilares en los que se sustenta la vida del artista; la delicadeza y el afecto envuelve su vida.

Otra de mis preferidas es "Laurel Highlands Bride", una obra que mantiene un ritmo grácil y emocionante. Un sensible y bellísimo tema que representa un día especial; como indica Damon, un enlace nupcial. Es sencillamente hermoso, la emoción a flor de piel!.

Aunque mantiene la mismo tono sutil que la pista anterior. "Mika'ele Moon" nos invita a soñar con los bellos e idílicos escenarios de Hawai. Un instante para la relajación, el disfrute y la despreocupación acompañado por una banda sonora que brinda paz y tranquilidad.

"Alora" comenzó siendo una canción de cuna bajo el título "Bedtime for Alora" y está inspirada en una niña del mismo nombre. Originariamente esta composición era más calmada, invitaba al sueño, pero Buxton decidió aportarle un ligero toque de travesura. Perfecta!.

"Cradle & Carousel" es la pieza destacable del CD por su delicadeza, pasión e inmensa ternura. Dedicada a sus hijos, esta composición logra erizar los vellos de la piel con su conmovedora melodía. Un tema realmente fascinante que irradia amor de principio a fin. Sin duda, mi preferida de todo el álbum. Sublime!.

"Rotation Of Earth (Reprise)" es una brevísima vuelta, de poco más de medio minuto que nos recuerda con qué estamos disfrutando y simboliza ese movimiento rotatorio de la Tierra, recordándonos que por más que partamos de un punto, siempre terminamos regresando al mismo.

Un grata sorpresa es "The Labor Of Kings". Una versión un tanto oscura pero llena de sentimiento del popular villancico "Greensleeves". Curioso comentario recoge Damon en su libreto: "Estoy convencido que todos los guitarristas fingerstyle en alguna ocasión hacen una versión de esta popular pieza". Cuanto menos, sorprendente!.

Pura delicia es "With Eyes Closed (For Ash)", un tema que consigue que el oyente se mantenga a flote sobre una nube de paz y serenidad, es increíble. Con su lenta melodía, esta obra estimula la inspiración y el descanso. Qué maravilla!.

"Laid To Rest" es lenta pero emocionante. De nuevo, Damon consigue dar vida a una melodía que se aferra con fuerza en lo más profundo. Una música que encuentra su sitio en en la dulce nostalgia. Un final fascinante para un trabajo asombroso!.


Es alucinante. ¿Cómo es posible que un álbum que contiene catorce composiciones consiga que todas estas piezas cautiven al oyente?. Rotation Of Earth lo consigue y eso es el resultado del mimo y la búsqueda de la perfección en cada pista. Damon Buxton deja ver calidad y maestría en Rotation Of Earth, un trabajo extraordinario donde el guitarrista crea un entorno íntimo con melodías que son puras delicias, en pocas palabras, increíbles. - Alejandro Clavijo - Reviews New Age

After hearing Damon Buxton's new album Forgiving Dreams I can understand why producer Will Ackerman has high hopes for this artist. Like a writer who speaks volumes with a few words, Buxton's sparse style shouts to the rooftops that the musical voice you hear is one to be reckoned with. He is not so much minimalistic as he is precise. He never wanders from center. I do not suppose he will release an album of tone poems anytime soon. His music is distinctive enough to hear the stories in the songs. His subject matter is family first and perhaps a few current events, but all of it is in a palatable fingerstyle that is sure to please even finicky listeners.

Of all the songs on the album Echoes is the one that sounds like it just came out of the Ackerman songbook, not a bad thing. It is a gentle song, one that rushes softly like ripples in a pond or like the wind hissing in the hemlocks. It is the voice that you hear in the distance that repeats what the voice inside suggests.

This Sweet Embrace is sensual and melodious. The refrain has its own reverberation, repeating like a voice across the canyon. There is physical warmth to the song that tells about not only the hand that is held, but also the embrace of the eyes. It is not long before the embrace of the heart follows. This is the best cut on the recording and a favorite.

I listen to music almost everywhere and almost all the time. Occasionally I will put a CD into the track player and just listen without any visual clues from the package. I knew instantly that the song I was hearing was the title tune, Forgiving Dreams. I like to fathom the nuances in the tune, but after I saw the title, I had my doubts. The title is ambivalent to me, so I went with my first interpretation. Every writer wants to be published, every musician wants to perform or have a successful record, and every dreamer wants to have his or her dreams come true. They do not always no matter how hard they try or how long they wait. There comes a time when you must forgive your dreams and move on. This is about moving on.

