Mike-K/Michael Silvestri - Long Time Waiting

Hear The Track Here

Here's a guy who is a regular visitor to these reviews, although not usually FOR a review. It's a fact that I spend a lot of time with the guy and his musical taste, so it's a given that I will mention him from time to time. For a few years now, Mike and I have pursued a parallel course in the way we promote (and hopefully) motivate other musicians around us, and I'm absolutely certain neither of us could envisage the effect such altruistic behaviour would have one the reason we both came here in the first place: our music. At this stage of the game I think it is safe to assume that I am probably better known as a reviewer these days than a practising musician. It's also safe to assume that when most people think of Mike it's usually in connection with SC's forums, his top ranked Flavour Of The Genres station and - of course - his LIVE radio shows over at Songplanet.

Completely missing the point. He's a musician damnit!! And here's his music!!!

I reviewed the original Long Time Waiting in March 2004, and found it definitely worth a listen especially if acoustic guitar instrumentals were your type of thing. I commented at the time mostly on the music and not on the reasoning behind it, so let's put that right now. Essentially Mike wrote the track when he met his father again after many years, and it shows in the musical style and emotion of the peice. A slow, jazzy peice, a little too easy listening for my particular taste, but it didn't stop my enjoyment of it. This new version, in collaboration with classical guitarist Michael Silvestri puts the track in a brand new light.

One of the joys of the original was in its production values and this version betters that. Moreoevr it takes a slow, jazzy track and turns it into a bright, breezy, acoustic guitar drenched world music number. A track, I might add, that is right up my particular street. If you know my music you will know that have dabbled more than once or twice in the instruments and musical structures of the Iberian peninsula (or Spain if you want to be particular), and in that respect my hat is off to both of them. This is a lovely peice that has some really tasty guitar playing of a very high standard, backed by a more than adequate arrangement and a knockout mix with just the right amount of punch. An excellent track by any standards.

MUST HAVE (remembering, of course, my genre bias)