About a month ago, I traveled to Columbus, OH to see Boris with Michio Kurihara along with Damon & Naomi. With that show, I?ve now seen Mr. Kurihara play exactly 4 times. Every time I see him I am struck by the quiet humble demeanor of a man who can make your nose hairs vibrate with his instrument. He is among guitar players, something of an anomaly. If it weren?t for the howl of his instrument, you?re likely to forget he is on the stage. He masterfully blends in without fading away. He is what a ?guitar god? should be. Heard and felt but rarely seen. Show and flash definitely has its time and place but you will get little of that from Kurihara.
I have reviewed "Sunset Notes" before and when I received it in my new Foxy packet, I thought first to say that I?d done the job before but that was months ago. I decided that having spent some months with the CD; I had more to say about it. Perhaps nothing more but reiterating the point that this is a record made by a master. It doesn?t show off or as Peter Griffin from The Family Guy might say, it does not ?insist upon itself?. It plays like a comfortable sweatshirt wears. The music takes you to the shores with its periodic surf groove and lilting melodies without dropping you in the midst of raging riffs and screechy noodling. I have much respect for this record and more for the man who made it. He knows when to let you know he?s there and when to become one with his surroundings. Young players, all over, should be on notice. 9/10 --
Erica Rucker (7 November, 2007)
