The Nylon String Guitar in Ensemble 2023 (C) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

A reissue collection of the Guitar ensemble pieces from:

2007 * - When Evening Falls by Tom Salvatori and Iris Litchfield

2010 **- Ever Ever On by Tom Salvatori and Iris Litchfield

The Nylon String Guitar in Ensemble Track Listing:

  1. Sleepy Eyes Lullaby *

  2. Guitar Lament *

  3. Reflecting Absence *

  4. Majestic Interlude *

  5. Church Song *

  6. Labyrinth II *

  7. Quiet

A reissue collection of the Guitar ensemble pieces from:

2007 * - When Evening Falls by Tom Salvatori and Iris Litchfield

2010 **- Ever Ever On by Tom Salvatori and Iris Litchfield

The Nylon String Guitar in Ensemble Track Listing:

  1. Sleepy Eyes Lullaby *

  2. Guitar Lament *

  3. Reflecting Absence *

  4. Majestic Interlude *

  5. Church Song *

  6. Labyrinth II *

  7. Quiet Reflections *

  8. The Ghosts of Levigliani **

  9. Escher's Lullaby (Ode to Relativity) **

  10. Whirlpool Song **

  11. Dark Round **

  12. As the Nightshade Grows **

  13. Folk Dance **

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Seven Guitar Miniatures 2021 (C) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

Seven new quiet, gentle and emotive guitar compositions...for your listening pleasure.

Enjoy a review of Seven Guitar Miniatures EP by clicking on the DMME.net link here: https://dmme.net/tom-salvatori-seven-guitar-miniatures/

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Respite Guitar 2020 (C) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

Pleased with the review of 'Respite Guitar' in Expose.org, May, 2021. Visit http://expose.org/index.php/articles/display/tom-salvatori-respite-guitar-3.html

Read a review of Respite Guitar and an in-depth interview about Tom Salvatori in e-zine Music Web Express mwe.com: https://mwe3.com/reviews/TomSalvatori2021/

Escape the rattle and hum of your

Pleased with the review of 'Respite Guitar' in Expose.org, May, 2021. Visit http://expose.org/index.php/articles/display/tom-salvatori-respite-guitar-3.html

Read a review of Respite Guitar and an in-depth interview about Tom Salvatori in e-zine Music Web Express mwe.com: https://mwe3.com/reviews/TomSalvatori2021/

Escape the rattle and hum of your day and disappear with me into the warm and beautiful tones of quiet and pleasant solo guitar featured in the natural surroundings of the morning meadow, by the seaside and in an outdoor field in the evening. Literally :) We've recorded my new guitar pieces as solo guitar works as usual, but after the 7 new tracks are featured, you'll notice a track 8 on this release. It places my new 7 pieces in Natural settings.

So enjoy these new pieces as solo guitar work and then also, as a special bonus, please enjoy them featured in natural settings in track 8!

Track 8 starts out a little dramatic...New York Minutes is placed in the unsettling urban soundscape of the New York City streets, but soon an escape is executed and the rest of the pieces on this album are featured in various natural outdoor settings, making for a very pleasant "escape from New York" :) Quietly enjoy!

  • Tom Salvatori October, 2020

Track 08: RESPITE GUITAR IN NATURE SUITE – 28:00 The Story

Have you ever just slipped away – alone – for a special “mental health” day…just you…from dawn to dusk…to breathe in the beauty of nature…to think…to ponder…to ruminate and to recover??

Well, we now have a soundtrack for your special day :)

Follow along as Polly Feeney, our protagonist, navigates her journey, starting with an early morning escape through her unsettling urban cityside clamor, rattle and hum…

Cue - NEW YORK MINUTES

…she clears the turnstiles to initiate her getaway from New York via the subway; and finds herself outside the city, embracing a reconnection with beauty of nature as she strolls through a fragrant and flowery green meadow…

Cue - MORNING GLORIES

…serenaded by the positive energy of bird calls under the watchful warmth of a sun-drenched morning on her way to a seaside retreat.

Once through the meadow and approaching the solitude of the waves lapping at the shoreline, Polly finally stops to relax on the unpopulated beach, enjoying the opportunity to breathe deeply and think clearly again.

Cue - SOLITUDE

She walks along at the side of the sea, which offers ample time and space to ponder life; and to reminisce about events in her life that have mattered most to her…

Cue - REMINISCENCES

…along with ruminating about the deeper remembrance of the dear loved ones who have played key roles in her life…cherishing and celebrating each memory.

