AMG Review of Crossroads

Jonathan Widran
All Music Guide

Many try, but few artists create music so rife with imagery that you are transported to an entirely fresh geographical plane. No one tours the Southwest like Nicholas Gunn, the flute/synth whiz whose The Music of the Grand Canyon was the most compelling tribute to the park in recent years. With this release, he finds himself at a new Crossroads, which for all intents and purposes is best described as the rocky but clear-skied region around the Four Corners. His latest spiritual excursion again draws on Native American history to build percussive red rock themes around crisp Southwestern architecture that can withstand both intense sunlight and heavy thunderstorms. Gunn's flute is always at the forefront, played either like a percussion instrument or a launching point for soaring orchestral ideas. Loping along the mountain roads and helping pay tribute to his always enthralling landscapes are the subtle energies of violinist Karen Briggs, cellist Sachi McHenry, and acoustic guitarists Zavier and Bill Shafton.