Ned Evett & Triple Double

Once in a great while, a guitarist finds a way to add a new twist to an old story. Such is the case with Ned Evett, who plays roadhouse boogie, amped-up folk-blues, and swampy ballads on—get this—fretless electric, flattop, and resonator guitars.

On Treehouse, Evett’s new opus, we’re treated to 14 superb originals featuring his raspy vocals, cinematic lyrics, and cleverly layered guitar parts that blend elements of Delta blues, Indian sarod, and Southern rock with the keening slide tones of early-’70s George Harrison and Badfinger. It’s an improbable mix, yet so cool.

Evett’s custom guitars feature mirror-glass fingerboards, a design he evolved while living in the Bay Area. (Most of his guitars have a dead-flat fingerboard, although he has a Danelectro with a radiused playing surface.) The glass enhances sustain and lends a unique, singing clarity to his riffs, chords, and solos. Sometimes Evett stops the strings with his fingertips, but when he wants a note to have more bite, he’ll press it down with a fingernail. Together with his formidable fingerpicking chops, this flesh-or-nail “fretting” technique provides Evett with a wide range of organic tones. One moment he’ll be soaring like a violin, and then he’ll grab a low note and make it growl, not unlike a fretless bassist.

The mighty Adrian Belew produced Treehouse in his Nashville-area studio, helping Evett by selecting the songs and guiding the album’s sonic direction. But other than playing percussion on one track and adding sparse rhythm guitar to another, Belew stands aside to let Evett handle the 6-string duties.

With his fretless instruments, Evett manages to capture the melismatic beauty of slide guitar, yet is able to finger chords, intervals, and complex lead lines like a standard guitarist. It’s an amazing amalgam of two worlds that are normally segregated, and Evett moves between them effortlessly. The album is beautifully mixed—a great headphone experience—and offers enough sonic nooks and crannies to keep you coming back for yet another listen.

Must-hear track: “Sayonara Serenade” - Premier Guitar

Once in a great while, a guitarist finds a way to add a new twist to an old story. Such is the case with Ned Evett, who plays roadhouse boogie, amped-up folk-blues, and swampy ballads on—get this—fretless electric, flattop, and resonator guitars.

On Treehouse, Evett’s new opus, we’re treated to 14 superb originals featuring his raspy vocals, cinematic lyrics, and cleverly layered guitar parts that blend elements of Delta blues, Indian sarod, and Southern rock with the keening slide tones of early-’70s George Harrison and Badfinger. It’s an improbable mix, yet so cool.

Evett’s custom guitars feature mirror-glass fingerboards, a design he evolved while living in the Bay Area. (Most of his guitars have a dead-flat fingerboard, although he has a Danelectro with a radiused playing surface.) The glass enhances sustain and lends a unique, singing clarity to his riffs, chords, and solos. Sometimes Evett stops the strings with his fingertips, but when he wants a note to have more bite, he’ll press it down with a fingernail. Together with his formidable fingerpicking chops, this flesh-or-nail “fretting” technique provides Evett with a wide range of organic tones. One moment he’ll be soaring like a violin, and then he’ll grab a low note and make it growl, not unlike a fretless bassist.

The mighty Adrian Belew produced Treehouse in his Nashville-area studio, helping Evett by selecting the songs and guiding the album’s sonic direction. But other than playing percussion on one track and adding sparse rhythm guitar to another, Belew stands aside to let Evett handle the 6-string duties.

With his fretless instruments, Evett manages to capture the melismatic beauty of slide guitar, yet is able to finger chords, intervals, and complex lead lines like a standard guitarist. It’s an amazing amalgam of two worlds that are normally segregated, and Evett moves between them effortlessly. The album is beautifully mixed—a great headphone experience—and offers enough sonic nooks and crannies to keep you coming back for yet another listen.

Must-hear track: “Sayonara Serenade” - Premier Guitar

A lot of guitarists have found themselves in this situation. Playing in countless cover bands, becoming frustrated with the gig situations and the music that they have to play every night to make ends meet and not feeling that their artistic side is being nurtured enough by their current performing situation. When guitarist and vocalist Ned Evett found himself in this situation he did what many of us have dreamed of doing, he smashed his Strat onstage, but instead of that being the end of the story, it is only the beginning. Evett picked up the broken guitar, removed the frets and set off on a musical journey that has led him to his entertaining and engaging 2012 release Treehouse, which features 14 tracks written by the talented and creative musician.

As a guitarist, Evett possess a unique tone that comes from his “Globro” guitar, a mirrored glass and steel, fretless Dobro that immediately allows the guitarist to stand out from the crowd in terms of tone, timbre and sonic possibilities on the instrument. Tracks such as “Falling in Line” move between familiar and unfamiliar tones and timbres on the instrument, giving the song a nice mix of the expected and unexpected, keeping the listener guessing as to what’s coming next as Evett leads them through the musical and lyrical content of the track. Though sometimes an instrument such as the “Globro” can be kitsch or sound like a gimmick, in the hands of Evett, this unique instrument not only brings a new realm of sound possibilities to the record, but it never sounds out of place or forced, it is a natural extension of the guitarist’s artistic voice.

The songs on Treehouse, which were all written by Evett, move between blues roots influenced tracks to “get up and dance” rockers. Tracks such as “Dead on a Saturday Night” are sure to get even the wallflowers up on the dance floor as the song’s infectious groove and impressive guitar work reach out and grab the audience by the ears, not letting go until the last note fades from the speakers. Other songs features a more subdued, balladeer type feel, such as the slow and emotionally charged “Say Goodbye for Both of Us.” Here, Evett takes a laid-back approach to the track while still maintaining a high level of musical and lyrically interest throughout the song. No matter what tempo, groove or genre Evett finds himself in on the record, one thing remains the same, the high level of musicianship and creativity he brings to each and every song on the album.