Cue - REMEMBRANCES

Polly, continuing in the solitude of her walk, eventually comes across a beach area filled with families and children playing in the sand and sea, which enables her to embrace the positivity of family togetherness and love and allows her to recount a series of affirmations about her own life and plans for her future.

Cue - AFFIRMATIONS

Then, as the day begins to wind down and the sun plans it setting as evening falls, she departs the seaside for the peaceful warmth of a small outdoor cafe nestled in an open field where the nighttime sounds are teeming with life…

Cue - EVENING QUIETUDES

…where she sits back to relax and recover…in the quiet of the night while enjoying a superb glass of wine.

Salute, Polly!

TOM SALVATORI Respite Guitar

I was writing about the fretboard genius of Chicago-based, classical guitarist and composer Tom Salvatori ever since I first heard his CD Late Night Guitar, released way back in 2002, as well as his 2007 album When Evening Falls, recorded with the late U.K. pianist Iris Litchfield and cellist John Catchings, and released on the artist’s label Salvatori Productions. Following a series of album releases that are mentioned below, including a double CD made with the late Ms. Litchfield called Ever Ever On (2010) and a solo album called A Year In The Life (2013), I was lucky to reconnect with Tom again after hearing his 2020 album Respite Guitar. Essentially, a 7-track set mixed and presented in two different ways, Respite Guitar is one of the most impressive and most relaxing sounding solo acoustic guitar albums of 2020. Tom was always influenced by prog-rock guitarists such as Steve Hackett and Steve Howe, and in the spirit of those masters, Respite Guitar is skillfully performed on six-string, nylon string guitar. The key here is that the album takes on a different dynamic when track eight cues up and combines and recreates all seven tracks as one lengthy suite, complete with a variety of sound effects from the big city, (on the lead-off track “New York Minutes”), while then proceeding to recreate the other six tracks of music with a number of mostly meditative nature and ambient sounds. I like the idea that track 8, “Respite Guitar In Nature Suite” combines all seven tracks as one uninterrupted 28-minute piece of music complete with the ambient and nature sounds, all of which really adds a lot to the music. Throughout all the movements of Respite Guitar, Tom keeps the melodic-based guitar ideas at the center of his sound and, played acoustically, each one of these songs is like a classical-based work in its own right. The 7 tracks, followed by the seven-part “Respite Guitar In Nature Suite” combines for a total time of 50 minutes. Any way you view this CD, Respite Guitar is a true masterpiece of creative and very accessible guitar magic from guitarist / composer and producer Tom Salvatori. As mentioned above, Respite Guitar followed a series of other albums by Tom, including a unique, 13+ minute mini album released by Tom in 2017, called Ballad Of Dwight Fry Suite. Arranged by Tom for nylon string guitar, Ballad Of Dwight Fry Suite is actually a tribute to the fabled rock band Alice Cooper, focusing on the songs “Ballad Of Dwight Fry”, “Second Coming” and “Sun Arise”, which are all featured on the 1971 Alice Cooper album Love It To Death. In the spirit of guitar greats like Steve Hackett, Ballad Of Dwight Fry Suite is a remarkable performance that turns Tom’s tribute to a forerunner album of hard rock into a remarkably ear-opening classical guitar suite. Before Respite Guitar and Ballad Of Dwight Fry Suite, in 2016 Tom released Parlour Favorites, an 11-track tribute to his prog-rock guitar heroes including Steve Howe, Steve Hackett, Jan Ackerman and Robert Fripp, who are each covered here with a track apiece (Hackett’s music is featured on two tracks), the Parlour Favorites album is also enhanced by six Tom Salvatori originals. Salvatori completists will also note that Tom released another EP in 2020, a quite humorously titled one at that called, I Like Beer. Essentially four different solo guitar versions, played by Tom, of the famous Miller Brewing Company jingle, which was heard all over television and radio stations for years in praise of their world-renowned beer (“If You’ve Got The Time” – they’ve got the beer), and that was quite popular throughout the 1970s. Tom explains, “Just as having a couple Miller beers can provide a special comfort when it’s time to relax, this project, which was light and very fun indeed, served as a musical elixir of sorts to help balance the darker, spiraling abyss of immersion I experienced during my Alice Cooper Ballad Of Dwight Fry Suite project.” This little one off CD EP also provides clear proof that even classical guitarists like to inject a little humor, and maybe a little beer, into their hard work. Start with any of the above releases, while there are even more albums at Tom’s web site. Long-time fans of Tom Salvatori's original music will enjoy Respite Guitar, which is surely among finest solo guitar albums of 2020. - Robert Silverstein, RootsMusicReport.com and Music Web Express mwe3.com, January, 2021

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Parlour Favorites 2016 (c) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

Enjoy an in-depth review of "Parlour Favorites" - Visit: SomethingElseReviews.com https://somethingelsereviews.com/2021/05/05/tom-salvatori-parlour-favorites/

Solo Nylon String Guitar album featuring compositions by Jan Akkerman, Robert Fripp, Steve Hackett, Steve Howe and Tom Salvatori. Quietly enjoy!

