Recordings

Basic Transportation

Front cover of Basic Transportation The CD contains 11 instrumental compositions by Charlie Cutten and features his fingerstyle acoustic steel-string guitar brilliance. The tunes encompass many styles from jazzy blues to subtle reflection; each contains Charlie's strong sense of melody. A variety of settings are presented - solos, duets, and trios. Charlie is joined by musicians such as Radim Zenkl (National Mandolin Champion) on mandolin, Missy Raines (4-time Bluegrass Bass Player of the Year) and Cary Black (Laurie Lewis, Eddie Pennington, Kingston Trio) on bass, and the late Freyda Epstein (Trapezoid) on fiddle.

1
Cloud's Rest  [Listen]
Solo guitar.
Soulful, melodic. Cool double harmonics.
5:10
2
3rd of July
Guitar, flute
Medium tempo duet with an airy, classical feel.
3:54
3
Basic Transportation  [Listen]
Guitar, bass, drums
Up-tempo rolling feel with several lively changes in time signature. Unusual beginning and ending.
5:13
4
One Too Many Goodbyes
Guitar, mandolin, fiddle
Gentle, touching melody with each instrument taking a turn to sing. (Possibly Freyda's last recording.)
4:01
5
Late Bloomer Blues  [Listen]
Guitar, bass, drums
Relaxed, lighthearted blues with a jazz feel.
3:34
6
Sunset in Avignon
Guitar, bass
Up-tempo, snappy, and very jazzy. Quick chord melody changes with a nice walking bass line in the second half.
3:02
7
St. Ignatius
Solo guitar.
Jig-like, medium tempo. Energetic and peaceful at the same time.
4:21
8
La Valse Pour le Petit Prince (Waltz for the Little Prince)
Guitar, bass, harp
Slow, sweet, dreamy, melodic waltz with a melancholic middle section.
4:59
9
Go Back You're Going the Wrong Way
Guitar, bass
Up-tempo, energetic with a surprisingly quiet conversation between the bass and guitar in the middle.
4:07
10
Hummingbirds at the Motel 6
Solo guitar
A reflective, meditative piece with a drone bass line. Just one guitar though it sounds like more!
5:07
11
Rejoice  [Listen]
Guitar, mandolin
Joyful, medium tempo duet leading to an unexpected soaring finish.
4:44