The first Taylor clinician, Chris Proctor, is one of today’s finest steel-string fingerstyle guitarists, in the same league as such esteemed players as the late Michael Hedges and Leo Kottke. Distinctly rootsy in character, Proctor’s multilayered compositions draw from folk, jazz, pop, and classical styles.
Ladybug Stomp is a collection of a dozen new tunes that kicks off, appropriately enough, with “CPSM” — the first tune Proctor wrote on his Taylor signature model. With its deftly picked, chromatic single-note runs — played simultaneously with an alternating bass line — the piece is an excellent showcase for Proctor’s virtuosic side.
In contrast, “Dream and Variations” is a more meditative piece, filled with some lush, slowly moving arpeggios. The piece receives a particularly ethereal treatment with an overdub of some melodic EBow playing. (The EBow is a handheld electronic bow, more commonly used on the electric guitar, that produces infinite sustain.)
“Beppe” was inspired by a dinner that Proctor had with Italian flatpicking king Beppe Gambetta and his wife, Federica. With a handful of suspended chords and a lilting bass line, the warm composition perfectly captures the essence of a fine gastronomical experience shared with good friends.
“Requiem”, as Proctor explains in his liner notes, offers a good example of his painstakingly meticulous writing process. He began the piece after Michael Hedges died, in 1997, then set it aside before slowly adding other parts after the 9/11 disaster. In addition to compositional considerations, Proctor’s pieces take a long time to complete due to their technical demands; frequently, a new tune will require a new approach to the guitar, such as the synchronized bass line, chords, and delicate harp-harmonic melody of the song’s first section.
Perhaps the highlight of this set is “Red Zinger”, recorded on a LKSM maple 12-string. This composition also necessitates an unorthodox technique — Proctor uses his thumb to extract a melody on the higher-pitched string of each course, which requires an extremely light, precise touch. He also employs a foam mute on this one for a dark and lovely effect. While in the hands of a lesser musician, such approaches might seem gimmicky, Proctor makes everything sound extremely musical, for he is a tremendous composer, and his technique is always at the service of the song.
— Marc Harris
The first Taylor clinician, Chris Proctor, is one of today’s finest steel-string fingerstyle guitarists, in the same league as such esteemed players as the late Michael Hedges and Leo Kottke. Distinctly rootsy in character, Proctor’s multilayered compositions draw from folk, jazz, pop, and classical styles.