Tracks:

Summer Suitino in G major 5:44

Enjoy an in-depth review of "Parlour Favorites" - Visit: SomethingElseReviews.com https://somethingelsereviews.com/2021/05/05/tom-salvatori-parlour-favorites/

Solo Nylon String Guitar album featuring compositions by Jan Akkerman, Robert Fripp, Steve Hackett, Steve Howe and Tom Salvatori. Quietly enjoy!

Tracks:

Summer Suitino in G major 5:44

  • Optimistic Thoughts
  • On the Boulevard of Hopes and Dreams
  • What’s Left is Threadbare

What is Said is Done Now 2:51

Low Tide 3:05

Wandering 3:49

Native Land 2:34

Looking Back 4:31

Le Clechard - Jan Akkerman 2:20

Peace, A Theme – Robert Fripp 1:52

Horizons – Steve Hackett 2:02

Hands of the Priestess – Steve Hackett 4:32

The Ancient / Mood for a Day – Steve Howe 6:37

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A Year in the Life 2013 (c) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

An album of all-original solo nylon string guitar compositions conceived to evoke the nature and sentiment of each appropriate month of the year

A Year in the Life

Solo Guitar Compositions

Tracks:

January - Resolutions

February - Wouldn’t it be Great

March - The Roads Leading Home

April - Evening Waltz

May - Springtime Suite in E Minor:

An album of all-original solo nylon string guitar compositions conceived to evoke the nature and sentiment of each appropriate month of the year

A Year in the Life

Solo Guitar Compositions

Tracks:

January - Resolutions

February - Wouldn’t it be Great

March - The Roads Leading Home

April - Evening Waltz

May - Springtime Suite in E Minor:

  • Impressions of Satie

  • Yes Riffin’

  • Turtle Crawl

  • Sad Ending

June – Head Fake, Low Shot

July – Pamplona

August – Waiting on Tomorrow

September – Father Time is Calling

October – Yesterday’s a Day Away

November – Reminiscing

December – Almost Christmas:

Featured Excerpts:

  • Good King Wenceslas - 13th Century Finnish Spring Carol (Tempus adest floridum), Anonymous

  • O Tannenbaum – 16th Century Silesian Folk Song, Melchior Franck

  • Deck the Halls – 16th Century Welch Yuletide Song, John Thomas

New Year’s Eve – Turning into New Year’s Day

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Late Night Guitar 2001 (c) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

All-original, all-instrumental guitar based lullaby oriented album featuring flute, oboe, cello and piano accompaniment from prominent arrangers in the on-line community, Nashville, and Chicago. Quiet and relaxing. Warm melodies.

Tracks:

Tucker's Lullaby 2:32

Easy Pieces 2:49

Another Lullaby 3:03

One String Melody 2:23

Soft Landing 3:02

Lost Time

All-original, all-instrumental guitar based lullaby oriented album featuring flute, oboe, cello and piano accompaniment from prominent arrangers in the on-line community, Nashville, and Chicago. Quiet and relaxing. Warm melodies.

Tracks:

Tucker's Lullaby 2:32

Easy Pieces 2:49

Another Lullaby 3:03

One String Melody 2:23

Soft Landing 3:02

Lost Time in Kauai 3:23

Michelle's Lullaby 1:57

Sun Porch on Sunday 2:07

Second String Melody 2:04

Feather Fall 2:40

Rolling Along 2:21

Further Downhill 3:14

Sweetest Lullaby/Closing the Door 6:54

ARTIST'S NOTES on LATE NIGHT GUITAR (excerpt from the Liner Notes):

The highest honor ever bestowed upon me as a musician had nothing to do with the footlights at Carnegie Hall, celebrity status or glowing reviews in the papers. It came quietly, almost unnoticeably, from a darkened room across the hallway one night. It was from the little voice of a child. . ."Dad, can you come in here and play your guitar?"

