In This Present Moment
Matthew Von Doran
(Bcat Records – 2004)
by John Thompson
I’m gonna throw some big names at you; just nod your head if you’ve heard of them: Bob Mintzer, Larry Goldings, James Genus, Jimmy Haslip, Terri Lynn Carrington, Peter Erskine.
Whether you nodded or not, you can trust me when I say that these are big names; and all of them appear on Guitarist Matthew Von Doran’s “In This Present Moment.” Produced by Yellowjackets’ member Haslip, this is a CD that should sell well to Pat Metheny listeners and fans. While all songs are originals by Von Doran and performances by guest artists are very nice, V.D. does not shine on an instrument that lives to be played.
Being that most of the songs are long enough, V.D. wastes his opportunities. Writing certainly seems to be the strong point of this cd, along with an outstanding cd cover. Unfortunately, the playing contributions by Von Doran, compared to the other musicians on this cd, made very little impact. Casual guitar players will appreciate Von Doran more than the aspiring artist. – – 3 stars.