Overall, Treehouse is a strong release for Evett that acts as both an introduction to his music for newfound fans, as well as a set of original tracks that will be welcomed by his seasoned listeners. With a unique instrument, a highly-developed and personalized playing style and a voice that sticks in the listener’s head long after the last note has faded into the air, Evett has firmly planted himself as an artist that is here to stay and one that leaves the listener wanting more from both a songwriting and performance standpoint. - Guitar International

In 1990, guitarist Ned Evett smashed his Strat onstage.

When he noticed the neck was unbroken, he simply removed the frets and developed a style he'd eventually become known for -- even developing his own fretless, mirrored-glass-necked guitars along the way. His own website refers to him as "The Glass Guitarist," and Joe Satriani has called him "a monster player."

Now, after releasing Treehouse, his sixth solo album, in January, Evett is finally getting some long-overdue recognition as a singer and songwriter.

"Being well known for something innovative is great, but sometimes it gets in the way of what’s really important, which is the music I’m writing," Evett said. "I love what I’m doing right now as an artist writing songs -- and, of course, my guitar is integral to my songwriting process.

"Writing music that is an honest reflection of your life experience is hard work, and recording it right and then performing it with sustained conviction on the road is even harder, and I live for that struggle and opportunity to share my music with the world."

We recently spoke to Evett about his guitars and about Treehouse, which was produced by Adrian Belew. The album features songs drawn from his own experiences and observations. They run the gamut from tender pieces to hard-rocking blues -- and everything in between.

GUITAR WORLD: What's up with this glass guitar of yours? How much of it is made of glass? Who made it? Where’d you get it -- and why?

The fingerboard is glass. I developed the glass fingerboards in 1996 with my friends Cherian Jubilee and Rob Renick. I was living in San Francisco and had been wearing out ebony fingerboards playing loads of gigs. I didn't have the money for a metal fingerboard, so I thought of the glass option, which Rob knew how to cut. Glass is cheap, easy for an expert glass guy to shape, and sounds incredible; on fretless guitar, whatever the fingerboard is comprised of directly affects the tone.

In 1999, I launched fretlessguitar.com [now redirected to nedevett.com] and started selling Fernandes guitars with glass and lined-wood fingerboards. This led to me releasing Fretless Guitar Masters in 2001, the world's first fretless guitarist compilation, co-produced with Franck Vigroux.



What other gear did you use on Treehouse?

Ampwise, we used a Buddah Superdrive 18 and Adrian's Matchless DC-30 for the solos: we cut the solos in one six-hour session. For the leads I used my Peavey Omniac with an aluminum fretless fingerboard, and my glass fingerboard Fernandes Native Pro with a sustainer pickup.

For the rhythm electric parts, the magic bullet was my Fretless Danelectro ‘59 reissue (with a radiused glass fingerboard) into a Peavey Delta Blues 2x10 combo. I first cut a radius glass fingerboard for John Frusciante in 2007, courtesy of a chance meeting with his guitar tech, Dave Lee.

What led you to the world of fretless guitars in the first place? Who were your influences on that route?

Adrian Belew and Jaco Pastorius, in that order of discovery. I witnessed Adrian playing the fretless with King Crimson on their Live in Japan concert video on MTV Concerts in 1984 and wondered what it would be like to play it on EVERY song. Jaco came into the picture for me later, after he passed away, which was such a tragedy. I should note, there were no "fretless guitarists" per se in those days to model from, so playing the fretless guitar always felt like new ground.

Who are your influences in a more general sense?

I grew up on Bach, baseball, The Beatles and the blues. I was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Boise, Idaho, both towns full of amazing pickers. In Idaho I learned to play traditional folk tunes alongside Bach Lute Suites and push-pull contrary motion bends from the local country players. Growing up I focused on finding my own voice on the guitar and was never been satisfied with being a clone.



Who inspires you today -- and/or what do you listen to?

I’m listening to Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Ravi Shankar. For true inspiration, there is spending time with my 11-year-old son, who co-wrote "Sayonara Serenade" off of Treehouse with me. I’m also addicted to documentaries streamed on demand and recently enjoyed Bela Fleck’s Throw Down Your Heart documentary, which was filmed in Africa.

How important are effects to you, and what's on your pedal board these days -- if anything?

Effects aren’t that crucial to my sound; the fretless glass fingerboards and my fingerstyle electric playing define my style more sonically. However, I have a Fulltone GT500. I've worked with Line6 stomp boxes for ages, and use the DL4 and MM4 religiously. I also use a Vox Ice 9 overdrive, which really shines in the transparency department. I love amp reverb and tremolo; I have an expession pedal for the MM4 so I can alter the tremolo speed on the fly.

You used to work with Mike Fuller at Fulltone, the effect pedal company (maker of the OCD - Guitar World

Searching for a different sound from his instrument, Nashville singer/songwriter Ned Evett experimented with fretless acoustic and electric guitars. As a member of that exclusive “fretless guitarist” club, he joined the ranks of few well-known players, such as Frank Zappa and Adrian Belew (King Crimson), wearing through endless ebony fingerboards until he discovered that glass was the way he wanted to go. His glass-necked fretless guitars are his own invention; his fretless mirrored-glass and steel resonator – a.k.a “The Globro” – is a blinding sight under stage lights, with an unforgettable, organic dampened sound to die for.

Evett’s sixth solo album features his unique and beloved fretlesses: “Treehouse,” produced by Belew and recorded just outside of Nashville, offers thirteen self-penned tunes and one on which he shares the co-write with son Wylie. It’s a collection of songs that shows he can not only bend and slide over notes for a range of emotions on his guitars, but uses lyrics and his malleable voice, as well, to shape the soundscape.