Begrudgingly, and almost heeding the "you'll only keep him up" advice from my wife, I walked across the hall, sat on the edge of the bed and played some of my quieter compositions. After wiggling a little foot and getting no response, I left the room.

I didn't understand it right away, but after countless nights of serenading my little ones to sleep, I realized that I had received the ultimate gift of validation for my music...a child's approval!

RECENT REVIEWS of Late Night Guitar:

"If it catches you at the right time, I guarantee you'll have a moment(s) where a tear will well, without you being able to do anything about it." Tim Panting, Reviews Editor, Classical Guitar Magazine (UK)

"Salvatori's music has been a darling among children's music critics...although 'Late Night Guitar' also appeals to grown-ups. His sense of musicianship is very high..." Chicago Tribune

"Effortlessly breezes past age barriers...you'd be hard pressed to find a more comforting and melodic acoustic fingerstyle guitar album." 20th Century Guitar Magazine

"Refreshingly unpretentious...particularly pleasing...gentle guitar lines. [Late Night Guitar is] a quality mainstream release to be welcomed by its target audience." Classical Guitar Magazine (UK)

"I loved your stuff, very soulful and relaxing. The world needs more music like yours. Sonically top notch, full and warm...well done." Brian Wittmer, Director, A&R, Universal Music Group

"Tom...Your music has become a staple of my show. Beautifully crafted music that grows deeper and more tuneful with each and every play...and as if the music wasn't enough, what a striking and beautiful CD jacket. I come from a time when cover art was an important part of the whole "album" experience. Your artwork for "Late Night Guitar" is most impressive...Thanks for enabling us here in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York share your vision..." Ken Harris, WVKR, Walden NY

MakeaStar.com on the song 'Tucker's Lullaby' - "Absolutely beautiful. This piece is chock full of emotion with a soaring melody, mesmerizing theme, and a chord progression that speaks worlds of truth. With just a classical nylon string guitar and a small string and wind section, you've managed to assemble quite a moving work here. Some things are best said simply and quietly. Nice...tasteful...warm... rich, and robust sounding. Exquisite. Top performances lead way with perfectly executed passages, perfect intonation, and an exceptional overall feel and mood. Certainly, there are recognizable influences, yet this work emotes an original feel and mood unequaled by the masses. Thus, you have developed your own sound far beyond the reaches of the normal bland, stuffy, classical composers/artists. Bravo. A Perfect "10" - Make-A-Star.com

ACHIEVEMENTS:

LATE NIGHT GUITAR, WINNER OF 2002 CHILDRENS MUSIC WEB AWARD Classic Recording for Children Category! (www.childrensmusic.org)

LATE NIGHT GUITAR debuts at #2 on the New Age Voice Top 100 Radio Play list and holds its strong position in the coveted "Top 5" through the entire 4th quarter, 2002!

ABOUT THE RECORDING

Two and a half years in the making and finally a release! This CD is extra special because it was inspired as a dedication to the years of sitting on the edge of the bed and playing my little ones to sleep. It is also special because it was touched by the hearts of several arrangers from all walks of musical life...from a local piano teacher/choir alto (Laura Saunders)...to a prominent Cellist in Nashville (John Catchings)...to a touring keyboard player in the renowned Midwest band "New Odyssey," (Gary Polkow)...to prominent mp3.com artist and game music wizard (David Allen Young)...to a player/arranger of music at a local church (Don Baddorf)...to my brother, arranger/audio director/producer/commercial and computer game music composer (Michael Salvatori)...each of whom were called on to prepare beautiful and timeless arrangements to accompany my guitar solos.

And, beautiful and timeless they've become!! Each arrangement came back as a special gift, reflecting the warmth, expressiveness and style of each of the arrangers who contributed their efforts. I'm hopeful you'll enjoy the very special contributions by these artists as you enjoy the CD for years to come.

Thank you for your interest in my (our) music! We look forward to sharing this beautiful CD with you and your family....generation after generation.

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Whispering for Your Attention 1998 (c) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

https://www.amazon.com/Whispering-Your-Attention-Tom-Salvatori/dp/B00GUBFE9U

CD Sold Out, Album Downloads Available.

Personal, quiet and melodic fingerstyle solo nylon string guitar CD that stands ready to become a trusted companion next time you embark on a rainy day mood swing.

Track Listing:

Another Lullaby (Solo Guitar) 3:01

Sunday Drive 2:19

https://www.amazon.com/Whispering-Your-Attention-Tom-Salvatori/dp/B00GUBFE9U

CD Sold Out, Album Downloads Available.

