Reviews Back
Guitar Player Magazine, February 2011
Covering Hendrix tunes - let alone recording a whole
album of them - is risky business. Yet in this case,
the superb musicianship, sublime tones, and superlative
arrangements justify the effort. Gregertsen's lap-steel
and weissenborn playing are particularly majestic, effectively
evoking Jimi's aestethic without becoming derivative.
Barry Cleveland
The Absolute Sound Magazine, Sept. 2010
Countless guitar slingers have paid heartfelt tributes
to guitar god Jimi Hendrix. None, however, surpasses
this one by Norwegian guitarist Steinar Gregertsen.
He has the requisite chops to pull off such an audacious
project, and his deep love of Hendrix’s music
comes across in every soulful reading of every
potent tune. But it’s his creative arranging and
inventive layering of guitars that make this far more
than just another wellmeaning collection of Jimi covers.
A slide guitar demon, Gregertsen flaunts jaw-dropping
command throughout. His version of “I Don’t
Live Today” opens as a haunting acoustic guitar
Delta blues meditation before erupting into a full-blown,
heavy-metal barrage with his lap steel fed through distortion
and wah-wah pedals. His lyrical reading of “Angel”
cleverly opens with the riff from “Burning of
the Midnight Lamp” before smoothly segueing to
the oft-covered power ballad. An intimate reading of
one of Jimi’s loveliest ballads, “May This
Be Love,” features the fragile, forlorn voice
of Claudia Scott, who also appears on a gentle lap steel-vocal
duet of “Bold as Love.” Gregertsen lets
his guitar sing the plaintive melody of “Drifting,”
which he delivers with uncanny feeling. On the quirky
side is a bluegrassy version of “Manic Depression”
played by dobro and banjo.
Bill Milkowski
...possibly the greatest tribute album to the music
of Jimi Hendrix ever.
Robert Silverstein / Music Web Express 3000.
Read full review and interview here:
http://www.mwe3.com/reviews/Steinar2010
Vintage Guitar Magazine, Sept. 2010
It's a testament to the music of Jimi Hendrix
that people still record it, and somewhat amazing
that people like Steiner Gregertsen
find new ways to interpret it. This record features
Gregertsen mostly on lap steel, with some guitar,
and it works wonderfully.
His one-man string show starts with "I Don't
Live Today" and it's a good sign of things to
come, starting as a country-blues played on acoustic
lap before getting loud and nasty with ringing slide
guitar. He does the same with the criminally ignored
"Angel", the Hendrix ballad that here gets
the full treatment in an instrumental rendition that
includes big, sweet sounding lap steel that hints
at the melody. His take on "Drifting" uses
various guitars while creating the melody and soulful
solo. About the only six string he doesn't handle
is on "Remember" where Tom Principato comes
in with an almost chicken-pickin' solo before Gregertsen
finishes on lap steel. "Belly Button Window"
becomes a stomping blues-rock tune that actually gets
jazzy on the solo. Another guest, Espen Larsen, adds
very nice acoustic soloing to "Pali Gap".
His soloing mixes with Marianne Rodvelt's vocal and
Gregertsen's electric and lap steel to round out the
song.
Gregertsen is a fine player and interpreter. It's
nice to hear someone focus on Hendrix as songwriter,
not just his guitar skills.
John Heidt
By creating new, interesting and exciting arrangements
of his songs, Steinar Gregertsen not only pays honor
to his guitar hero, but also keeps Hendrix’s
spirit of innovation alive and strong.
David Hodge / Guitarnoise.com
Read full review here:
http://www.guitarnoise.com/review/standing-next-to-a-mountain/
Standing at the pinnacle of excellence!
I've been a slide guitarist for over 30 years and currently
involved commercially with all aspects of the slide
guitar. Steinar's new C.D. here is truly breathtaking
~ the arrangements, touch, tones & slide-playing
are truly world-class. Every mainstream slide style
is here on one C.D....electric rock-slide; sweet acoustic
slide ballads ~ combined with lovely vocals & an
excellent choice of material this is a must for every
serious slide guitarist to own. If a fledgling guitarist
asks me to recommend just one C.D. to experience every
mainstream slide syle, played by a true master of the
instrument ~ this C.D. will be my #1 choice of recommendation.
:o)
Ian McWee (Diamond
Bottlenecks) - CD Baby
A fantastic tribute to Jimi Hendrix. It's a great compilation
of Hendrix songs done in a variety of genres and styles.
Steinar reminds us of the great songwriter and musician,
that Jimi was. The message in the music is the same
and eternal. It is so tastefully done that I know Mr.
Hendrix is smiling with this release. I am!
Bill Winner - CD Baby