Right out of the gate, Evett reveals his rocking inclinations, growling along with a high-octane electric guitar on “Pure Evil”: “Takes a mighty shovel/To dig down to her level/She’s probably pure evil/But I just can’t keep away.” The self-proclaimed rebel gives in to love on the romping “Falling in Line,” and we see his sexy side on “Break My Fall.” Things get complicated in the yin/yang of “Nightmare and a Dream Come True,” where an infectious drum pattern drives his rootsy-then-ripping rock resonator sound, and Evett’s voice is equally whispery as it is raucous.

Just when we think we know who this artist is, he offers up “Mars River Delta 2128” in a Dylan-esque sing-talking delivery of a lickety-split lyric that mentions “saltpetre and molybdenum,” all the while fingerpicking away on that resonator with the killer tone. He’s a bit country-folk on the delightful “Bend Me,” that happily skips along to a plucky vibe as he sings: “Paint me frame me/Hoping that somebody will claim me/Shake me wake me/Hang me in the gallery.”

Showing his confidence with upper register falsetto and a clear, velvety-toned chest voice, he’s wistful and moving on “Say Goodbye For Both of Us,” as he’s matched by the lovely drone of his guitar and prodded along by a scratchy percussion, and on sweet, swingy “Getting Over Someone Too,” Evett sings it right about a budding romance in the ruins of past relationships. Dirt-wallowing vocal lows stir up some dust, and his high notes are worth waiting for. Sometimes amped up with waves of dark electric fretless passes, sometimes gutsy and bluesy, and sometimes sunny, Evett gives it like he feels it every time.

Visit the artist’s website at www.nedevett.com - Music News Nashville

You’re to be forgiven for expecting this to be a guitar record. First, there’s Ned Evett himself — a master of this specially created fretless version of the instrument. And his producer, gearhead Adrian Belew.

Heck, Evett has toured with Joe Satriani, for chrissakes.

Yet here, on Evett’s sixth solo release, there are precious little brain-pretzelling solos. It’s not that kind of record. Instead, Evett — winner, you’re reminded, of the 2003 North American Rock Guitar competition — has focused on his songcraft, on his vocals, on telling a story.

The result is a layered, career-redefining success. From the ruckus-raising rockabilly of the opening “Pure Evil,” to the shambling groove of “Break My Fall,” to the cloud-parting optimism of the title track to the curtain-falling darkness of “Say Goodbye to Both of Us,” Evett bravely travels an outlander’s trail — sounding too tough for most country records, too honest for most rock records, and to real for anything in between. He untangles all of these many emotions not with a flurry of guitar brilliance — though you certainly hear that on Treehouse, if only in short, sharp bursts — but with a keen eye for details.

Looking at his songs from the inside out, not as vehicles for solos but as stand-alone narratives, has made for a record that can both touch the heart and (when Evett finally does pick up that strangely intriguing fretless instrument) thrill the head. Evett doesn’t stand apart from the music, like so many talented instrumentalists. He’s not looking for his place to add a flourish, or an incongruent moment of flash. He’s allowed himself to become a part of every moment in these songs.

There’s an admirable spaciousness here, absent the string-scorching pyrotechnics. That gives Evett room to play and sing but also for doubt, for arguments to turn into belated revelations, for furious emotion to turn into a tender homecoming.

Of course, all of that is found in the words. The music is another thing, as Evett takes the Americana template on songs like “Why Can’t I Believe” — shotgun-shack twangs? Check. Coffeehouse rhythms? Sure — and then brilliantly scuffs it up, toward the end, with a stomping, punky clatter. “Nightmare and a Dream Come True,” in its initial riff, sounds something like the math-rock that Belew has become famous for a member of King Crimson over the last 30 years — but then Evett storms off into a rumbling Bo Diddley beat, howling like a rockabilly tomcat.

There’s not a whole lot of soloing, but when Evett takes his turn — as on the horror-show chackle of “Dead on a Saturday Night” — he plays like a downhill tractor trailer with its brakes burned clean off. There is, for all of his measured songwriting brilliance on Treehouse, a sense of pent-up emotion — and that gives the album another level of drama. Even on the plucky folk tunes like “Bend Me,” his instrumental break sounds like someone who can scarcely sit still. Then there’s “Falling In Line,” a track that recalls the weird fatalism of the blues in its lyric, but is nothing but rock ‘n’ roll propulsion in its execution — right down to the smeared, gurgling noise of Evett’s guitar part.

Vital and inventive, this record is too complex to fit into any of the pre-fab slots at the local record shop or on the radio. It’s not exactly Americana, not entirely rock, not really a guitar record, and not wholly a singer-songwriter project. And that’s exactly what makes Ned Evett’s Treehouse so endlessly compelling. - Something Else!

You’re to be forgiven for expecting this to be a guitar record. First, there’s Ned Evett himself — a master of this specially created fretless version of the instrument. And his producer, gearhead Adrian Belew.

Heck, Evett has toured with Joe Satriani, for chrissakes.

Yet here, on Evett’s sixth solo release, there are precious little brain-pretzelling solos. It’s not that kind of record. Instead, Evett — winner, you’re reminded, of the 2003 North American Rock Guitar competition — has focused on his songcraft, on his vocals, on telling a story.

The result is a layered, career-redefining success. From the ruckus-raising rockabilly of the opening “Pure Evil,” to the shambling groove of “Break My Fall,” to the cloud-parting optimism of the title track to the curtain-falling darkness of “Say Goodbye to Both of Us,” Evett bravely travels an outlander’s trail — sounding too tough for most country records, too honest for most rock records, and to real for anything in between. He untangles all of these many emotions not with a flurry of guitar brilliance — though you certainly hear that on Treehouse, if only in short, sharp bursts — but with a keen eye for details.