Personal, quiet and melodic fingerstyle solo nylon string guitar CD that stands ready to become a trusted companion next time you embark on a rainy day mood swing.

Track Listing:

Another Lullaby (Solo Guitar) 3:01

Sunday Drive 2:19

Spinnin' the Plates 2:00

Running in Place 1:55

Bells Prelude 2:25

Dyslexia 3:17

The Mirrored Ball 2:47

Downhill Again 1:47

Further Downhill (Solo Guitar) 3:15

Taking the Train 3:43

The Sadness in a Goodbye 4:54

Out of the Gate 3:08

Stuttering 3:01

For a Special Friend 2:19

Tiptoeing in the Dark 2:08

Read more…

Invoking the Veiled Reference 1997 (c) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

https://www.amazon.com/Invoking-Veiled-Reference-Tom-Salvatori/dp/B00GUBH64Q

CD Sold Out. Album Downloads Available.

Very quiet solo nylon string guitar stripped down to the minimal cornerstones of compositional styling; unencumbered by elaboration... unadorned by ornamentation.

Notes: On his 1997 solo guitar release (now available as digital

https://www.amazon.com/Invoking-Veiled-Reference-Tom-Salvatori/dp/B00GUBH64Q

CD Sold Out. Album Downloads Available.

Very quiet solo nylon string guitar stripped down to the minimal cornerstones of compositional styling; unencumbered by elaboration... unadorned by ornamentation.

Notes: On his 1997 solo guitar release (now available as digital download only), Salvatori starts heading down the road to find out where his style fits in among the rank and file of the guitar world. Funny thing is, down yonder he runs into a fork in the road of composition and has to make a decision. Play for speed? Play to impress? Play to technical wizardry?

No way.

He takes the road less traveled. His compositions are minimal in that they have a simple eye on melody and an even simpler ear on the only thing he really cares about - the quiet side of the guitar.

In these 15 solo pieces, we all benefit as Salvatori starts whittling out his crafty niche. A guitarist's guitarist only in the sense that when the speed demons all come back from their stage performances, they will put on Tom's music to help them relax and unwind. It is evident that Tom favors the intimacy of a one-on-one, personal and private dialogue with each one of his listeners.

Download these tracks, play them at home late at night, close your eyes and let the cares of your day wind down...as you fall into a deep, nourishing slumber...

LINER NOTES FROM ORIGINAL ALBUM RELEASE:

A ROAD MAP THROUGH THE VEILED REFERENCES:

1……..THE TIME IN NICK’S BOTTLE…..4.34

IN THIS PIECE, A TIP OF THE HAT GOES TO NICK DRAKE’S FRUIT TREE AND JIM CROCE’S TIME IN A BOTTLE. MORE THAN LIKELY, THEIR INFLUENCE IS MANIFEST THROUGH THE DESCENDING BASS LINE THEME THAT IS PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE PIECE.

2……..MICHELLE’S LULLABY…………1.56

THIS LULLABY WAS COMPOSED AS A DEDICATION TO A DEAR FRIEND’S LITTLE GIRL, MICHELLE CARLSON, WHO WAS BORN WITH A DISABLING DISEASE CALLED RETT SYNDROME. I’VE BEEN TOLD THAT MY MUSIC SOOTHES HER; WHICH IS A COMPLIMENT THAT TOUCHES ME DEEPLY AND MAKES THIS PIECE VERY SPECIAL TO DEDICATE.

3……..SOME OF YESTERDAY…………2.48

HERE’S A PIECE THAT CARRIES A LITTLE BIT OF FINGERPICKING SPEED ALONG WITH IT. MORE THAN ANYTHING, IT SEEMS THAT THE ALTERNATING BASS NOTES ARE REMINISCENT OF A STEVE HACKETT STYLING.

4……..LOST AT SEA………………….4.19

THIS ONE SPEAKS TO ME AS A MUSICAL EXPRESSION OF WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE LOST AT SEA. THE RHYTHM SEEMS TO REFLECT THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE WAVES. THE TEMPO CHANGES REPRESENT THE RECALL OF BETTER TIMES, BUT FATE TAKES OVER AND DEALS THE LAST CARD DOWN TO AN UNRESOLVED ENDING.

5…….AT THE GATE…………………0.41

THE NOT-SO-VEILED REFERENCE TO O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL IS INTENDED. SO IS THE RESOLVE AT THE END.