Tibet was a fascinating tune to me. Dedicated to the decades-long struggle for peace in that country, Buxton actually puts a Spanish guitar spin to the song that takes east meets west to a whole new level. Imagine if Rodrigo or Segovia had visited Tibet and were inspired to write a tune. That is what they would write.

I am very impressed with this debut album. I hear a lot of guitar, but Damon Buxton like a seasoned artist already has a handle on composition and subject. With a bit more color and shading, he will garner rich success. I look forward to the next recording, but this one will do for now.

Rating: Good + - RJ Lannan
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I'll sound like a broken record (groan!) writing this, but here's yet another recommended release from producer Will Ackerman (and engineer/mixer/mastering ace Corin Nelsen), this time featuring a relatively new acoustic guitarist, Damon Buxton (one CD release previous to this one). Forgiving Dreams is a heartfelt collection of mostly gentle introspective pieces featuring one man and one guitar (although the title song has Ackerman joining Buxton in studio). Enhanced with personal liner notes detailing each song's inspiration, the album is a great choice for cloudy afternoons, evenings in front of the fire, or (yeah, I'm going to list this reference in yet another review) cruising down rural backroads in the autumn (which is exactly when I played it on my yearly pilgrimage in October to my mother's gravesite in rural Wisconsin). The plaintive melodies, delicate and graceful, heard while winding my way through cornfields, hilly pastures and small towns, made the drive a distinct pleasure.

Forgiving Dreams contains twelve tracks and not a weak one in the bunch. My personal bias is toward the quietest, most somber pieces, but that should not be perceived as a criticism of the few uptempo numbers, such as the semi-jaunty Eye of the Needle. Most of the music is low-key; don't expect to hear nything "happy." Just the same, some tracks are less downbeat (in emotional tone) than others so this also isn’t funereal in nature, either.

Margarita Luna opens the album with just a hint of Mexican flavor... a dash of spice and fire if you will. The Tea Garden is lovely, a minimal piece built around a musical theme of repeated notes that hovers delicately in the stillness. Echoes flows along on a sad circular refrain, alternating between brief bursts of subdued drama followed by minimal passages. The title duet with Ackerman is warm and suffused with gentle remembrance while Lily’s Traveling Lullaby prances about lightly with a soft playfulness amidst its pretty main melody. The closing A Conversation in the Rain epitomizes introspective thoughtful acoustic guitar music... not too sad, not too moribund…and balancing liveliness with darker tinted melodies.

It's hard to believe that even with all the - Bill Binkleman - Zone Music Reporter

After hearing Damon Buxton's new album Forgiving Dreams I can understand why producer Will Ackerman has high hopes for this artist. Like a writer who speaks volumes with a few words, Buxton's sparse style shouts to the rooftops that the musical voice you hear is one to be reckoned with. He is not so much minimalistic as he is precise. He never wanders from center. I do not suppose he will release an album of tone poems anytime soon. His music is distinctive enough to hear the stories in the songs. His subject matter is family first and perhaps a few current events, but all of it is in a palatable fingerstyle that is sure to please even finicky listeners.

Of all the songs on the album Echoes is the one that sounds like it just came out of the Ackerman songbook, not a bad thing. It is a gentle song, one that rushes softly like ripples in a pond or like the wind hissing in the hemlocks. It is the voice that you hear in the distance that repeats what the voice inside suggests.

This Sweet Embrace is sensual and melodious. The refrain has its own reverberation, repeating like a voice across the canyon. There is physical warmth to the song that tells about not only the hand that is held, but also the embrace of the eyes. It is not long before the embrace of the heart follows. This is the best cut on the recording and a favorite.

I listen to music almost everywhere and almost all the time. Occasionally I will put a CD into the track player and just listen without any visual clues from the package. I knew instantly that the song I was hearing was the title tune, Forgiving Dreams. I like to fathom the nuances in the tune, but after I saw the title, I had my doubts. The title is ambivalent to me, so I went with my first interpretation. Every writer wants to be published, every musician wants to perform or have a successful record, and every dreamer wants to have his or her dreams come true. They do not always no matter how hard they try or how long they wait. There comes a time when you must forgive your dreams and move on. This is about moving on.

Tibet was a fascinating tune to me. Dedicated to the decades-long struggle for peace in that country, Buxton actually puts a Spanish guitar spin to the song that takes east meets west to a whole new level. Imagine if Rodrigo or Segovia had visited Tibet and were inspired to write a tune. That is what they would write.

I am very impressed with this debut album. I hear a lot of guitar, but Damon Buxton like a seasoned artist already has a handle on composition and subject. With a bit more color and shading, he will garner rich success. I look forward to the next recording, but this one will do for now.

