However "Red Wine" is a far more approachable CD than his previous more avant garde work, "Blisters", a CD recorded with Joe Fonda, the American bassist. Where "Blisters" stretches the boundaries of tonality, structure and form, "Red Wine" is a far more melodic vintage with instant appeal right from the opening bars of the excellent "Happy At Your Doorstep". And in fact, the CD contains at least one monster tune you are guaranteed to know!

As with all great guitarists, you know immediately when Gilbert is at the strings. Case in point: there is a truly gorgeous instrumental version of "Little Wing" on this CD which is immediately identifiable as Hendrix, yet is stamped indelibly with the deft and imaginative Isbin feel and touch. Hendrix, I think, would have approved. After all, Jimmy was a past master himself at appropriating other people songs and making them his own.

(As an aside, I must draw your attention to an earlier CD: "Gilbert Isbin Plays Nick Drake". This extraordinary gift of arranging other people's music and presenting it in such a unique fashion is exemplified on Gilbert's awesome arrangements of the tragically doomed English guitarist and songwriter, Nick Drake.) (Tabs available from AGW)

The opening track "Happy At Your Doorstep" is another classic example of Gilbert Isbin's impressive and never obvious approach. It starts off with almost classical guitar figures, dancing intoxicatingly in high arpeggiated spirits, before the tune spins and veers off, taking you on a rollercoaster ride of rhythmic and chordal explorations and expositions.

Listening to "Red Wine" really is an exhilarating experience... strange voicings, insistent and driving chord clusters combined with intense rhythmic invention and hypnotic grooves, hybrid bebop, jazz and bluesy arabesques... Gilbert Isbin takes the guitar to places it has never been before. All 14 tracks on this excellent CD showcase a guitarist and composer at the top of his game. "Red Wine" is an invigorating brew, a testament to a truely gifted and original player.