6……..NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE…..3.05

HAD I WRITTEN THE SOUNDTRACK TO THE WIZARD OF OZ, I MIGHT HAVE USED THIS PIECE DURING THE HOUSE-SPINNING-IN-THE-TORNADO SCENE.

7……..SLIPPING AWAY………………2.53

HERE’S A PIECE THAT JUST FEELS COOL TO PLAY. NOTHING MORE OR LESS, IT JUST FEELS GOOD TO PLAY IT ON THE GUITAR.

8……..WALKING DOWNHILL………….1.07

WALKING DOWNHILL WAS COMPOSED FROM A STYLISTIC PERSPECTIVE THAT WOULDN’T MAKE MARK KOZELEK OF THE RED HOUSE PAINTERS TOO UNCOMFORTABLE.

9……..CAME TRAVELING…………….3.37

CHRIS DEBURGH FANS MAY SENSE A MELODIC SPRINKLING OF A SPACEMAN CAME TRAVELING IN THIS ONE. ADDITIONALLY, I’VE PLUCKED MY MOST OBVIOUS NOTE OF REFERENCE TO CLOSE THE COMPOSITION…A THUMB OVER THE NECK TRIBUTE TO NO ONE OTHER THAN MR. STEVE HOWE.

10…….SEEKING RESOLVE…………….2.12

PETER GABRIEL, IN HIS OBSCURE SOUNDTRACK PASSION, COMPOSED THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY LINGERING MELODY EVER WRITTEN IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND IN A PIECE CALLED WITH THIS LOVE. SEEKING RESOLVE COMES IN ALONG THE SAME LINES SANS THE SUPERLATIVE.

11……..CLOSING THE DOOR……….…..2.31

DON’T THINK I’M LEANING TOWARD THE FOOTLIGHTS OF BROADWAY HERE, BUT SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ONE REMINDS ME OF JOSEPH’S CLOSE EVERY DOOR. QUESTION: WHAT DOES EVERY COMPOSER OWN, YET NOT CLAIM TO POSSESS? ANSWER: A PERSONAL FAVORITE. THIS IS IT FOR ME!

12……..THE CAROUSEL……………….3.23

COMPOSED IN YET ANOTHER LOOSELY DEFINED HACKETT STYLING, THE CAROUSEL CONJURES UP A VISUAL OF KIDS PLAYING IN THE PARK…RUSHING FOR POSITION ON A CAROUSEL THAT DAD SPINS AROUND SLOWLY AT FIRST…THEN PICKS UP SPEED…HITS FEVER PITCH…AND SLOWS DOWN ALL TOO SOON TO THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE KIDS’ DAZED AND DIZZIED PERSPECTIVE.

13…….URBAN WITHDRAWAL………..1.31

HAD I WRITTEN THE SOUNDTRACK TO FALLING DOWN, THIS IS THE MUSIC THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PLAYING WHEN BILL FOSTER FINALLY CRACKED.

14…….LABYRINTH…………………..3.06

THIS IS A PLAYFUL COMPOSITION THAT CALLS TO MIND THE COFFEE TABLE GAME LABYRINTH, WHERE ALL THE CONCENTRATION YOU CAN MUSTER MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO GUIDE A MARBLE THROUGH A MAZE OF HOLES. I’VE POSITIONED THE “C” BASS NOTE AT SPOTS IN THE PIECE TO REPRESENT THE SOUND OF THE MARBLE FALLING THROUGH ONE OF THOSE BLASTED HOLES.

15…….TRAPPED……………………..1.47

THIS PIECE WAS COMPOSED AS A TRAP, A CONTINUOUS REPEAT ANCHORED BY AN “A” HARMONIC. THERE’S NO ESCAPE FROM THE STRUCTURE OF THIS COMPOSITION…WHICH IN ITSELF OFFERS REASON ENOUGH TO BRING THIS ALBUM TO CLOSURE.

ALL PIECES COMPOSED, ARRANGED AND PERFORMED BY TOM SALVATORI. PRODUCED BY: MIKE SALVATORI AND PERRY MASCETTI.

RECORDED AT: AUDIO ACCESS, GLEN ELLYN IL, NOVEMBER 28, 1995.

ENGINEERED BY: PERRY MASCETTI. EDITED AT: O’DONNELL-SALVATORI, CHICAGO, IL BY MIKE SALVATORI. MIXED AND MASTERED AT: AUDIO ACCESS, OCTOBER, 1996.