Looking at his songs from the inside out, not as vehicles for solos but as stand-alone narratives, has made for a record that can both touch the heart and (when Evett finally does pick up that strangely intriguing fretless instrument) thrill the head. Evett doesn’t stand apart from the music, like so many talented instrumentalists. He’s not looking for his place to add a flourish, or an incongruent moment of flash. He’s allowed himself to become a part of every moment in these songs.

There’s an admirable spaciousness here, absent the string-scorching pyrotechnics. That gives Evett room to play and sing but also for doubt, for arguments to turn into belated revelations, for furious emotion to turn into a tender homecoming.

Of course, all of that is found in the words. The music is another thing, as Evett takes the Americana template on songs like “Why Can’t I Believe” — shotgun-shack twangs? Check. Coffeehouse rhythms? Sure — and then brilliantly scuffs it up, toward the end, with a stomping, punky clatter. “Nightmare and a Dream Come True,” in its initial riff, sounds something like the math-rock that Belew has become famous for a member of King Crimson over the last 30 years — but then Evett storms off into a rumbling Bo Diddley beat, howling like a rockabilly tomcat.

There’s not a whole lot of soloing, but when Evett takes his turn — as on the horror-show chackle of “Dead on a Saturday Night” — he plays like a downhill tractor trailer with its brakes burned clean off. There is, for all of his measured songwriting brilliance on Treehouse, a sense of pent-up emotion — and that gives the album another level of drama. Even on the plucky folk tunes like “Bend Me,” his instrumental break sounds like someone who can scarcely sit still. Then there’s “Falling In Line,” a track that recalls the weird fatalism of the blues in its lyric, but is nothing but rock ‘n’ roll propulsion in its execution — right down to the smeared, gurgling noise of Evett’s guitar part.

Vital and inventive, this record is too complex to fit into any of the pre-fab slots at the local record shop or on the radio. It’s not exactly Americana, not entirely rock, not really a guitar record, and not wholly a singer-songwriter project. And that’s exactly what makes Ned Evett’s Treehouse so endlessly compelling. - Something Else!

Good morning everyone. For those who read my blog, you recall that I recently had the honor of reviewing singer/songwriter Ned Evett's new album, "Treehouse". As a result of that review, I was offered the opportunity to present some questions for an interview. I can't say thank you enough to him and Carol at Kayos Productions for the opportunity. Thanks to them, I now get to present to you, dear readers, my conversation, of sorts, with Mr. Evett. Enjoy!

RR: Let's jump right into your new album. Musically, it runs the gamut from folk to blues to country. Is this something that came orgnically, or did you sit down and say, "ok I'm going to play this song this way, this song that way, etc."?

NE: The songs came all at once from the heart, lyrics, melody, feel, and changed very little from the original demos to the finished album, we have some of the demos up on www.soundcloud.com if your listeners are interested in hearing the evolution. We didn’t change up any of the feel of the songs in the studio for any reason. Prior to making Treehouse I went through an extensive period listening to Robert Johnson, and I mean really listening. He became the soundtrack of my move from the West Coast to Tennessee, and upon arriving in Nashville I began retuning my guitars to the open chords favored by many Delta Bluesman. This resulted in some of the material on Treehouse, and a good indicator where I’m headed for the next album.

RR: In connection to the music, lyrically, the lyrics match right with the music of each song. It's so seamless that some people have called Treehouse a musical autobiography. It really does come across that way. It starts off upbeat, then begins to descend mood-wise, only to close out with the hopeful 'Don't Despair'. Was that planned, or did it just end up being sequenced how it turned out.

NE: Treehouse is very autobiographical at times. It is about being handed enormous challenges, underestimating them, and then becoming a spectator in your own life as the [expletive] hits the fan. Prior to leaving Boise, I lived in my car, crashed on friends couches, and was doing a lot worse than people knew about financially and personally. Most of my friends were unaffected by the economic downturn, and having simultaneously endured a long divorce and losing my job I completely disappeared from life. I wrote the bulk of Treehouse during this period, then went on the road as the support act for Joe Satriani’s world tour in 2010/2011, which is how I met Adrian Belew. Treehouse was recorded immediately after I moved to Nashville, my hometown. I had a huge head start on the new material, and the delta blues sound and tuning really opened up writing the last few songs on the album. This change in sound from the more rock aspect of the blues I’d been doing caused a change in direction with a new manager, and I found myself getting all the support I could ever want to pursue an album.

RR: Were there any songs on this record that you really enjoyed recording or that you might have had a hard time with, emotionally being that they seem really autobiographical? What is your favorite memory from making the album?

NE: I have great memories of Treehouse getting made in Nashville, Mt Juliet to be precise. Studio Belew has been a working studio for nearly 20 years, and has a lively relaxed state of the art vibe. Adrian and I are both visual artists as well, and his paintings are part of the studio decor. I did a small set of sculptures for his family. My London based manager and Treehouse executive producer Sandra Prow was around for most of the recording, and arrived right as the 13 year cicada hatch was occuring. Adrian’s daughter learned ‘Sayanora Serenade’ on guitar, she is about my son’s age who had helped me write the song. There was much humor and supreme team effort getting 14 songs done in 9 days. I had a guitar tech for the first time helping out, Dave Barlow, keeping all of the tunings straight and fixing stuff on the fly; this really took a load off my mind as I have different guitars for different sounds. We launched a successful kickstarter campaign to help pay for some of the album.

As for the band, Malcolm Bruce and Lynn Williams came into the sessions prepared and relaxed, and played the songs with alot of soul while listening to the wishes of the producer and artist. Malcolm and I were thrown together on the Satriani tour, and he just breathes music, not just bass. Lynn’s grooves just sound RIGHT. Adrian added some guitar, piano, and percussion stuff, just enough to say hello. Keyboardist Ed Roth added some essential organ and piano on two of the tracks.

14 songs in 9 days, I remember thinking things were going pretty well as we were recording. We worked very short days, 7-8 hours was the norm, no midnight oil burned whatsoever. Also, no home overdubbing outside of the producer’s control, which I really enjoyed considering my other albums were mostly done that wa - WNCT - :Phillip Sayblack

Good morning everyone. For those who read my blog, you recall that I recently had the honor of reviewing singer/songwriter Ned Evett's new album, "Treehouse". As a result of that review, I was offered the opportunity to present some questions for an interview. I can't say thank you enough to him and Carol at Kayos Productions for the opportunity. Thanks to them, I now get to present to you, dear readers, my conversation, of sorts, with Mr. Evett. Enjoy!

RR: Let's jump right into your new album. Musically, it runs the gamut from folk to blues to country. Is this something that came orgnically, or did you sit down and say, "ok I'm going to play this song this way, this song that way, etc."?

NE: The songs came all at once from the heart, lyrics, melody, feel, and changed very little from the original demos to the finished album, we have some of the demos up on www.soundcloud.com if your listeners are interested in hearing the evolution. We didn’t change up any of the feel of the songs in the studio for any reason. Prior to making Treehouse I went through an extensive period listening to Robert Johnson, and I mean really listening. He became the soundtrack of my move from the West Coast to Tennessee, and upon arriving in Nashville I began retuning my guitars to the open chords favored by many Delta Bluesman. This resulted in some of the material on Treehouse, and a good indicator where I’m headed for the next album.

RR: In connection to the music, lyrically, the lyrics match right with the music of each song. It's so seamless that some people have called Treehouse a musical autobiography. It really does come across that way. It starts off upbeat, then begins to descend mood-wise, only to close out with the hopeful 'Don't Despair'. Was that planned, or did it just end up being sequenced how it turned out.

NE: Treehouse is very autobiographical at times. It is about being handed enormous challenges, underestimating them, and then becoming a spectator in your own life as the [expletive] hits the fan. Prior to leaving Boise, I lived in my car, crashed on friends couches, and was doing a lot worse than people knew about financially and personally. Most of my friends were unaffected by the economic downturn, and having simultaneously endured a long divorce and losing my job I completely disappeared from life. I wrote the bulk of Treehouse during this period, then went on the road as the support act for Joe Satriani’s world tour in 2010/2011, which is how I met Adrian Belew. Treehouse was recorded immediately after I moved to Nashville, my hometown. I had a huge head start on the new material, and the delta blues sound and tuning really opened up writing the last few songs on the album. This change in sound from the more rock aspect of the blues I’d been doing caused a change in direction with a new manager, and I found myself getting all the support I could ever want to pursue an album.

RR: Were there any songs on this record that you really enjoyed recording or that you might have had a hard time with, emotionally being that they seem really autobiographical? What is your favorite memory from making the album?

NE: I have great memories of Treehouse getting made in Nashville, Mt Juliet to be precise. Studio Belew has been a working studio for nearly 20 years, and has a lively relaxed state of the art vibe. Adrian and I are both visual artists as well, and his paintings are part of the studio decor. I did a small set of sculptures for his family. My London based manager and Treehouse executive producer Sandra Prow was around for most of the recording, and arrived right as the 13 year cicada hatch was occuring. Adrian’s daughter learned ‘Sayanora Serenade’ on guitar, she is about my son’s age who had helped me write the song. There was much humor and supreme team effort getting 14 songs done in 9 days. I had a guitar tech for the first time helping out, Dave Barlow, keeping all of the tunings straight and fixing stuff on the fly; this really took a load off my mind as I have different guitars for different sounds. We launched a successful kickstarter campaign to help pay for some of the album.

As for the band, Malcolm Bruce and Lynn Williams came into the sessions prepared and relaxed, and played the songs with alot of soul while listening to the wishes of the producer and artist. Malcolm and I were thrown together on the Satriani tour, and he just breathes music, not just bass. Lynn’s grooves just sound RIGHT. Adrian added some guitar, piano, and percussion stuff, just enough to say hello. Keyboardist Ed Roth added some essential organ and piano on two of the tracks.

14 songs in 9 days, I remember thinking things were going pretty well as we were recording. We worked very short days, 7-8 hours was the norm, no midnight oil burned whatsoever. Also, no home overdubbing outside of the producer’s control, which I really enjoyed considering my other albums were mostly done that wa - WNCT - :Phillip Sayblack

Good morning once more, everyone. I hope that your Tuesday is going well so far. Things are really busy with the Reel Reviews music department as of late. though, there are new dvd's and blu-rays coming in, too, as well as new movies in theaters that'll be showing up. I'm thinking I might go check out Ghost Rider 2 next weekend. I'm trying to decide what to go see this weekend too. Any suggestions? While you think of some movies to check out, why not go out and check out the artist who gets the review treatment today? I offer for your consideration this morning, singer/songwriter Ned Evett. Evett has changed his sound again on this, his sixth album. And it's to positive results. It makes for an album that grows on audiences with each listen. And in connection it'll lead audiences to want to see Evett live, as the album doesn't do him full justice, even as impressive as it is. So again, for your consideration, dear readers, Ned Evett's sixth studio release, "Treehouse".

What's the key to comedy? Timing. Now, what's the key to great music? Originality. Scanning through the radio dial just once shows how little originality and variety is out there right now. That in mind, one listen to his new album, "Treehouse", and audiences will be saying thank goodness for the originality of Ned Evett.

Evett's new album is as soundly constructed as the treehouse pictured on the inside of the liner notes booklet included with his new album. It takes listeners on an emotional journey that starts out on a high note in 'Pure Evil', rolls smoohtly into the Stevie Ray vaughan-esque 'Falling in Line', then starts to turn on 'Break My Fall. Evetts sings on 'Break My Fall', "I didn't mean to kick you out/I wish I had a bed further from the ground/I wish that you was here when you're not around/fingers in your hair when we mess around/I didn't mean to kick you out." That's a far cry from the more positive opening of 'Pure Evil' in which Evett sings, "She's probably pure evil/but I just can't keep away." He knows what he's getting into, but he can't help himself.He comapres the woman about whom he writes to having the face of an angel and body like a devil. That pretty much says it all. He starts out head over heels, but as the album progresses, listeners begin to hear a change in his situation.

The most noticeable change of tone on "Treehouse" comes on the infectious "Sayonara Serenade". Evetts writes on this song, "Sayonara serenade/finally leaving town today/can't believe how long I stayed/sayonara serenade." It's almost a point of him looking back at everything, and knowing it's time to move on. The true low point for Evett (in terms of his life story) comes on the following song, "Just About Over This Time". It's a solid no holds barred piece that portrays the scene of his relationship officially ending. He writes of the situation, "The curtain is closing on you she said/as she slammed the door in my face/she probably just stood there looking amazed/her ffet frozen in place/she looked/she sighed/she finally realized/softly repeated the line/the curtain is closing on you she said/it's just about over this time." The lyrics are painful. But the music behind the lyrics serve to deepend the emotion felt by the individual in the story. The pair combined make for a scene that would be right out of a movie.

After the pain of his broken relationship, listeners hear the beginning of hope in Evett in 'Bend Me'. Again, the combination of the song's musical and lyrical content present a more positive, yet still slightly bittersweet emotion. He writes in 'Bend Me', "Bend me, bend me/listen how the melody sends me/pick me, click me/playing on my steel guitar." Listeners can feel something more hopeful and positive from Evett with such lyrics backed up by a more positive sound. Listeners begin to hear a gradual change from here on, albeit an up and down journey. It's something of a personal inner battle with everything that's happened, only to eventually come out on top by the album's end in 'Don't Despair'. He reassures someone in particular, "Don't despair/don't you worry/have some faith in me/oh so easy to believe/don't despair/daylight's coming/life is a riddle/you're in the middle of it/I want you." And as with the other songs on this beautiful opus, the music of this song only serves to back up the song's emotion. It leaves listeners with a smile on their own faces, knowing that not only will Evett be okay, but so will their own lives if they've ever been through similar situations.

"Treehouse" is a beautiful, wonderful work of musicianship. From the music to the lyrics, to the overall construction, it's as solid as the best built house, or in this case, treehouse. It's an album that musicians looking for music with real substance will enjoy. Add in famed King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew on the boards, and audiences get what will be one of the most underrated, but at the sam - WNCT - :Phillip Sayblack

Good morning once more, everyone. I hope that your Tuesday is going well so far. Things are really busy with the Reel Reviews music department as of late. though, there are new dvd's and blu-rays coming in, too, as well as new movies in theaters that'll be showing up. I'm thinking I might go check out Ghost Rider 2 next weekend. I'm trying to decide what to go see this weekend too. Any suggestions? While you think of some movies to check out, why not go out and check out the artist who gets the review treatment today? I offer for your consideration this morning, singer/songwriter Ned Evett. Evett has changed his sound again on this, his sixth album. And it's to positive results. It makes for an album that grows on audiences with each listen. And in connection it'll lead audiences to want to see Evett live, as the album doesn't do him full justice, even as impressive as it is. So again, for your consideration, dear readers, Ned Evett's sixth studio release, "Treehouse".

What's the key to comedy? Timing. Now, what's the key to great music? Originality. Scanning through the radio dial just once shows how little originality and variety is out there right now. That in mind, one listen to his new album, "Treehouse", and audiences will be saying thank goodness for the originality of Ned Evett.

Evett's new album is as soundly constructed as the treehouse pictured on the inside of the liner notes booklet included with his new album. It takes listeners on an emotional journey that starts out on a high note in 'Pure Evil', rolls smoohtly into the Stevie Ray vaughan-esque 'Falling in Line', then starts to turn on 'Break My Fall. Evetts sings on 'Break My Fall', "I didn't mean to kick you out/I wish I had a bed further from the ground/I wish that you was here when you're not around/fingers in your hair when we mess around/I didn't mean to kick you out." That's a far cry from the more positive opening of 'Pure Evil' in which Evett sings, "She's probably pure evil/but I just can't keep away." He knows what he's getting into, but he can't help himself.He comapres the woman about whom he writes to having the face of an angel and body like a devil. That pretty much says it all. He starts out head over heels, but as the album progresses, listeners begin to hear a change in his situation.

The most noticeable change of tone on "Treehouse" comes on the infectious "Sayonara Serenade". Evetts writes on this song, "Sayonara serenade/finally leaving town today/can't believe how long I stayed/sayonara serenade." It's almost a point of him looking back at everything, and knowing it's time to move on. The true low point for Evett (in terms of his life story) comes on the following song, "Just About Over This Time". It's a solid no holds barred piece that portrays the scene of his relationship officially ending. He writes of the situation, "The curtain is closing on you she said/as she slammed the door in my face/she probably just stood there looking amazed/her ffet frozen in place/she looked/she sighed/she finally realized/softly repeated the line/the curtain is closing on you she said/it's just about over this time." The lyrics are painful. But the music behind the lyrics serve to deepend the emotion felt by the individual in the story. The pair combined make for a scene that would be right out of a movie.

After the pain of his broken relationship, listeners hear the beginning of hope in Evett in 'Bend Me'. Again, the combination of the song's musical and lyrical content present a more positive, yet still slightly bittersweet emotion. He writes in 'Bend Me', "Bend me, bend me/listen how the melody sends me/pick me, click me/playing on my steel guitar." Listeners can feel something more hopeful and positive from Evett with such lyrics backed up by a more positive sound. Listeners begin to hear a gradual change from here on, albeit an up and down journey. It's something of a personal inner battle with everything that's happened, only to eventually come out on top by the album's end in 'Don't Despair'. He reassures someone in particular, "Don't despair/don't you worry/have some faith in me/oh so easy to believe/don't despair/daylight's coming/life is a riddle/you're in the middle of it/I want you." And as with the other songs on this beautiful opus, the music of this song only serves to back up the song's emotion. It leaves listeners with a smile on their own faces, knowing that not only will Evett be okay, but so will their own lives if they've ever been through similar situations.

"Treehouse" is a beautiful, wonderful work of musicianship. From the music to the lyrics, to the overall construction, it's as solid as the best built house, or in this case, treehouse. It's an album that musicians looking for music with real substance will enjoy. Add in famed King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew on the boards, and audiences get what will be one of the most underrated, but at the sam - WNCT - :Phillip Sayblack

Have you ever experienced losing your job? Have you been negatively impacted by this sucky economy? Maybe you’ve experienced the tragedy and trauma of your marriage breaking up and many years and you’re troubled and confused. After any or all of that, do you find yourself looking for happiness and hope?

We all know that these tragic life events have been written about by many songwriters and performed by others who may or may not have experienced them. While those songs can touch ones heart, something seems to be lost in the translation when they’re being written, performed, or both by someone who really hasn’t had those experiences.

This isn’t the case with the sixth solo album, Treehouse, by singer, songwriter, guitarist and even sculptor, Ned Evett. Ned pours out his tale of emotional, vocational, financial and marital devastation in this 14 song autobiographical CD.

Winner of the 2003 North American Rock Guitar competition that resulted in a PBS documentary, Driven To Play, Evett has been lauded as “The world’s first fretless guitar rockstar” by Guitar Player Magazien and “The master of the fretless glass-necked guitar by USA Today.

You read that right: A fretless, glass-necked guitar. Evett invented it and it’s truly a thing of beauty and art without a note being played on it. The musical alchemy that Evett conjures up with it with his signature fingerpicking style is truly magical.

Evett is joined in his Treehouse by producer (and also helping on piano and guitar), Adrian Belew (from The Power Trio), Ed Roth on organ, Lynn Williams on drums and Cream’s Jack Bruce’s son, Malcolm, on bass. With this CD, you’re going to get incredibly well written rock and folk that provokes your thoughts and, ultimately, leaves with hope for a brighter tomorrow as you journey with Ned in the story about his life. By the end of the disc, you definitely get the sense that Ned is picking up the pieces after the storms of his life and is clearly moving on to the next chapter of his life.

Every tune a great one, the two top Boomerocity favorites are Say Goodbye For Both of Us (“Started out as lovers, finished up as friends, gonna say goodbye for both of us again . . .) and Why Can’t I Believe (“I pictured us apart for so very long, nothing really helped to make myself a friend . . .I picture us apart”). Introspective, self-assessing, even self-critical, the lyrics admonish one to look at themselves for life’s causes and effects. Brilliantly, brilliantly written. Did I tell you these songs are brilliantly written? Well, they are.

Treehouse will give its listeners great music to think by. - Boomerocity

Have you ever experienced losing your job? Have you been negatively impacted by this sucky economy? Maybe you’ve experienced the tragedy and trauma of your marriage breaking up and many years and you’re troubled and confused. After any or all of that, do you find yourself looking for happiness and hope?

We all know that these tragic life events have been written about by many songwriters and performed by others who may or may not have experienced them. While those songs can touch ones heart, something seems to be lost in the translation when they’re being written, performed, or both by someone who really hasn’t had those experiences.

This isn’t the case with the sixth solo album, Treehouse, by singer, songwriter, guitarist and even sculptor, Ned Evett. Ned pours out his tale of emotional, vocational, financial and marital devastation in this 14 song autobiographical CD.

Winner of the 2003 North American Rock Guitar competition that resulted in a PBS documentary, Driven To Play, Evett has been lauded as “The world’s first fretless guitar rockstar” by Guitar Player Magazien and “The master of the fretless glass-necked guitar by USA Today.

You read that right: A fretless, glass-necked guitar. Evett invented it and it’s truly a thing of beauty and art without a note being played on it. The musical alchemy that Evett conjures up with it with his signature fingerpicking style is truly magical.

Evett is joined in his Treehouse by producer (and also helping on piano and guitar), Adrian Belew (from The Power Trio), Ed Roth on organ, Lynn Williams on drums and Cream’s Jack Bruce’s son, Malcolm, on bass. With this CD, you’re going to get incredibly well written rock and folk that provokes your thoughts and, ultimately, leaves with hope for a brighter tomorrow as you journey with Ned in the story about his life. By the end of the disc, you definitely get the sense that Ned is picking up the pieces after the storms of his life and is clearly moving on to the next chapter of his life.

