Coming February 10th, 2023
Available February 10th, 2023
America's First African-American Classical Guitarist
Listen To a Sample of the First Track
Featuring Several World Premieres
Justin Holland was an African American, born free in Norfolk, Virginia. He was the most influential and important American guitarist of the 19th century and wrote the first published and best-selling guitar method in the country. He was also a leading voice in the anti-slavery and civil rights movements. As a composer he synthesized European models and embraced popular, church and parlor songs generating a rich variety of works. A master of virtuosic variations, his arrangements are witty, elegant, and colorful, and culminate in Carnival of Venice, which shows the full range of his gifts, sweeping in breadth and dazzling in effect.
As a Black musician, Mallett’s work writes a more complete history of our instrument in America. This program is a time stamp of late 19th-century American music. Holland takes us on this journey through folk, church, parlour and dance songs that sing through the solo guitar.
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-Kim Perlak, Chair - Berklee College of Music Guitar Program
Credits
Recorded at the University of California, Santa Cruz
Produced and Engineered by William Coulter
Edited by Drew Henderson
Mastered by Sienna Digital
Cover Art by Keith Mallett
Liner Notes by Kim Perlak