Guitar Multiverse by Guillermo Marigliano, is a trip through the guitar stars with a Latin fused twist, which is nothing new to guitar instrumentalist fans, but there’s also never been enough of them from Carlos Santana to any other coming to mind for that matter. Hailing from Los Angeles via Argentina, Guillermo Marigliano has the culture and experience to go with the form in which he plays and the encompassing sub genres to go with it, but he keeps it traditionally fused without any wild frills. The 7 tracks are a blend of orthodox styles spiced with Marigliano’s own signature touch.
Right from the start without any hesitation, the guitar gleams out of Guillermo Marigliano’s fingers, and he’s off and running with the opening track “Dreams” dropping the high standard which he is known for, with an intimately great track reminding of Santana’s playing on tracks like “Europa” and others. But that is not to say Guillermo Marigliano is even thinking of such songs of the past, it’s just where guitar fans can likely connect with the identifying sound. All in all, it’s probably the most well-crafted song on the album which also contains some others very close to it.
The string magic continues with “Fuga y Misterio” but with a haunting piano to round out this epic track with its slow but compelling pace, which lands on the award for the most interesting musical excursion on Guitar Multiverse. This is a rather complex tune laced with flashes of Guillermo Marigliano’s brilliance whenever called for. My hat goes off to the accompaniment of which I am not familiar with to name, especially on the piano parts, as it all melds together so well the chemistry must be noted as the second song takes shape it really sets the rest up for anticipation.
More brooding piano opens “Dark Void” with something that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Bob Dylan record, which goes nowhere into the Latin realm of recognition until the guitar solo brings it into the picturesque song. By the time it is over you’re left contemplating what’s to come in “My New Old Friends” with a smoother jazz fusion vibe like the first song but with more piano to balance. I like this one and the first track for that reason alone, but the rest of the release isn’t hard to get into, they’d just have to be my picks.
“Geometric Field” is another artistically skilled point from Guillermo Margliano, if anything to say he lets it all hang out with soft but hard running fingerboard exploration which continues on the song “Bahia dos Sonhos” with even more acoustic dynamic fret burning all over it with more piano holding it down. And if you like “Fuga y Misterio” don’t miss the closing alternate take where closure helps complete the collection with the album’s concept title making progressive sense from start to finish, just like a ride through the Guitar Multiverse, with some fine piano work on top of it.
Mindy McCall
