Words Fail Me 2019 available via download, or 3-CD set
from Esoteric Antenna
3-disc set from Cherry Red Records (includes The Maverick Helsman and Stick Insect) Download from Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify
Track listing for Words Fail Me (disc One)
1. BLUE EYES (Elton John, Gary Osborne)
2. PORTRAIT OF TRACY (Jaco Pastorius)
3. MIDNIGHT COWBOY (John Barry)
4. KATERINA (John Themis)
5. NIGHT PORTER (David Sylvian)
6. TARANTELLA (Traditional)
7. SHEEP MAY SAFELY GRAZE (J.S. Bach)
8. THE RAINBOW CONNECTION (Kenneth Ascher, Paul Williams
Nick Beggs
The Maverick Helmsman 2004 CD $12.
Released by Stick Enterprises
Nick Beggs takes a dramatic turn away from his usual "rocking" Stick
fireworks and into an intimate and warm solo album. "Helmsman" comprises
ten original instrumentals, all complete live Stick conceptions, with
wonderfully recorded straight string sounds. Only the "sweeteners" are
overdubbed - bits of processed and transposed Stick melody added here and
there to heighten lush moods and textures.
His melody lines take The Stick up into a sweet high register with
expressive swells and tight little parcels of 32nd note flurries. His
harmonic movement is gentle but always interesting, especially on "So Far
Away" and "Your Letter". The rhythms are unhurried with pendulum like
precision.
The outstanding cut for me is "Willow" with its strange but familiar
melodic theme expressed canon style from every register and sector of the
fretboard. Other songs have a Celtic influence and remind me of Bob
Culbertson's multi-fingered Stick styles.
I do believe an open fire under the hearth would heighten the loving mood
of this unique solo Stick album.
Best, Emmett.
Stick Insect 2002 CD $12.
Released by Stick Enterprises
I'm proud to announce our debut release of "Stick Insect", a
multifaceted new CD by Nick Beggs that from a Stick player's
standpoint really captures it all. The 15 tracks are packed with
novelty and variety at every twist and turn. This amazing album
transcends all categories except for the consistent style of the
artist himself and his approach to the instrument he plays.
This is a dedicated Stick album, written, arranged, engineered,
performed and produced by Nick, and with a polished final mastering
by Greg Howard. It is also an elaborate production, with at least
three prominent elements of special interest to Stick players.
The first element is ethereal in nature, the intimate Stick strings
themselves, filling every kind of recorded sonic space, sometimes in
live solo, sometimes overdubbed within creative "windows", often
backed by The Stick's MIDI triggered voices, including piano,
orchestral strings, looped tabla, arpeggiated harp, and rolling surf
"Soundscapes". Often his melody lines drift high into the sweet
bluesy territory evocative of Stanley Jordan's art and style. Nick
uses The Block module with EMG "Front Tele" pickups and standard
Stick tuning with heavy gauge strings.
The second element is huge rock and roll orchestration via synth and
electronic percussion, The Stick's MIDI'd melody side triggering all
manner of totally original moods and inventive rhythms with humor,
passion and general gusto. Then Nick will cut through with a
distorted lead line as he did in his recent tours with John Paul
Jones of "Led Zep" fame.
Add to this a third element of Nick's personal and biographical
inspirations as he describes them in the liner notes for each song,
and you have the integral entity of an artist's album, which I feel
is the best way to describe this work.