California Guitar Trio

The California Guitar Trio is known for their live performances, which never fail to astound and delight their audiences. In a typical show you will hear a mixture of classical, rock, surf music, progressive rock... you name it. You will hear cover songs, but you will also hear many amazingly complex and beautiful original compositions. Audiences have grown to love their approachable performance style and the unbelievably precise manner and focus in which the three musicians play.

Then came Echoes and the rules changed.

While the precision and focus of their live performances is there in Echoes, this Collection of Great Cover Songs brings old friends and those who have just discovered CGTrio a whole new set of textures and depth to explore. I hesitate to call the album lush, because it is a word that is over-used, but that's exactly what Echoes is. There is much to discover in this album.

An earlier reviewer mentioned Tony Levin and Tom Griesgraber as two of the contributors to this wonderful album. Tony is a well know master bass player who always provides stellar performances and who has played with CGTrio for a long time. Tom is an amazingly talented Chapman Stick player whose solo albums are must-haves for any California Guitar Trio fan.

What else can I say about Echoes? Well, I'll say this much about the title track: I think The Floyd would be very pleased with the tribute The California Guitar Trio has paid them with this track.

Buy this album, go see The California Guitar Trio perform live, and you will be much richer for the experience.

I first heard CGT on XM and thought enough of them to try this CD.
The quality of the playing is unbelievable.
Echoes, Bohemian Rhapsody, Freebird and "And I Know" are all songs I have the original version's of.
The way CGT performs them are amazing.
The other songs are either classical or jazz and i am not as familiar, but they still sound good.

If i have a complaints its the couple of songs they added vocals.

The exquisite notes from this project will echo gracefully through your mind and soul long after you take your first listen. California Guitar Trio have surpassed themselves once again on this latest cd. Surprise after surprise comes with some very familiar covers of some of Progressive Rocks greatest songs: Pink Floyd's Echoes and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. Each with a special touch that brands it CGT while remaining incredibly faithful to the original. The classical pieces are also treated with the same panache. Two rock classics are also included that Garth and Wayne would be especially proud of: Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and Freebird by Lynard Skynard. Get your lighter's out folk, CGT has triumphed again. For fans and newbies this is a must have.

Another superb album from these guitar maestros. This album is a bit of a breather from their usual mind-boggling complexity and sophistication, but not for the reasons you might think - the arrangements and the music are just as complex as ever, but this time the music is very familiar. Nearly all the pieces are well-known in popular or classical music. Their arrangements are nothing short of spectacular and offer new insights into these time-tested masterpieces. Although very faithful renditions, they are not mere copies, but rather original interpretations. I particularly like Pink Floyd's Echoes, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells and of course, the showcase - Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, reproduced note-for-note, solos, choruses and all - without vocals. Bethoven's 5th, first movement is done in a surf-rock style of the Ventures, whose "The Cruel Sea" is also included. There is a Celtic-like footstomper from Penguin Cafe Orchestra, and a movement from Beethoven's Pastorale arranged in a traditional classical manner. A very atmospheric song "And I Know" with vocals (can anyone comment - is it a cover or a new song?) and "Free Bird" conclude the album. The latter is a real surprise, the slide guitar and the fiery dual guitar leads are faithfully Skynyrd-like (I cannot imagine playing those leads on hard acoustic guitar strings), and the exaggerated vocals sound as if the singer downed a bottle of good southern whisky before going to the studio. Someone put in a bit of light percussion to fill out the sound, and the cover version turns out as good as any I've heard of this classic song. For me this is a special album, since I saw them do these songs live at the Montreal Jazz festival in 2007, hoping they would record them, and here we are. This album captures the magic of that concert very well. A must for CGT fans.

As a long time fan of the CGT, my expectations are high with each release, and their latest, 'Echoes', exceeded my expectations. The Trio's technical skills always astound, but the variety of music on this disc makes it truly special. With vocals on a few tracks from Bonnie Prince Billy, this is a must have CD for true music aficionados.

I've been a CGT fan for years but I never got around to picking this up until recently. I wanted some mellow Christmas music for putting on in the evenings when I've got a fire going and I'm just looking to relax. Overall it's a great CD and I can highly recommend it to anyone. I hate to suggest putting CGT on as background music, but frankly, this CD is perfect for it.

