Guitar Foundation of America, Soundboard Review
“Old Friend” by Kevin Callahan
GFA: https://www.guitarfoundation.org
SOUNDBOARD: https://www.guitarfoundation.org/page/SBFront?
Callahan, Kevin: Old Friend. Seattle: Yesler Way Music, 2015 (YWM 001).
Kevin Callahan has established himself as one of the top US guitarist-composers in the 21st century, largely due to the success of his Red Fantasy (written for Odair Assad and recorded on his El Caminante CD in 2010) and other works such as Three River Moments, The Fourth Stream (commissioned by Michael Partington), and The Possessed (commissioned by Artyom Dervoed). The present piece, Old Friend, is another work for Odair Assad, and it doesn’t disappoint. Composed in a fast-slow-fast, three-movement format, the typical Callahan compositional style is evident: a modern yet approachable harmonic language with high energy, excitement, and guitaristic virtuosity. After a brief introduction, the work accelerates into a toccata-like first movement with ostinato passages, syncopations, and arpeggios that utilize the idiosyncrasies of the whole fretboard and take full advantage of the possibilities it offers. The second movement is slower, a bit somber and pensive, with jazzy elements and lots of room for expression. The third movement returns to high energy with improvised percussion in the opening measures followed by the rhythmic drive and intensity of mixed meters with alternation between groups of three and two. Rasgueado strums with percussive string hits, akin to the final movement of the Ginastera Sonata, add to the dynamic intensity and excitement of the movement. Old Friend ends softly, paraphrasing some of the motivic elements from earlier and closing with soft tambours.
Fingerings are provided throughout and much appreciated as the work is very guitaristic. However, no information is given about the composition itself. We might surmise that the “Old Friend” is dedicatee Odair Assad, but none of the three movements carries a title. The lack of notes and backstory is unfortunate. The title itself is a bit confusing in that “Old Friend” suggests a lighter and shorter casual work, or a melody or ode to someone; in actuality, it conveys a serious modern sound and intensity, and high-end compositional workings in three sizable movements. It seems to demand a more appropriate title like those Callahan has so ably provided for his other works. Nonetheless, Old Friend is an impressive addition to the Callahan catalog.
-Jay Kacherski
guitarfoundation.org Soundboard Vol. 44 No. 2
Yesler Way Music
“Old Friend”
dedicated to Odair Assad