1997 © SALVATORI PRODUCTIONS, ASCAP LOMBARD, IL 60148 (312) 519-6470 E-MAIL TOM@SALVATORIPRODUCTIONS.COM

THANKS TO MIKE AND PERRY FOR THEIR ENCOURAGEMENT. THANKS ALSO TO MY FAMILY AND MY BOYS, JOEY, NINO, AND LOUIS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM THROUGH THIS PROJECT.

A WORD ABOUT MY COMPOSING:

MUSICALLY SPEAKING, OVER THE YEARS IT SEEMS THAT NEARLY EVERYTHING I PLAY ON MY GUITAR REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING THAT I’VE HEARD BEFORE. NOT THAT THIS PHENOMENON HAS STOPPED ME FROM BEING OPEN TO NEW MELODIES AND IDEAS WHEN I’M PLAYING; IN FACT, I ENJOY LISTENING TO MY NEW IDEAS DEVELOP AND THEN FIND IT AMUSING TO DETERMINE THEIR INFLUENCES.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE ARTISTS I AM ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT SEEM TO FORMULATE MY “FRAME OF REFERENCE.” YOU MAY LISTEN TO MY MUSIC AND HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OPINION OF ITS INFLUENCE. AND, AS LONG AS IT’S NOT 19TH CENTURY OPERA OR COUNTRY MUSIC, I’LL BE OPEN MINDED TO YOUR OPINION.

MOST COMPOSERS NEVER CITE THEIR INFLUENCES BECAUSE THEY WANT EVERYONE TO BELIEVE THEY ARE THE CREATIVE CENTER OF THE MUSIC WORLD. BUT, SINCE I’M SO DAMN COMFORTABLE WITH MY MUSICAL LOT IN LIFE, I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM AT ALL WITH SHARING THE NODS. YOU WILL NOTE THAT I’VE FREELY UNVEILED THE VEILED REFERENCES BY PROVIDING COMMENTARY DIRECTED TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF EACH COMPOSITION.
I HOPE THESE NOTES HELP YOU TO VISUALIZE WHAT I SEE WHEN I PLAY THE PIECES…I ALSO HOPE THEY INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME GOOD MUSIC TO ENJOY DOWN THE ROAD. AFTER ALL, I’D LIKE TO THINK THAT IF THE MUSIC INFLUENCED ME, IT PASSED A TEST OF SORTS.

IT IS MY GUESS THAT, MORE THAN LIKELY, THE NOTES, MELODIES, AND CHORD STRUCTURES PRESENTED HERE ALREADY EXIST IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER IN THE HISTORICAL EXPANSE OF MUSIC. THE ARTISTIC DIFFERENCE COMES IN THE STYLING THAT IS BROUGHT TO THE NOTES AND MELODIES…TIMING, PHRASING AND EXPRESSIVENESS ARE ALL COMPONENTS THAT DIFFERENTIATE STYLE. MINE HAPPEN TO BE CALLED TOM-ISMS. I LEARNED THIS FROM MY BROTHER, MIKE.

A WORD ABOUT MY MUSICAL STYLE: FROM THE ROUGH TAKES THROUGH THE FINAL PRODUCTION OF INVOKING THE VEILED REFERENCE, I BANTERED BACK AND FORTH WITH MIKE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I HAVE A GUITAR STYLE. THIS HAS BEEN A BIG QUESTION IN MY MIND SINCE WE PRODUCED UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS; BECAUSE THAT CD REPRESENTED THE FIRST TIME MY MUSIC HIT THE LIGHT OF DAY IN ANY FACET OF ITS EXISTENCE. IT WAS DURING A ROUGH AUDITION OF MY NEW MUSIC THAT I FINALLY CORNERED MIKE WITH THE QUESTION “DO I HAVE A STYLE?”

MIKE INITIALLY RESPONDED WITH A SAFE, GENERIC, AND SOMEWHAT PATRONIZING “WHY OF COURSE, TOM, EVERYONE HAS A STYLE.” DEEP DOWN, MIKE KNOWS THAT A COMMENT LIKE THAT WILL BE CHALLENGED. I DUG IN MY HEELS AS FOLLOWS:

TOM: DECADES OF KNOWING ME AND THAT’S ALL YOU CAN SAY? EVERYONE HAS A STYLE?!

MIKE: WELL, IT’S HARD TO DEFINE. YOU HAVE A STYLE THAT’S DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE.

TOM: DIFFERENT? IS THAT DIFFERENT AS IN GOOD DIFFERENT OR BAD DIFFERENT?

