Gary Peters

*100 copies limited edition* "The pedal steel is an oddity among instruments. Invented in the early 1950s, it soon became a standard bearer for American country-western music. It is an instrument with enormous potential, which has been tied at the hip, even among its best players, to country music with little tolerance for innovation. Among the very few who stretch themusical and artistic boundaries of this difficult-to-play instrument is the British pedal steel guitarist Gary Peters whose new album “Beginnings: Collected Pedal Steel Works” on Scissor Tail Records is one I am fond of. For lovers of creative music, this album covers lots of ground. Throughout the eleven tracks, there is quiet lyricism, tasteful chromaticism, dissonance, and nods to minimalism. I especially enjoyed the duets with Veryan Weston (keyboards) and Christopher Williams (double bass). If you are a lover of what is often called experimental music, this collection is one to check out." - Susan Alcorn