Rating: Good + - RJ Lannan, Zone Music Reporter - RJ Lannan - Zone Music Reporter

After hearing Damon Buxton's new album Forgiving Dreams I can understand why producer Will Ackerman has high hopes for this artist. Like a writer who speaks volumes with a few words, Buxton's sparse style shouts to the rooftops that the musical voice you hear is one to be reckoned with. He is not so much minimalistic as he is precise. He never wanders from center. I do not suppose he will release an album of tone poems anytime soon. His music is distinctive enough to hear the stories in the songs. His subject matter is family first and perhaps a few current events, but all of it is in a palatable fingerstyle that is sure to please even finicky listeners.

Of all the songs on the album Echoes is the one that sounds like it just came out of the Ackerman songbook, not a bad thing. It is a gentle song, one that rushes softly like ripples in a pond or like the wind hissing in the hemlocks. It is the voice that you hear in the distance that repeats what the voice inside suggests.

This Sweet Embrace is sensual and melodious. The refrain has its own reverberation, repeating like a voice across the canyon. There is physical warmth to the song that tells about not only the hand that is held, but also the embrace of the eyes. It is not long before the embrace of the heart follows. This is the best cut on the recording and a favorite.

I listen to music almost everywhere and almost all the time. Occasionally I will put a CD into the track player and just listen without any visual clues from the package. I knew instantly that the song I was hearing was the title tune, Forgiving Dreams. I like to fathom the nuances in the tune, but after I saw the title, I had my doubts. The title is ambivalent to me, so I went with my first interpretation. Every writer wants to be published, every musician wants to perform or have a successful record, and every dreamer wants to have his or her dreams come true. They do not always no matter how hard they try or how long they wait. There comes a time when you must forgive your dreams and move on. This is about moving on.

Tibet was a fascinating tune to me. Dedicated to the decades-long struggle for peace in that country, Buxton actually puts a Spanish guitar spin to the song that takes east meets west to a whole new level. Imagine if Rodrigo or Segovia had visited Tibet and were inspired to write a tune. That is what they would write.

I am very impressed with this debut album. I hear a lot of guitar, but Damon Buxton like a seasoned artist already has a handle on composition and subject. With a bit more color and shading, he will garner rich success. I look forward to the next recording, but this one will do for now.

Rating: Good + - RJ Lannan, Zone Music Reporter - RJ Lannan - Zone Music Reporter

Methodical, precise and passionate - that is guitarist Damon Buxton's personal signature on every composition he writes. On his latest offering Rotation of Earth, he takes a day on the planet and turns it musically into a lifetime voyage for the heart and mind. He has done this before. His previous album Forgiving Dreams was also a foray into daily life and love of family. His music, solo acoustic guitar is contemporary as is his theology of daily living. Lucky for us he can translate it into music.

The feel of a new day and the energy it promises are wrapped up in the first cut called Cadence. It is the sound of one hand held out to adventure and the other grasping all that the day has to offer, be it new friendships, the discovery of the brightest monarch butterfly in the field or the fleeciest cloud in the summer sky.

Sometimes it seems that we are just a fixture in our particular lives and the earth makes a turn and there we are, still at the very same point. Same old, same old. We are bewildered in our stagnation and wait for something to happen to get us moving again. The title tune, Rotation of Earth is a wake-up call; our incentive to get moving and do something, anything!

Mika'ele is the Hawaiian word for Michael and the name of one of Damon's more spritely tunes on the album. He gets a little bit native with his slack key variations and the mood is warm and friendly. Yeah, friendly, that is the word. The song has an almost Keola Beamer tone to it. Friendships on the Islands are taken very seriously. Like family, the bonds are to be respected and cherished.

The Labor of Kings is Damon's modern realization of Greensleeves, the very familiar, yet very old English ballad. His particular variation puts the theme in the background and his unique fingerstyle picking in the foreground. Using his meticulous style, he manages to make one guitarist sound like two.

The track Laid to Rest, the conclusion of the guitar work would be an unpleasant memory for anyone, but Damon manages to express his grief in his music rather poignantly. To me the song is not so much a lament as it is a regret that there was not enough time for many things to come to pass.

Biographical details of Damon Buxton remain sketchy as they were when I reviewed his previous album. It is not that he is surreptitious, the details are just plain vague. He had some success with his first album Sketchbook One and then collaborated with world renowned producer and legendary guitarist Will Ackerman. His talent is equal to Ackerman's on many levels and he will go far in the contemporary music genre. AS before, I await his next venture with bated breath. Highly recommended. - RJ Lannan - Zone Music Reporter