Probably the only song I'm not a big fan of is the first track "Carol of the Bells" which I find merely okay. However the rest of the songs range from great to fantastic (their rendition of Silent Night happily revives that oft played tune for me). If you like classical guitar, then this CD is a must have. If you are serious about music, well you just won't find many Christmas CDs with this kind of musicianship. If you are looking for something relaxing to play at Christmas, this is also a great CD for you. If you are looking for something for something with a bit of kick to it, this isn't your CD. (When I want something like that I tend to throw on Dean Martin or Harry Connick Jr.)

This is a great CD to put on when you want some light holiday music that won't overwhelm you. The guitar work is incredible and they do a great job of putting a fresh spin on some well worn territory. Still you can put it on when you have guest over and still be able to talk and enjoy the company without the distraction of lyrics. It makes for a very comforting background. I highly recommend it.

This CD is great to listen to, from the first track which is a really cool rendition of Carol of the Bells. It is a song that seems perfectly suited to their playing style.

The whole CD is great, as long as you can look past the fact that you will likely not get a present anytime soon despite the christmas songs.

There's nothing really wrong with this CD other than it not being what I expected. I was expecting more traditional (perhaps heavier) guitar renditions of various Christmas songs. Instead, the music is lighter and more "California-ish." It'll serve as some background Christmas music, but there's nothing here that really grabs your attention.

CGT takes their acoustic guitars and plugs them in to some cool effects for a three pronged sonic attack. They escape imprisonment from any genre while paying homage to their rock and classical roots. The level of interaction, the understanding of how three separate parts can sum a much greater whole, is simply jaw-dropping. These guys know how to be geniuses without being stuffy, and it is really refreshing to hear such virtuosity mixed with such down-to-earth fun.

It must be an alien six armed guitar player!! Amazing musicality. Skip all the reviews and go listen to this group. Moneyback Guarantee: Any part of your money they haven't already spent,they will return to you! Seriously, listen very carefully. This is not New Age crapola,don't put this on while you are making dinner or puttering around the house or writing a blog....sit down in your best 5.1 surround system and lean back.

I bought this album solely because I heard the 'Riders' arrangement on satellite radio. As an aspiring guitarist I am always on the lookout for new guitar music. I am very pleased with the entire set of selections on the CD. It is more varied than I thought it would be - with a mix of acoustic and electric pieces. I would love to see the group live. The CD is worth the price for me because the 'Riders' piece is so cool.

He escuchado a CGT desde sus comienzos de la mano de Robert Fripp. Este es un buen trabajo, sin embargo no hay la potencia de sus primeros trabajos. Si eres un seguidor del grupo puedes adquirir el disco, si lo estas escuchando por primera vez, busca una de sus trabajos anteriores para que sepas de que es capaz esta agrupación

After seeing this CD in the store under the "Progressive Rock" section, I was wondering how it would sound (because of the "Guitar Trio" name). I was immediately impressed by the skill, and now that I've found out that they studied under Fripp, no wonder....

Great ambient music, I would compare it to a guitar-only version of Ozric Tentacles (it's music where you just pop in the CD and all you have is excellent instrumental tracks).

I had heard so much about this band but I never bought a CD. Then I caught their show in Portland and I was just floored. I enjoy playing guitar, but who knew it could be played like that? I can see where they get their reputation from. The combine great talent with a taste for music you actually want to hear.

One observation: while the CDs I bought sound great, nothing can compare to seeing them live. You really want to see their show.

The California Guitar Trio's latest release "First Decade" is a culmination of the bands best work in the last ten years.
And what a tremendous bunch of music they recorded in those years. These three talented guitar-playing gentlemen go from country, world, jazz, rock; you name it they play it and they play it well.
If you've missed the first ten years of these talented gents career go out and buy this disc and see what you missed. They can play!

