Hand Picked is a soulful, sixteen-track solo/duet recording featuring special guest guitarists Vince Gill and Bill Frisell and ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro playing with Klugh on specially-selected tunes that include standards, and original Klugh-penned compositions, some of which have been recorded on previous albums, are artfully revisited on this dynamic new album. Hand Picked is Klugh's first project containing duets stripped down to the purest sense, his first largely solo record with multiple original solo guitar pieces – and his most personal and profound recording to date.
Review
“It's been five years since Earl Klugh issued the smooth chamber group
offering The Spice of Life. In the interim, he stayed busy curating his Weekend
of Jazz events at the Broadmoor Hotel & Resort in Colorado Springs and the
Kiawah Island Golf Resorts in South Carolina, and played the festival circuit, a
few choice club gigs, and select concerts. Hand Picked is an abundant 15-track
collection, and Klugh's first for Heads Up International. With the exception of
three duets, it's a completely solo guitar effort that focuses on a range of
covers from jazz, pop, and country as well as four fine originals. The elegant
reading of "Alfie” that kicks the set off is followed by a beautiful take on
“Blue Moon” with Bill Frisell. The contrast between Klugh's classical
guitar and Frisell's electric is rich; together they showcase the harmonic
possibilities inside a rather tight lyric arrangement. The solo version of Vince
Guaraldi's “Cast Your Fate to the Wind” is a fine example of the beauty
inherent in Klugh's trademark approach to melody. He never strays far, but
brings to light the hidden undertones in a formal structure. “Hotel
California,” with ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro, features a lovely feint
with intro statements from each player; both bring out the Spanish tinge in the
lyric and the interplay between them is seamless. Klugh's commitment to jazz is
as strong as ever, evidenced by strong versions of “Lullaby of Birdland” and
“'Round Midnight,” with Klugh's harmonic and silvery rhythmic approaches
adventurously investigating the grain in each tune. This is also true in classic
pop standards that jazz musicians long ago made their own – “But
Beautiful” and “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing.” Vince Gill assists on
Boudleaux Bryant's classic “All I Have to Do Is Dream.” He is a formidable
guitarist, playing steel string in contrast to Klugh's nylon string; the
rhythmic invention around the central theme is subtle yet sophisticated: these
guitars sing together and Gill's brief vocal insert near the end offers a
stirring contrast. Two of Klugh's compositions near the end are high points.
“Where the Wind Takes Me” melds jazz, classical, Latin, and pop styles in a
quiet stunner, while “Morning Rain” walks languidly between jazz, folk, and
lyric pop; from here on in, the latter will belong on any best-of from the
artist. it's been a long time since we heard Klugh this way, almost totally
solo, taking an intimate look at music he loves from across the spectrum. His
graceful yet inventive playing, the clean production, and a canny choice of
material make Hand Picked one of the finest recordings in his catalog."
Thom Jurek – AllMusic