Acoustic Covers vol. I and Domaine Fournier Les Belle Vignes Sancerre

I’m back from a vacation that included stops in Boston and Kansas City as well as a drive up the coast of Maine. Tasted lots of new wines and had a couple of memorable dinners that I will describe and recommend in the coming week.


I’m always amazed at how some of the acoustic guitarists I’ve reviewed over the past two years can take a song performed by an entire band and reduce it to an incredible solo song for guitar. I’m going to do a two-part special on these guys and their creative guitar work. Tonight, I’m featuring the work of three of my favorites: Andy McKee, the late Eric Roche, and Kelly Valleau. Andy is an incredible picker with a tone that is rich. Check out his work on the harp guitar on “Into the Ocean.” Eric has always been one of my favorites. His percussive style is often imitated, never duplicated. You can hear it on “She Drives Me Crazy” and “Teen Spirit.” Kelly Valleau is an outstanding classical guitarist with a twist as you’ll see when you listen to his renditions of covers of songs by Metallica, Pink Floyd, and Kansas. Quite a far cry from a traditional classical musician. Hope you enjoy Acoustic Covers Volume I.

Andy McKee

Everybody wants to rule the world: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foJ-Fs6DWZM

Into the Ocean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNzIhPp6T_s

Stairway to Heaven: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8t0mKCaz5I&feature=channel

Africa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHFcg1Bg83w&feature=channel

With Jacques Stotzen: Come together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyeDFyryvtA


Eric Roche:

Jump: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J045nbHuKrE

She Drives Me Crazy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-tO6IFwBXI&feature=related

Teen Spirit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zxZcUrfX0o&feature=related


Kelly Valleau:

Another brick in the wall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gInwUzAOxj8

The Unforgiven: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfsHNbhlCXA

Mad World: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpJXJX2EzK4

Dust in the Wind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlD6oVNmDLA&feature=related

The Scientist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sLH1MeXnUY

Oasis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybm6quoKOec&feature=related

As readers of this blog may know, I love Sauvignon Blanc, and while some of my favorites hail from New Zealand, the French versions, known as Sancerre, are just as delicious. So tonight I’m featuring a 2008 Sancerre from Domaine Fournier Les Belle Vignes. It’s a lively, pale gold that opens with a floral aroma laced with citrus and develops on the palate with the tastes of grapefruit and lemon laced with an undertone of green apples. It has a dry, clean finish that lingers nicely. At $20.00 a bottle, it’s in the range of the New Zealand SB’s and a much better value (and tasting experience) than many of the overpriced and overrated California versions. Autumn is upon us, (but you’d never know it here in Nebraska where we had a record high of 91 today) so grab a bottle of Sancerre and kick back to some great acoustic guitar. Enjoy!

Cheers!