The California Guitar Trio have now been performing and recording together for over 10 years. During the past decade, the trio of Japanese-born Hideyo Moriya, Belgium-born Bert Lams and American Paul Richards have entertained audiences around the globe with their unique original compositions and outrageous three-guitar adaptations of classical, rock and surf music.
Now in 2003, California Guitar Trio's "First Decade" compilation commemorates 10 years since the release of their debut album "Yamanashi Blues". Included on this CD are 19 original compositions from the trio's first five albums. There is no new material included on this compilation but, it is a real treat to have tracks such as "Train To Lamy", "Yamahashi Blues", "Punta Pantri", "Pathways" and "Invitation" together on one disc. The strong interplay between Lams, Richards and Moriya never ceases to amaze me. I can only hope that The California Guitar Trio will release a "First Decade Volume 2" containing their brilliant arrangements of Bach, Beethoven, Mason William's "Classical Gas" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". Until then, "The First Decade" serves as an excellent overview of the California Guitar Trio's best original material. If you've never heard them before, you're in for a real treat. If you like this, you'll want to pick up all of their CD's to hear the full scope of what these three guitarists are capable of. You won't be disappointed either.

Three guitars performing a set of laid-back originals and tackling some Beethoven in the process? It may look like a new-age gimmick at first. But there's really little fluff to be found in the CGT catalogue; they're one of the most cerebral and disciplined guitar groups around, even if they occasionally touch on the realm of Muzak and NPR. Maybe it's inevitable. What sets them apart is their inhumanly-tight interplay, their melodic inventiveness and their stylistic range that knows no boundaries. Duke Ellington, Bach, Dick Dale, Queen, Japanese folk, Yes, Mussorgsky, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, a range of inventive originals.. the Trio's covered them all.

Regardless, it's a rare thing to hear so much talent and virtuosity presented so un-pretentiously. It takes some good skill to tackle Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on guitar for example (especially the rapid-fire Presto Agitato movement) as they do here, and their original compositions are marvels of fluid guitar interplay. They don't just play jumbles of notes clamoring on top of each other - the melodies weave over and around each other without ever becoming static, and their skill with melody makes it all beautifully listenable rather than hitting you over the head with dizzying blizzards of flashy technique. Outside guests pop up on sax and Warr guitar from time to time, but for the most part it just focuses on Paul, Bert and Hideyo doing what they do best.

Pathways also had the highest concentration of original CGT songs to date at the time. Their newest album Whitewater shows just how far they've come in the writing department; on this one, their originals and well-chosen covers were balanced to the best effect of any of their albums. Maybe I could wish they'd covered more of a classical range instead of devoting three tracks to Beethoven alone, but that's a small quibble. The fun factor of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" being followed by the surf-guitar classic "Misirlou" does earn them some points.

Pathways is one of the best intros to the group out there, although Whitewater and Rocks The West won't disappoint either. And don't miss them on tour - they do all this stuff live and then some.

The California Guitar Trio was formed by Bert Lams, Hideyo Moriya and Paul Richards. All three perform acoustic guitar, on this CD, in unedited live studio performances. This 1998 recording is their third work together as a trio, after the 1995 disc "Invitation" and 1993's "Yamanashi Blues".

Before their formation as a trio, Bert, Hideyo and Paul had previously appeared in various configurations of The League of Crafty Guitarists and had also served as three of the five members of the Robert Fripp String Quintet.

On "Pathways", a significant level of performance maturity is clearly in evidence. Thankfully, such maturity has been assigned to a repertoire consisting of classical arrangements along with original, intelligent progressive compositions that match well to their classical sensibility.

In addition to the guitar trio configuration, a number of tracks include saxophone played by Bill Janssen and Roger Lambson. The touch tapped Warr Guitar, performed by Trey Gunn, is included on a few of the tracks as well.

"Pathways" will serve as a beautiful introduction to the work of the California Guitar Trio. It showcases some of the finest examples of their warmly sensitive musical expression.

My basic point is: I love most of the tunes the California Guitar Trio (CGT) creates, in particular: Arroyo and Scramble. These two "songs" are magnificent works of art, dense, complex, stunning.

Sometimes I really enjoy their interpretations of other people's music (like Classical Gas) but most of the time their versions of well known classical pieces leave me cold. I think the CGT puts a lot of heart and effort into playing pieces of music that are better played by an orchestra (all the Beethoven pieces fall into this category).

Bottom line: I salute the CGT for their stunning original musical creations but I find the majority of the songs on this CD somewhat uninteresting.

If you love classical guitar get ready, these three guys do things you won't believe. Incredible precission that is real, I have seen them live! And the sound quality is out of this world.

I think that it is hard to come accross an album that is so easy on the ear and enjoyable as this one.

An absolute must buy for anyone who appreciates the classical tones of guitarists!

