Standard Solo Guitar Sketch Reviews

"You rarely get the treat of a solo guitar record with such a pristine focus on fresh melodic statements and searching but logical harmonic underpinning as this one. But that’s what Avi Rothbard offers in “Standard Solo Guitar Sketch.”

There is one original among the 11 tunes,  an acceptably personalized blues. Otherwise, there are such extended joys as “The Way You Look Tonight” and a more compact, but still exploratory version of “Too Close for Comfort.”

The guitar sound has a clean-scrubbed but sensuous feeling and despite the understated nature of a disc of standards like this, there’s no doubt that Rothbard knows how to swing and can bring his own kind of intensity to every piece he puts his mind to."

Jay Harvey(Indiana Star)

"Nice to see a Joe Pass homage movement underway.  The second set in recent days that reminds us of Pass, here we find Rothbard delivering his fourth self released date showing himself in top form.  With a lounge set card in tow, he shines throughout letting the music speak for itself but adding some flourishes and variety that gives it a flow and spark that demands your attention as it delivers something new to say and adds a new viewpoint to some well worn grooves.  Solo guitar fans will recognize this as the real deal.  Hot, in a low key way."

Chris Spector(MIDWEST RECORD)

"The title pretty much describes the contents. This is a set of solo guitar pieces played in a springy, forceful style by Avi Rothbard equally split between pop and Jazz standards with one of his original compositions thrown in.
The Jazz pieces catch your ear first mainly because they haven’t been done to death in this format. Rothbard slows down the normally fast “Giant Steps” and “500 Miles High,” really dissecting and improvising on the melodies. He does mellow bluesy riffing on “Pannonica” and his own “Storage Blue” is an insinuating boppish line worked out on acoustic guitar. As for the standards you’d need to listen several times to differentiate him from someone like Joe Pass, but “Too Close For Comfort” has a nice twirling swing to it and works up steam in the soloing sections."

Cadence Magazine

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Avi Rothbard 2011