MuzikMan's Reviews And News: Tom Caufield

Release Date: September 6, 2016

Label: Bohemian Embassy

Hearing Holiday music is reserved for the season in which it is celebrated right? Well that is not always the case. At times there is that rare recording dedicated to Christmas classics that can be listened to at any time of year. Tom Caufield’s I Heard It Was Christmas Day happens to be one of those albums.

Caufield easily strums and picks his way into your heart and mind with expert six-string playing. He creates superb textures and intimate sounds that draw you in and keep you.

“I Heard It Was Christmas Day” has a prolific name and the kind of diversity in playing that I found very impressive. Along with Tom’s playing there are some bells jingling in the background that sound like a horse drawn sleigh. It all created a picture in my mind, like a classic Norman Rockwell painting set to this most beautiful and tasteful music.

“Silent Night” was always a song that gave me chills and touched my soul. Tom’s playing is well thought out and tastefully done. Like gentle falling snow with the North Star shining brightly in the sky; his notes hit your consciousness and put you right in the manager with baby Jesus.

Acoustic music with such intricacies and simplicity is difficult to make into something memorable as this album. Tom accomplished this with little help of other instruments besides his guitars. This has a lot going in the background of each track however his guitar is right out front and that is what your senses key in on. If there ever was peripheral hearing like there was sight (like a quarterback seeing the entire field) then this would be the time to use it.

The best thing about this music is that is relaxing and it sets your mind at ease. As the guitar flows, so does your feelings pushed along by the music.

“God Rest You” is a brilliant track. You would never believe it was a Christmas while listening. It comes across more like a soundscape for a good western or some desert scenery. At around the 2 minute mark or so the song shifts so you get a taste of the original melody. I really appreciate the transitions in this track and I thought it was brilliant. It was country meets holiday and they get together for an old fashioned Christmas set to some incredible acoustic music.

There was a lot to like about I Heard It Was Christmas Day and not a thing to complain about. Musical perfection is difficult to arrive at. It seems the more I hear recordings like this I am becoming more convinced that it entirely possible. This album has the full respect and appreciation of my diligent ears and I think many other listeners will feel the same way.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: I Heard It Was Christmas Day, Silent Night, God Rest You

Tracks:
01. Joy To The World
02. Hark On High
03. Carol of the Drum
04. What Child Is This?
05. I Heard It Was Christmas Day
06. Silent Night
07. God Rest You
08. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
09. Aude Lang Syne

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

Rate The Tracks

November 12, 2016

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

“Tom Caufield is a great American songwriter, period, end of story. Lend him your ears.” – David Wild, Rolling Stone

Los Angeles - Tom Caufield is a contemplative guitarist with an uncommonly melodic style, and though his music shares traits with ambient music, one still walks away humming identifiable melodies that float in an effortless dream-stream, built into traditional verse-chorus-bridge structures. “I grew up on the popular rock, pop, folk and soul of the times,” says Caufield of his musical boyhood, “so even when I make contemplative mood music, I can’t help but infuse it with a strong melodic storyline.” That’s good news for listeners who love relaxing music and memorable hooks.

Blessed with an ineffable touch on the fret board, Caufield’s 6th release ‘Things I Heard While in the Womb,’ represents a breakthrough, bringing to fruition the promise of his earlier albums and giving birth to something wholly unique – his own distinctive take on what can be done with the modern, acoustic guitar based album. After four sparse, contemplative, ‘guitarist alone in a cathedral’ albums, Caufield desired to capture more of the depth of engagement on offer from the side-long tracks of classic ‘70s prog-rock and ambient albums (think: Brian Eno’s ‘Music for Airports,’ and Mike Oldfield’s ‘Ommadawn’), and so created and released the 22 minute single ‘Rust of the New Babylon.’

“I thought of my favorite artists, and reimagined the context,” says Caufield. “I wondered what it would sound like were Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana to grab a couple of acoustic guitars and trade licks, after hours, backed up by ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ era Pink Floyd.”

The whole thing works – with blues and Spanish tinged phrases dancing like lace and pain over a soft, natural, wooden bass, brush-kit drums, Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ backing, creating a groove that sounds like ‘giant seaweed swaying.’ In addition to a larger sonic palette, Caufield also discovered another crucial element in making a sound all his own: improvisation, adding this to his already formidable compositions skills.

“Music to slow the relentless pace of life” – Bruce Gall, Atmospheres/One World Music

“My foundation, my most crucial starting point, is that I try and emulate the dynamics, cycles and patterns of nature,” says Caufield, “and reinforce the idea that metaphysics, ethics and aesthetics are simply different languages expressing the same idea. It’s hopefully, all together, a way of giving a voice to the inarticulate speech of the heart.”

The new album journeys farther into this sonic territory. From the 24 minute opener “Waif Among the Reeds”, one is swept into a seductive dreamworld of spiraling, elegant, Spanish, pop, folk and blues tinged guitar, composed and improvised soloing, accompanied by creamy, retro Moog synthesizers and Arp synth strings. The phrases echo the minimal Zen restraint of Weather Report era Wayne Shorter – more suggestions than finished melodies.

The poignant reverie ‘Rubies on Fallen Leaves’ and epic ‘Palace of Broken Mirrors’ round out the collection.

Citing Harold Budd, Mike Oldfield, Tony Banks, Vangelis, & Brian Eno as his primary musical models, Caufield admits to relating more to ambient music artists and their aesthetic ideals than other acoustic guitarists, who he feels are “more structured, roots-based or conversely, adventurous and explorative than I’m aiming to be.” His main influence as a guitarist is probably Carlos Santana, and “the simplified Andres Segovia pieces that were assigned to me when I first took lessons.” He also cites as influences, and offers admiration for Will Ackerman, Ralph Towner, and Pierre Bensusan.

Caufield’s first four albums all charted in the Top 20 of Zone Music Reporters’ Top 100 Radio Airplay Charts, with his debut, ‘The Slow Dance of Time’ making the Top 10. His music has been featured on John Diliberto’s syndicated NPR program ‘Echoes,’ and is a regular feature on Music Exchange’s streaming network ‘Soundscapes,’ in addition to receiving airplay on over 50 airwaves based stations nationwide.

“There is a level of emotional clarity in this music that is a rare find.”– RJ Lannan, Zone Music Reporter

Caufield’s aim is to convey emotion as directly as possible, yet leave lots of space for listeners to find room for themselves inside the music. Eschewing busy arrangements and speedy passages, his compositions are minimalist, sparse and create an experience that is relaxing, yet involving.

Offering a chill blend of creamy, retro yet modern music that will amplify the sound of your heart and soul, Caufield’s sound is a 21st century take on contemplative instrumental music. Wooden and natural, peaceful and evocative, ancient yet modern (i.e.: timeless), accessible, yet hinting at life's complexity, Tom Caufield’s music will transport you to a place you probably don’t visit enough - your deeper self.

Watch Tom Caufield in Live Performance Here: