Geoff Hartwell: Press/Reviews

"He's my hope for the future...I can't say enough good stuff about him. The really cool thing about Geoff is that he's got all the chops but he's got SOUL."

New York's Geoff Hartwell is very impressive on his sophomore CD release. Hartwell's a talented guitarist with a knack for writing - in style and theme - "Drinking Bourbon Whiskey" being a lively example. As good as he is with the pen he is even better with a guitar- straight and slide -and it's easy to hear why he was able to attract talents like steel guitar player Cindy Cashdollar and Sonny Landreth to this project. On "Tumbelina" (co-written by Hartwell with Jerry Scaringe) Hartwell goes head to head with Landreth (on slide) to a photo finish. Before he lets loose with his own piercing solo on a smoky original called "Hate To See You Go" he lets saxophone player Dana Colley go all out on baritone. Besides giving the song color and depth Colley raises the question of why that instrument ever went out of favor in rock and roll and rhythm and blues. As a nice bit of extra, Hartwell also provides the chords to a few of his originals.
It's clear from the start that Hartwell must be a pretty hot live act but he's also capable of taste and restraint; he know how much is too much and he gives his band and guests - especially Colley- plenty of room to maneuver. He's also inventive and able enough to breathe new life into old chestnuts like George Gershwin's "Summertime" and Chuck Berry's "Maybelline".

"There's something incredibly satisfying about a guitar lick that gallops up the strings and tags every sweet note in it's path...Saucy!"

Pleasantville native Geoff Hartwell developed a national reputation as a slide guitarist through his summer stints at the National Guitar Workshop. There he gained the devotion of countless students as well as camaraderie with his heroes Sonny Landredth and Cindy Cashdollar, both of whom make appearances on "Hate To See You Go," Hartwell's sophomore effort. On his first record, "Perfect Stranger," Hartwell showcased his songwriting abilities. On this CD, he aims for a live, "balls to the wall" approach with a mix of originals and covers.

He shows up with all guns blazing. On the infectious first track, "Tumbelina", penned by Hartwell and "Slippery Chickens" bassist Jerry Scaringe, the guitarist shares licks with the legendary Sonny Landredth. How's that for stepping up to the plate! "Drinkin' Bourbon Whiskey" sounds like an arena rock sing along. Another Hartwell staple, "Honest," finally makes its record debut. I approached listening to this slow blues with great trepidation. After all, I've heard him nail this a hundred times. Would he capture the raw intensity on tape? Duh, YES! "Dreams," composed by Hartwell, features a peppy, funky beat. "Where do you go when you look so far away I want to tell you that someday I know you'll find your own way... Your dreams are closer than they seem." Producer Matt Smith does a wonderful job of layering guitars and cutting instruments in and out.

Hartwell takes some risks and spreads his wings on this record especially on the two songs that feature baritone sax player Dana Colley. The slow and slinky title track, "Hate to See You Go," features a sly twist of words. "I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave." Check out the album cover to see what he means! The title of "Bar Fungul" features more wry word play. The instrumental, written by Hartwell and bassist Rich Kelly, harks back to Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein." And it gives Colley, and Hartwell a chance to cut loose. On the Gershwin classic, "Summertime," Hartwell plays a beautifully conceived slide intro. His church roots show through with the gossamer instrumental duet with Cashdollar on the traditional "Water is Wide." Cindy Cashdollar and Hartwell funk the crap out of Chuck Berry's "Maybelline." I'll bet Maybelline never got ridden like that. Throughout the record, drummer J.J. Clarke and bassist Rich Kelly lock tighter than crazy glue. Playing hundreds of gigs per year will do it for you.

The Geoff Hartwell Band continues to grow and mature. The next step? I'd like to see them get out on the road with the likes of Sonny Landredth, Popa Chubby, Joe Bonnamassa, Derek Trucks, and Johnny Winter. Catch them before they take off!

"Guitar slinger/songwriter Geoff Hartwell's debut CD
'Perfect Stranger' is a true testimonial to his
obvious love and talent with both the sonic and the
sonnet, the searing and the soft".

Geoff Hartwell is the greatest blues-rock, slide-guitar player I've ever heard, bar none.

"His words come from a place beyond his years, clearly the lessons of his nearly two decades playing live. At 29, he seems to have picked up what other musicians sometimes take entire lifetimes to realize."

"(Geoff Hartwell) has distinguished himself as an up and coming musician and songwriter with some serious slide guitar chops."

"Aside from being an outstanding musician and guitar player, Geoff Hartwell’s skills as a clinician put him at the top of the heap. Geoff’s knowledge and understanding of the mechanics of slide playing is bullet-proof. The master-class he conducted at the Lone Star School of Music was attended by absolute beginners, professional guitarists and every level in between- No one left empty-handed.
Not only do Geoff’s skills as a slide player put him in an elite group of musicians, but his ability to break down those skills and demonstrate them in simple, crystal clear terms make him one of a kind."

