I'll Tell What I Saw is a dazzling 2CD retrospective of the solo work of former King Crimson member and Touch Guitar pioneer Trey Gunn. Hard to believe Gunn has amassed eight solo recordings already, but if you've missed out on them and want a great representation of what this musician is all about, this is a good place to start.
There's a nice mix of uptempo, groove laden jazz-fusion/prog rock numbers, as well as more ambient fare, to be found on I'll Tell What I Saw. It's hard not to get completely hooked in my pieces such as "The Joy of Molybdenum", with its quirky rhythms and tasty lead lines from Gunn, or the metallic crunch of "The Fifth Spin of the Sun". Prog fans will love the ethnic sounds of "Maslenitsa", complete with haunting keyboard effects, female vocals, and angular Touch Guitar mayhem from Gunn, as well as the ripping fusion number "Dziban", where Gunn sounds like a crazed Robert Fripp. It's not only the sheer volume of material on display here that impresses (36 songs!), but also the variety. The trance inducing "The Magnificent Jinn", the jazzy "Contact", and the avant-garde/noise rock of "Killing For London" all add plenty of spice and flavors which help make this collection an all around treat for the ears. Fear not King Crimson fans, as there's also complex rave-ups that have plenty in common with Gunn's former band, such as "Kuma", with its shuffling poly rhythms and angular melody lines, the dazzling "Hard Winds", and the savage improv nature of "Arrakis".
Through it all, Gunn's ability to create tapestries of varied sound, colors, and textures is quite impressive. When he rips into a savage, blinding lead break, you can't help but be mesmerized, but more often than not it's the overall palette of tones created that makes his solo material so enjoyable. I'll Tell What I Saw is a great place to start should you be interested in exploring the world of Trey Gunn.
Track Listing
1. Hymn 04:29
2. The Joy of Molybdenum 05:29
3. The Fifth Spin of the Sun 02:04
4. Val el Diablo 04:35
5. Morning Dream 06:49
6. Real Life 05:12
7. Maslenitsa 09:31
8. Gallina 01:05
9. Dziban 06:15
10. Misery, Misery, Die, Die, Die... 01:55
11. Pole 00:44
12. Thick and Thorny 02:35
13. Down Spin 01:13
14. Absinthe & A Cracker 03:17
15. The Shimmering 02:23
16. Fandango 04:05
17. Well 05:56
18. Jacaranda 03:57
19. The Magnificent Jinn 03:24
20. Contact 03:50
21. Drunk 06:26
22. Killing for London 06:32
23. Kuma 04:29
24. Single Cell Shark 03:31
25. Cheeky 03:33
26. Make My Grave in the Shape of a Heart 01:24
27. Spectra 01:57
28. Capturing the Beam 01:23
29. Hard Winds 03:05
30. Arrakis 06:54
31. Flood 03:17
32. Untamed Chicken 04:14
33. Down in Shadows (Part 1) 04:44
34. Californ-a-tron 00:49
35. Vals 03:18
36. 9:47 P.M. Eastern Time 05:03
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