This is a great album by CG3. It has nice melodies, weird stuff and interesting interpretations of songs. My favorite songs are definitely Melrose Avenue (a short but complex 7/8 song), Heart of the Sunrise (a great interpretation of Yes' classic song) and Blockhead (a complex rhythmic piece with very nice dreamy bits and some shifting (odd) time signatures). Some are less my taste (Swampy Space, Train to Lamy), but for the musicianship very listenable.
Of course the addition of Pat Mastelotto and Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel) give the songs something extra. For CG3 fans a must have. For progrock fans to. Also for other kinds of daring music lovers!!!

I guess it's no surprise that these guys are students of Robert Fripp, no wonder they insert little bits of "21st Century Schizoid Man" in one of the songs (I can't remember which one, but it's the part where on the original track the song has a time shift and then all you hear is the bass , horns and soft drums).

When I first listened to this CD I was driving to work and it has a great feel to it, I think this kind of instrumental music (especially when it is progressive-rock oriented) is very soothing and technically superb.

Their cover of "Heart of the Sunrise" is not meant to overshadow guitar-god Steve Howe, I believe it to be a wonderful rendition instead. "Whitewater" is another CGT album that I truly recommend.

This instrumental album will not dissapoint, especially if you wanna hear progressive music without all the spacey sounds. It kinda takes a new twist on these things. As far as having "tunes", well I'm no guitar expert but duh! it's progressive rock it's not supposed to be understood by a "commercial" listener and that's probably the last thing you'll find on with this kind of music.

I bought this disk with VERY high expectations from the reviews. I am constantly looking out for guitar music that is new ( both to me personally, and in style ) and was hoping this might be a great new addition to the collection.

I purchased this with Only, by Tommy Emmanuel ( someone else I did not have any knowledge of before "Favoured Nations" ) and I have to say, THAT is what I am looking for. This, sadly, is not.

Technical ability, rhythm, tone, attack, yes .. all there in abundance, but I think I spotted one TUNE on the whole album. Perhaps two at a stretch.

To me, this sounds like a bunch of "Sky" outtakes ( remember John Williams et al ? ) when they were having a jam session between tracks and experimenting with a bit of a latin feel!

What a shame, the power, agression and skill of these guys will one day make a fantastic album, when they remember melody. This sadly, is not that album.

If you like the latin flavoured "clean picking" music of Al Di Meola ( Casino etc ), stick with that, because this is "clean picking" that ultimately ends up nowhere, and that is very annoying.

One other thing .. the slide playing is, I am afraid to say, horrible. ... get some lessons off Sonny Landreth please, because this is just depressing noise

This is one of the finest CDs I own. I enjoy a wide range of music - and it's all here. Track 4 is an exceptional cover of Yes's Heart of the Sunrise - with all parts done with string instruments - no keyboards - simply phenomenal! From the retro 60's surf boogie sound of track 6 - Zundoko-Bush to the absolutely pure and beautiful track - Eve. Dancing Ann (track 3) flows so nicely it's likely opening the windows on a beautiful day to take a deep breath of fresh air and feel the warm sun on your face. Track 11 - Train to Lamy is one of my favorites - it features a gritty, crazed slide guitar that drives into a frenzied scream which eventually breaks into a Nashville sounding pick fest - who would have ever thought to put these sounds together and melted them so absolutely COOL. Track 8 - Dance of Maya conveys a frenzied,wild, unrestrained dance that unfolds as if it was occurring right before your eyes. I don't know if I've ever used the word "Perfect" to describe a CD, but this CD is perfect. The talent here is truly unparalled, but beyond that is the depth of the compositions. The range of music covered has something for everyone. I loved this CD on the first listen and more with each succesive listen. I've even erected a shrine in my living room in front of the CD player to this selection (not really - but it's that good !) It is all instrumental, and if you enjoy the likes of Pat Methany, Jordan Rudess, or other musicians capable of reaching the peak of their genre, then I believe you will truly enjoy this very, very fine selection.

Having seen CGT plus Levin and Mastelloto in concert, I was thrilled when I got this CD. I bought their Rocks The West CD from the concert and had all 5 members sign the disc. That's a keeper. I have to disagree with the first author on the page that said it was muzak. Far from it. Levin and Mastelloto are indeed at their best, but what's truly wonderful is the intricate playing from the CGT themselves. They seem to have really taken on their mantle as graduates from Robert Fripp's guitar craft and play incredibly nuanced pieces while having fun doing it.