MIKE: DIFFERENT AS IN DIFFERENT. STEVE HOWE AND STEVE HACKETT BOTH PLAY GUITAR, BUT I’D SAY THAT HOWE HAS A MUCH DIFFERENT STYLE THAN HACKETT, RIGHT?

TOM: YEAH…SO WHICH ONE DO YOU THINK I SOUND LIKE?

MIKE: NEITHER ONE.

TOM: SO…IT’S BAD DIFFERENT?

MIKE: NO, NOT AT ALL. LOOK AT IT THIS WAY…IF I TURN ON THE RADIO AND ONE OF YOUR SONGS IS PLAYING, I’D IMMEDIATELY KNOW IT’S YOU.

TOM: OH, COME ON; HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?

MIKE: BECAUSE OF YOUR STYLE.

TOM: O.K.! NOW WE’RE GETTING SOMEWHERE! WHAT IS MY STYLE?

MIKE: IT’S HARD TO SAY…IT’S DIFFERENT.

TOM: ARE YOU HAVING FUN MESSING WITH MY MIND?

MIKE: NO, REALLY. YOUR STYLE IS DIFFERENT…BUT YOU DEFINITELY HAVE A STYLE.

TOM: WHAT? WHAT! IS IT IN THE MELODIES, THE CHORDS, MY FORM…WHAT IS IT?

MIKE: I DUNNO. I SUPPOSE IT’S JUST SAFEST TO SAY THAT YOUR MUSIC IS FULL OF TOM-ISMS.

TOM: WHAT IS A TOM-ISM?

MIKE: YOUR MUSIC; YOUR STYLE. IT’S FULL OF ‘EM.

TOM: WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

MIKE: YOUR STYLE. IT’S DIFFERENT. IT’S RAMPANT WITH TOM-ISMS.

TOM: RAMPANT TOM-ISMS?

MIKE: YEP. YOUR STYLE IS RIFE WITH TOM-ISMS.

TOM: RIFE TOM-ISMS?

MIKE: YESSIREE! THAT’S IT!

TOM: GREAT…JUST GREAT…FLAT-OUT SUPER. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. CLEAR AS A BELL. THANKS AGAIN. REALLY.

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Under Cover of Darkness 1995 (c) Salvatori Productions, Inc.

Tom Salvatori

Quiet, brooding solo nylon string guitar recorded during a thunderstorm.

Track Listing:

Overture 0:56

Rain Song 1:40

Mirrors (Michael Salvatori) 4:25

Channels to the Sea 3:07

Echoes Response 4:50

Tell Me a Story 3:14

I Can't Stop Thinking About You 3:40

Hide Away Folk Family (Linnell/Flansburgh) 3:59

Music for Nono (Rota) 4:35 - Medley of Music

Quiet, brooding solo nylon string guitar recorded during a thunderstorm.

Track Listing:

Overture 0:56

Rain Song 1:40

Mirrors (Michael Salvatori) 4:25

Channels to the Sea 3:07

Echoes Response 4:50

Tell Me a Story 3:14

I Can't Stop Thinking About You 3:40

Hide Away Folk Family (Linnell/Flansburgh) 3:59

Music for Nono (Rota) 4:35 - Medley of Music from "The Godfather'

PRESS REVIEW

"Purpose. Direction. Intent. Tom Salvatori's talent is interpreting our life and times with acoustically presented awareness. A minimalist in that Tom isn't flailing away in wonder of his own identity; not because he lacks for talent, depth, or degree of difficulty. On the contrary, he exhibits strength in restraint, and intensity through the vivid power of mindfulness he presents in his compositions. Salvatori layers his instrumentals with a beautiful variety of fingerstyle techniques, orchestrated to define each work as needed." - Artguitect Radio, June, 2000

'Under Cover of Darkness' - 30 minutes in length. ADD. Released summer, 1995. This CD represents the long-awaited 1st release recorded in the very living room of Tom's own home. Legend has it that, with all else planned (furniture moved out, wife and kids gone for the weekend, snifter of Amaretto Di Saronno at hand, microphones in place, guitar tuned...) the last remaining issue to be dealt with was ultimately the most obvious....the weather.

A storm front moved in...and thunder and lightning chose to ruin several of early takes.

That is, until Tom made one of those split second decisions that results in a long standing impact on his inaugural release.

He decided to embrace the enemy. He decided to weave the thunderstorm into his guitar work that night. He hung a couple microphones outside the bay windows and proceeded to communicate with the forces of nature.

The rest, as legend has it, is history. Seminal releases will never be the same!

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