Departure CD Reviews

Hi Nathan,

I just wanted to thank you for dropping your CDs off at KCBX when you came through town. I'm glad Max Horowitz sent you my way. I was out of the office for a couple weeks, but I finally listened to your music --and it's fabulous! I'm adding both CDs today. I love your interaction with Beau. It's nice to get a tenor CD with guitar rather than piano.

Every year KCBX has an outdoor music festival (mostly acoustic roots music, but quite eclectic -- from blues and bluegrass to folk and world). I think what you two do might be a good fit. We're all booked up for this year, but I'd be curious to know who your agent is, and what your fee and availability is during summertime (our festival is every Father's Day weekend).

Thanks,

Marisa Waddell Classical Music Director KCBX Public Radio Entertainment Coordinator Live Oak Music Festival http://www.liveoakfest.org

Saviors
These guys are getting me through exams. They are my solace at the moment. It's getting a little crazy though because my heart won't let me listen to anything else. They are addictive. I am in love. That voice is just not from this planet, but someplaced much higher; with that incredible guitarist as his neighbor.
Susan

Balanced, sensitive, and moving artistry
Great artistry has the job of touching our soul as well as energizing our body and spirit with the joy to get on with life. The artists Bledsoe and Granner have done a great job in this eclectic recording! I listened to Give me Jesus on NPR while driving home. Even at 70 mph, I felt the combination of Bledsoe’s dobro and Granner’s voice as balanced, sensitive, and moving. When I got home I sampled the CD on the web. I ordered my own copy and 2 as gifts the next day. Many genres of music beautifully combine fret board and vocal cord. However, combining genres on one recording is tricky. In this instance, Bledsoe and Granner use their extraordinary skill and artistry to join the music/poetry of Villa-Lobos, Yeats, Dowling, Cox, Habichuela, Lorca, and Puccini into a seamless fabric. There is magic in this fabric.

Powerful! Lyrical! A sweet and sensitive rendition of the selections.
Joseph

What a treat it is to hear Granner's and Bledsoe's interpretations of this mostly familiar music! It's glorious to hear. Thanks to both of you. Paulette

O'mi'gosh.../Departure /is terrific! Nathan's crystal clear voice is so well controlled and Beau has such great facility on his guitar.

Listening sent shivers up my spine. The only thing that would improve upon the experience would be to see them in person.
KKMc

Nathan's "Departure" CD is truly a fabulous CD. Nathan and Beau's talent shines throughout! Each song is a pleasure. There are many genres of music on the album, from opera to gospel to lullabies and even a Welsh piece and an Irish piece, but it all blends together so beautifully.

The opera songs are all sung to perfection. The lullabies are very unique and showcase the beauty of Nathan's soft singing. "Give Me Jesus" is definitely a Nathan classic. "Ash Grove" and "Sally Gardens" are lovely. And Beau's solo on guitar is fantastic!

It's a must-have CD and a great companion to Nathan and Beau's "Winterreise" album.

Marjorie

The Departure CD is a marvelous compilation of beautiful music beautifully done.
Both Mr Granner & Mr Bledsoe are at the top of their game on each & every song.
The lilting melody of "Ash Grove" will bring a tear to the hardest heart it is done with such passion. This duos love of their art is showcased to perfection on this must have CD.

Sally

Granting that these two master musicians hail from truly formal classical backgrounds, Departure sounds nothing short of an exquisite emotional journey, where one travels from the evocative art of Villa-Lobos into the austere sexuality of John Dowland while finally being snapped into the fever-pitched passion of traditional flamenco. There's also a little southern comfort thrown in for good measure.

Departure takes it's name seriously; so that by the time you are done listening to it, you have arrived!
CDBABY.COM Review

I received the CD and its great !!!! I have played it for all my friends. I'd like to see Nathan put out a CD of all the old church hymns and some of Johnny Mathis songs, his voice would be great. Let me know when the next CD comes out.
Thanks, Lana

Great singing and great playing! Wonderful song selection! That is one heck of a note you hit at the end of Track 13. What IS the actual note? I want to play it on the piano for the kids and let them try to hit it.

Love the liner notes. It must be a blast to go with you to a Karaoke bar (especially one where they don't know you) and watch people's reaction when you start to sing. That's gotta be awesome.

Love seeing you and talking to you at the Wednesday Lunch Club.

Give me a heads up if you're ever going to do the Karaoke thing!

I'll keep the album in my car CD player (#2) and continue to listen.

This music is fabulous. All you have to do is listen and you are hooked on it. The combination of the talented tenor, Nathan Granner, and the beautiful classical guitar music, reminiscent of Christopher Parkening, is timeless and uplifting. Our nation needs more of this. Our society needs it. The intellect, talent and old fashioned hard work that these young gentlemen have combined to create this work is so admirable. Beauty and truth are so rare these days. Why can't we see more of it in mainstream media? Or at least, on PBS again! Encore! Encore! Susie

All I can say is, "Whew!"
Well, not really. I can say lots more, and I'm going to.

This was quite a magical performance. I sat at the very front of the church, close enough that I could see the individual strings on Beau's guitar. I could see his fingers pluck the strings, and could even see them vibrate. Never before was I ever much of a fan of classical guitar, but after watching and listening to Beau play I have become a convert.

And Nathan, oh my Nathan. What a voice that kid has.

He was in fine form Wednesday night. He entertained us between songs with little monologues, done in every brogue and accent imaginable.

Nathan slips from one to the other so effortlessly that if you're not on your toes you won't even realize what he's done. He sang every type of music possible, again changing from one to the other effortlessly. His voice is fluid and flexible. He even hummed.

I think that may have been my favorite part. When he hums, his voice sounds like the most elegantly played Stradivarious (spelled wrong, I'm sure).

Some of you may know that this is the church of Nathan's childhood. The church members were absolutely beaming with pride that Nathan was "home".

What a great night!

Riley :)

I've been a fan of Nathan's ever since I heard The American Tenors CD. I loved the green CD. My husband became a devoted fan of Nathan's as I was playing the Departure CD for him. He's a country-western guy. We played it in the car and arrived at our destination before all the songs had played. We didn't get out of the car until all the songs had played. "What a voice Nathan has to do all the different kinds of music so easily. The guitar was amazing. The guitar and Nathan's voice together is just superb. I've never heard anything like this.!"
Rhonda

LINKS

Home Page
Departure CD
Departure CD album pictures.
Nathan's Schedule

Email: susanfxtrt@aol.com