There is such a spontaneous feel to so much of the music, even the cover of Yes's Heart of The Sunrise (one of that band's true Masterworks) feels fresh here. As with any good collection of virtuoso music, the listener is drawn in by some of the more accessible pieces so that by track 6 or 7, when the band whips up some more eclectic and noisy pieces, you feel like you've done the whole ride and loved it all.

If you're a musician, you'll never want to part with this collection. If you're an avid listener of rock, folk, progressive, jazz--you'll find something appealing on this CD.

Best played at over 60 miles an hour, alone--sound turned up...

I had heard of these guys for quite a few years but just never bought anything. On a whim purchased this partly because of Tony Levin. Just the first 30 seconds made me think, 'Oh my God this is gonna be good.'And it is. I've purchased everything the've made, have seen them 3 times and am just in awe seeing and hearing them live. Buy this

Funny thing about these three California dudes is that one is from Belgium, another is from Japan and I don't even know where the third guy is from. Tony Levin (from Brookline, MA) appears on 7 songs. Very cool acoustic mix covering Beethoven and Mussorsky to Duke Ellington and Queen.

I must admit that the tone of steel string acoustics whining through the melody of a tune is akin to the sound of cats meowing or someone urinating on concrete. But, just to be fair, I gave this cd a couple of runs and in the end I wouldn't recommend this to anyone into instrumental guitar music. Three nebbish wankers doing up Mussorgsky like a supermarket greeting card. So what. And they attempt to grab some `street cred' by doing Bohemian Rhapsody. Ish! Someone should turn these frigid chaps on to some Francis Albert or Bing or Miles to clue them in on how a melody should really be interpreted. This was the pastiest reading of Freddie Mercury I've ever heard. And for God's sake doesn't one of them own any other instrument besides an Ovation steel string? Their tone is so tinny and flaccid. Whenever one of them started to furiously tremolo pick like some goofy spazz-wad it confirmed my belief that Purgatory can indeed be suffered here on earth. Fripp-like polyrhythms between axe slingers has been done, Middle Eastern melodies behind Tony Levin's rubbery bass has been done and guitar arrangements of classical works has been done. Trust me you've heard this all before.

I never heard of this group before last night the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. There was one group there that completely COMPLETELY brought down the house, the California Guitar Trio. Three guys with guitars playing instrumental music that was a combination of classical, rock, and....SURF. But get this...they played the ENTIRE back end of the 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th...on three guitars....including the bit at the end where it goes to warp speed and there is an entire chorus on stage. (It's on this album too.)

It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen live, because once the audience recognized what CGT were going to do, and yet couldn't imagine how it could be done, they got completely breathless in anticipation. When they hit those last notes the crowd stood up and cheered, 1500 people. In a folk music concert!

I immediately acquired this album to try to re-live this experience. On listening I miss the thrill that came from the live performance, but enjoyed it regardless. When you listen, close your eyes and concentrate. It's not just some studio trick, it's just three cool guys playing amazing guitar. LIVE!

CGT's "Rocks the West" is not a rock album but an innovative smorgasbord of classical (Beethoven's Symphony #9), rock (Bohemian Rhapsody and Mirsirlou), country/southern/Spanish (Caravan) and jazzy/experimental (most of the rest of the album). Two of my favorites are Bohemian Rhapsody and Misirlou. Bohemian Rhapsody is true to the melody the Queen version, but really highlights its compositional brilliance as it branches into complimentary guitar pieces and great bass-lines. Misirlou is a fast-paced old Ventures tune that rocks without losing any intricate guitar work. The cut after Misirlou is Rokudan, which abruptly changes the mood into a simple, hauntingly beautiful Japanese-sounding tune. Unfortunately it's less than 2 minutes long! I also like the new-agey meditative Puntra Patri, although they speed it up too much near the end. Most of the cuts work for me, but some sound weird and experimental. I usually skip past Blue-eyed Monkey because it sounds like creaking doors in a haunted house, although the cheering fans on the album apparently disagree with my assessment. Likewise, the percussion solo in Caravan is certainly innovative, but "squeaky" and not well mixed. My other grumble is that some songs mix too many different styles and techniques. Pictures at an Exhibition, for example, sounds like a talented but confusing combination of Beethoven, jazz fusion, the Ventures, and a church hymn! The abrupt change of styles within and between songs can be a bit disconcerting. However, every cut has excellent studio-quality sound, even though this is a live album recorded at various venues. CGT is not only about talented guitar work, but amazing guitar tone. Just as a good golfer selects the right club to play each hole, CGT selects high-end fabulous sounding guitars that fit perfectly with each song. Despite my grumbles, this cd is worth a spin to hear these skilled, versatile musicians and high-end guitars.

