His finger dexterity had now revealed the "Artistry of his Soul!".
It was quite a pleasant surprise this morning when I glanced at the News Sentinel Review Section. "Ben Bolt was giving a concert at the Unitarian Universal Church. As a student of the most famous classical guitarist in the world, Andres Segovia, I always wondered why Ben Bolt wasn't on tour more often. Well I was behind and hadn't caught up with all the latest happenings in the classical guitar world.
I told my wife..." I am going to see Ben Bolt! I arrived in plenty of time to be sure to get the best seat in the house . I felt the need to be as close as possible to the "star". My seat was on Ben's right hand side. I could see his fingers flying at tremendous speed, in fact they were kind of blurred when he went through the fast parts. Even at a fast pace, the notes coming out from his fingers were so clear and the way he played made it look so easy. I sat there along with a few hundred people in the audience, wrapped up in the intricate passages of the various compositions on the program of the night. We learned that night something very special..."Musical maturity had allowed him to create his personal stamp of "musical poetry". Now we could hear what he heard, Ben Bolt was free, singing on six strings. Then came even more vibrato, even more emotion! Enter a musical intensity that never before existed. His finger dexterity had now revealed the "Artistry of his Soul!".
The concert had 2 parts and I think they both showcased Ben's talent so well.
After the concert I wasn't ready to leave. I wanted more and that was the general feeling of most people I talked to. Everybody enjoyed the concert thoroughly and I thought we all appreciated the fact that Ben was finally back on tour. I had to come back to earth, the concert was over. It wasn't easy to slip back into reality! I had been transported to a far to a away land that his music had gently created.
It was one of the best classical guitar concerts I had ever been to.
Reviewed by Vody Vodinh.
"Benjamin Bolt plays the guitar in sync with a higher authority, he is that good!"
Last night (6-27-08) "Ben" took us back a couple of centuries by tuning his guitar to Lute temper where the 3rd string is dropped by a semitone and with a 3rd-fret capo, replicates the Baroque Lute. He then proceeded to do works by Dowland, Scarlatti, and Harris, "Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel". He does this with such ease. His Scarlatti interpretations defy description. He addresses the most difficult by choice.
Following intermission he returned his guitar to standard tuning and performed a three-part repertory of works by Malats, Guido Santorsola and Torroba. He enjoined special emphasis on the romantic, " Monte-mayor" or "Romance de los Pinos" by Torroba.
Back in 1976 during America's Bi-Centennial celebration, many classical guitarists including Julian Bream toured our colleges and universities introducing the Classical Guitar to a lesser informed public. Those programs were in large part similar to what Benjamin Bolt returned to us last night. It was refreshing to hear the "old stuff" again! Benjamin, ever so gracious, performed for his encore, "Serenade For Guitar" a song composed by our society's founder, Larry Long. Thank you, Benjamin!
Joe Franklin, Reviewer.
"Ben Bolt was amazing! A guitar prophet dressed in all white with sandals. It was proof that you only get better with age!"
Brian Bell (Geffen Records)