"I love this record! ... Hartwell earned a local reputation as a major shredder on both regular and slide guitar. It's not just Hartwell's songwriting prowess that impresses...On the opening track "Mirage," Hartwell creates fills that perfectly echo the vocals. His beautifully architected slide solo in the middle of "Where I Want to Be" climaxes to reveal the shredder within. On "Star," when he unleashes his solo, the speed and ferocity cement his reputation.
Not only does the CD sleeve feature a photo of Hartwell in all his long haired, guitar-playing glory, it also prints out the song lyrics along with chords and capo positions. What next Mr. Hartwell -- tablature?
The Geoff Hartwell Band outperform expectations with their stunning debut record. Hey, major record labels. Get a clue. Pick up this CD, and give it the big-money promotional push it so heartily deserves."

This week, Nightowl caught up with local guitar slinger Geoff Hartwell. Playing all over Westchester, his brand of jammy blues and soul pop get crowds moving, grooving—you know, doin’ it. If you’ve been looking for a great place to work on your chops and compare licks with some accomplished musicians, Geoff hosts a weekly jam session every Tuesday at Jackson and Wheeler. After the jump, we get Geoff’s picks on the best places to play in the area and how his pops might have been his biggest influence.

How long have you been playing guitar?
GH-"I started playing when I was about 8. My fatherwould play and sing for me and my sister every night before we went to bed. And when I got interested, he
taught me my first few chords. I started to really get
into it, and so when I was 9 he got me an electric
guitar for Christmas. I was hooked immediately. I
literally slept with it…I was obsessed."

Do you play anything else?

GH- "I took piano lessons as a young kid, I played alto
saxophone starting in fourth grade and I started
playing bass and drums as a teenager. In college, my
music degree was focused on guitar, but I also played
baritone saxophone in the jazz ensemble, percussion in
the wind ensemble, and sang in the college choir."

Whoa! What first got you into music?

GH- "My Dad. He always had guitars around the house,
and encouraged me to sing and play. He had a little
folk band called “The Villagers” that was him, another
guitar player and a banjo player and they’d get
together one night a week and play folk songs and
Beatles songs, that sort of thing. He started bringing
my sister and I to practice and it was the coolest
thing ever. It was shortly after I had started playing
electric guitar, so I felt like a little rock star. We
played in the town gazebo on Pleasantville Day when I
was about 11 or 12, and I felt like I was playing
Madison Square Garden. It was a really important
experience for me as a young kid to just go through
the process of rehearsing songs, and preparing for a
performance."

What are your influences?

GH-"My influences are everything I’ve ever listened to,
and everyone I’ve played with. I’ve found that it’s
nearly impossible to hide your influences, or pretend
they don’t exist. For example, my heritage is heavily
based in Scotland and the UK, so maybe for that reason
the songs I write tend to have a Celtic quality to
them, and rely on triple meters- that sort of thing.
It’s just best not to fight it. For songwriting, my
personal favorite is Richard Shindell. He’s brilliant.
But at the same time, I love the Police, King’s X,
old-school heavy metal- like early Ozzy Osbourne and
early Metallica- country and rockabilly, and jazz and
classical. For guitar players, some of my favorites are
Danny Gatton, Duane Allman, Sonny Landreth, Andy
Summers, Randy Rhoads, Ty Tabor, and Eric Johnson."

What have you been listening to lately?

GH- "According to my iTunes, Sonny Landreth, The
Police, The Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Wonder and-
oddly enough- the Berlin Saxophone Quartet’s version
of J.S. Bach’s “The Art of the Fugue”.

Have you always lived in Westchester?
GH- "I grew up in Pleasantville, and went to Byram
Hills schools."

Have you ever lived anywhere else?

GH- "I lived in Clinton NY, which is a little town
outside of Utica, for one year when I was in eighth
grade. Then I lived in Oneonta, New York for my four
years at Hartwick College. I’ve travelled a fair
amount- across the U.S., through Canada, England,
Scotland, France, Greece, Austria, Germany, Budapest,
Prague, Australia and New Zealand- but I always come
back here."

How many bands do you play in?

GH- "Well, my favorite setting to play in is with the
Geoff Hartwell Band, which is myself (obviously), Rich
Kelly on bass, J.J. Clarke on Drums and Chris Burke on
Keyboards. Rich Kelly and I also play pretty often as
an acoustic duo, which gives us the chance to do
different repertoire with lots of harmonies and that
sort of thing. And then I’ll work occasionally with
other bands as a hired guitar player."

How many nights a week do you play?

GH- "Typically three or four nights a week. Sometimes
less, and sometimes as many as five or six. Especially
if there’s private parties, we’ll do more than one gig
on a weekend day. But I’ll play anywhere. I’ve played
at county fairs in a cowboy hat, I’ve played in
concert halls in a tuxedo, and everything in between."

What’s your favorite place to play in Westchester? Why?

GH- "Definitely the Bayou in Mt. Vernon. The place is
just awesome. It’s got a great vibe and the staff and
management have always been incredibly cool to me. You
can always find out where I’m playing at
www.geoffhartwell.com."

Do you like playing in the city better?

GH- "Not necessarily. I’ve been playing in the city
since I was a teenager. It’s great when you can
promote the shows really well, and there’s lots of
people there to see you. But a lot of times, clubs and
promoters in New York will put five bands on in a
night, and only give you a 45 minute set. It can be
tough in those situations to get your message across
because things are so hectic, and you don’t really get
comfortable. I always prefer to play for two or three
hours, so I can really get into a great groove with the
band and especially the audience."