Albums:Motionography

From WWR

Release date

2006

Label

Self Released

Listener comments about Motionography

I recall fingerstyle guitarist John Morgan well because his album Stories was one of the first CDs I ever reviewed. I remember I liked it. Now here he is again with a new album called Motionography and I feel the same way.

Motionography translates literally into "written movement". Morgan records in more ways than one the movement of being, tunefully capturing the dynamics of everyday life, the hopscotch little girl smiles, the breathtaking rainbows, the laughing daisies and he celebrates the little miracles, the breakthroughs, and the renewals. John composes and performs all the material and his music has a warm, sentient flow. A little jazzy and a little contemporary and all very emotional.

The Return is a touching reunion of sound and emotion. It is a personal homecoming after time on the road, a great separation or just a day without a smile from her. John's bright finger picking is hopeful with a sense of promise just like the sound from the heels of the red shoes. There's no place like home.

Dancing Daughter is exactly that; a twirling bell-shaped dress hung on bony knees and lots of giggly laughter. It is also ponytails and lipstick and prom night and the first guy that isn’t you with his hand around her waist. And then in the blink of an eye, it is a long, white dress and tears and the Daddy Dance. My how time flies!

Sometimes you think that there is a lack of order. John’s performance of O Emmanuel at first seemed out of place. But on second thought, it is appropriate any time of the season. For it is a song of celebration. I guess sometimes we just need assurance that miracles can happen everyday. John’s crystalline rendering is a keen reminder.

Every now and then time moves so slowly that it is one continuous line in the night sky. And other times it is a blinking, sparkling light that disappears in an instant. Life is like that. What John calls a Dance of the Stars. It’s that Motionography thing. I realized I would rather celebrate the dance of the stars than live in darkness for more than a day. This became a favorite.

Season and Change is a very elaborate ballad and one of John's best. It is full of energy and activity as time and space tug against each other in a harried world. It seems that as you get older, you judge time by the cascade of seasons and phases of the moon and not some quartz crystal guided metal gizmo on your wrist. Seconds, minutes, and hours give way to length of days, temperature and light and darkness.

And lastly, Soaring the final track on the album. This highly charged tune is like a release program for a human being. You get to spread your wings, try them out and then for the first time, climb to lofty height. There's a bonus about altitude. Big things look small and small things almost disappear. And, you are free!

No matter how you disguise it, this is an album in which John musically rejoices in the love of family. With the dangers in the world, all over the world, the love for family is tenuous at best and always gratifying even at its weakest. John reminds us that after all is said and played, we always have family and we remain thankful. RJ Lannan 7/7/06 The Sounding Board www.newagereporter.comJohn Morgan is an acoustic guitarist living in central Ohio. Unencumbered by fame or fortune, he is pursuing the musical dream: performing, teaching, writing and recording.

His latest CD, Motionography, is about movement: flight, swimming, dancing - places: the moon, oceans, stars; and communication: the non-verbal, solo guitar type of communication.

What is the sound of Motionography?

What is the sound of one guitar playing, fingers dancing, sounds splashing, sonic canvas, air art, here–gone, wooden heart made flesh, steel strings spring to life?

What is the sound of one guitar laughing, of joy bouncing, strengthening, calling, inviting to the dance?

What is the sound of one guitar moving, across the star field accompanied by dancers, singers, swimmers, writing rhythm, resonating life?

What is the sound of movement, motion, motion, ocean, graphemic, graphology, graphic, traffic?

What is the sounding of one guitar? Motionography.

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