CGT no es un grupo donde 3 personas se sientan a tocar cualquier cosa con una guitarra cada uno. De verdad es un concepto bien pensado y bajo la guia de nada menos que Robert Fripp.

Posiblemente en Yamanshi Blues por ser su primer disco, exista un sonido mas puro de la guitarra, sin embargo la adición de un fondo mas elaborado en este disco no hace sino agregar mas en la ejecución de este grupo.

Tanto éste como Yamanashi Blues es el mejor de los comienzos para conocer a CGT.

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor is worth the price of the whole CD! Yes, this is the Bach piece redone superbly by these guys. When I saw that Robert Fripp was the executive producer, I had high hopes for this record. This surpassed even my expectations! The players and production is fresh by today's standards. They lean towards an accessable progressive edge and will not disappoint you. Phenominal spin!!!

Protégés of Robert Fripp, CGT expands out of their comfort zone on this one to push their technical expertise to the limit. Any group that can successful put Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in C# Minor" onto 3 acoustic guitars has got to be special - but then they move to a western style on "Train" and an incredibly rocking "Good, Bad, and Ugly". But the true gem is "Up in the Clouds" - A cross between Pink Floyd and Vangelis, or King Crimson and Enya? No comparison does it justice, but it is moving. A masterful disc.

What I loved about Yamanashi Blues was the elegant simplicity of the thing. Three guys, three guitars...simple, direct, and really good.

This album adds a bit of production to the mix, some strings here, a little background stuff there...it's all still very good, but I liked stuff the old way. I guess I really am a ludite.

Some gold here though. This is one of the best versions of "Apache" I have ever heard, and remarkably, these guys managed to turn the goofy theme from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," into high art.

Lotsa fun.

Oh yes!Oh man!I saw these guys open for KING KRIMSON. Toccata and fugue on guitar!!!!!!WHOA! Changed my life forever. Can you beleive I actually wore out my first copy!??! I swear it!!You have to get this disc.It's one of those rare gems that you can listen to from beginning to end and feel disappointed that the cd doesn't have more.And beleive me,there's lots to listen to. !!!!!!!!! GET THIS CD !!!!!!!!!

...or some such thing.

I lack the energy to research these guys, but the CGT makes for some entertaining listening.

This is basically three guys, playing only guitars. The eclectic collection of pieces on this disc range from the Surfaris "Walk, Don't Run" to Bach's Prelude in C Minor.

Most odd. Yet oddly compelling. There is something magic about classical attention being paid to an old surf standby.

Hard to explain, fun to listen to.

This is a LIVE PERFORMANCE. This album was recorded during a concert directly from the guitars. No voice miking -so there's not audience applause- and most important: NO STUDIO MIXING. They sound on the record as they did at the gig.
A real masterpiece from those kind of guitarist one expect to see live at least once in his life.

To say that the CD is designed to display versatility would be an understatement - the CGT meanders its way across various styles and puts a smile on our face with their musical humor. While the classical tracks fall a bit short (the Ovation sound works when it's emulating a harpsichord, but just sounds bad when playing 'straight' classical guitar) most of the tracks are technically adept and enjoyable.

These three guitarist are fantastic artist. The songs are simply beautiful. You don't have to be a guitar enthusiast to love this CD, just a music lover. However if you play the guitar you NEED this CD to know what is possible. This will inpsire you like no other band will.

Great album, however, it is interesting that Amazon.com has offered to sell this album as "CGT III". I ordered it only to find out that it is the Japanese release of the CGT's 1998 release, "Pathways", but under the Pony Canyon label. There is no difference in these two releases other than the tune "Scrumpy Jig" was renamed "Scramble" for the US release by DGM Records. Other than the Japanese writing and some other writing on the jewel case, it is identical content to "Pathways". So, unless you're a die-hard collector, save your money and order "Pathways"!!!