Every tune a great one, the two top Boomerocity favorites are Say Goodbye For Both of Us (“Started out as lovers, finished up as friends, gonna say goodbye for both of us again . . .) and Why Can’t I Believe (“I pictured us apart for so very long, nothing really helped to make myself a friend . . .I picture us apart”). Introspective, self-assessing, even self-critical, the lyrics admonish one to look at themselves for life’s causes and effects. Brilliantly, brilliantly written. Did I tell you these songs are brilliantly written? Well, they are.

Treehouse will give its listeners great music to think by. - Boomerocity

Ned Evett and Triple Double opened the show with powerful ballads "Fingerprints" and "Elizabeth," as well as a robust rendition of "Hallelujah" with Santo and Johnny's "Sleepwalk" as the bridge, followed by a more rock-tinged tune, "Sons and Daughters." Ned had a wry sense of humor, chatting with the audience between songs, sharing his tale about being "baptized" by New York's wintery cold. - New York Examiner

Ned Evett and Triple Double opened the show with powerful ballads "Fingerprints" and "Elizabeth," as well as a robust rendition of "Hallelujah" with Santo and Johnny's "Sleepwalk" as the bridge, followed by a more rock-tinged tune, "Sons and Daughters." Ned had a wry sense of humor, chatting with the audience between songs, sharing his tale about being "baptized" by New York's wintery cold. - New York Examiner

January 2012

Treehouse
By: Ned Evett
Label: Raging Krill
Review Date: January, 2012



Have you ever experienced losing your job? Have you been negatively impacted by this sucky economy? Maybe you’ve experienced the tragedy and trauma of your marriage breaking up and many years and you’re troubled and confused. After any or all of that, do you find yourself looking for happiness and hope?

We all know that these tragic life events have been written about by many songwriters and performed by others who may or may not have experienced them. While those songs can touch ones heart, something seems to be lost in the translation when they’re being written, performed, or both by someone who really hasn’t had those experiences.

This isn’t the case with the sixth solo album, Treehouse, by singer, songwriter, guitarist and even sculptor, Ned Evett. Ned pours out his tale of emotional, vocational, financial and marital devastation in this 14 song autobiographical CD.

Winner of the 2003 North American Rock Guitar competition that resulted in a PBS documentary, Driven To Play, Evett has been lauded as “The world’s first fretless guitar rockstar” by Guitar Player Magazien and “The master of the fretless glass-necked guitar by USA Today.

You read that right: A fretless, glass-necked guitar. Evett invented it and it’s truly a thing of beauty and art without a note being played on it. The musical alchemy that Evett conjures up with it with his signature fingerpicking style is truly magical.

Evett is joined in his Treehouse by producer (and also helping on piano and guitar), Adrian Belew (from The Power Trio), Ed Roth on organ, Lynn Williams on drums and Cream’s Jack Bruce’s son, Malcolm, on bass. With this CD, you’re going to get incredibly well written rock and folk that provokes your thoughts and, ultimately, leaves with hope for a brighter tomorrow as you journey with Ned in the story about his life. By the end of the disc, you definitely get the sense that Ned is picking up the pieces after the storms of his life and is clearly moving on to the next chapter of his life.

Every tune a great one, the two top Boomerocity favorites are Say Goodbye For Both of Us (“Started out as lovers, finished up as friends, gonna say goodbye for both of us again . . .) and Why Can’t I Believe (“I pictured us apart for so very long, nothing really helped to make myself a friend . . .I picture us apart”). Introspective, self-assessing, even self-critical, the lyrics admonish one to look at themselves for life’s causes and effects. Brilliantly, brilliantly written. Did I tell you these songs are brilliantly written? Well, they are.

Treehouse will give its listeners great music to think by.
- Boomerocity

Not everyone is able to grasp the creative playing style of Boise guitarist Ned Evett, who invented the fretless glass fingerboard and creates sounds with it akin to alien love making.

But the people who do get it tend to be people who matter.

Evett and his latest band, pop-rockers Triple Double, will headline Sept. 15 at the Linen Building in Boise before heading out on a four-month tour of Europe and the United States opening for guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani.

It isn’t the first time Satriani has taken Evett on the road. I reached out to him earlier this week about his relationship with Evett:

"Ned Evett is a monster player/writer/performer,” Satriani explained. “I've had him on tour as a solo act, as well as with his different band lineups, and he always puts on a great performance. He has a good time with the audience, as he uses his unique personality to guide them through his music and his one-of-a-kind guitar style.

“He's a very creative filmmaker as well. I love his robot series of short films. I guess I like having him along for the ride too, as his sharp wit and good humor go a long way on the road."

Special guest artists are slated to perform with Evett throughout the show at the Linen Building, an all-ages venue with a full bar available at 1402 W. Grove St. Pick up tickets for $10 at the door.
- Idaho Statesman

Not everyone is able to grasp the creative playing style of Boise guitarist Ned Evett, who invented the fretless glass fingerboard and creates sounds with it akin to alien love making.

But the people who do get it tend to be people who matter.

Evett and his latest band, pop-rockers Triple Double, will headline Sept. 15 at the Linen Building in Boise before heading out on a four-month tour of Europe and the United States opening for guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani.

It isn’t the first time Satriani has taken Evett on the road. I reached out to him earlier this week about his relationship with Evett:

"Ned Evett is a monster player/writer/performer,” Satriani explained. “I've had him on tour as a solo act, as well as with his different band lineups, and he always puts on a great performance. He has a good time with the audience, as he uses his unique personality to guide them through his music and his one-of-a-kind guitar style.

“He's a very creative filmmaker as well. I love his robot series of short films. I guess I like having him along for the ride too, as his sharp wit and good humor go a long way on the road."

Special guest artists are slated to perform with Evett throughout the show at the Linen Building, an all-ages venue with a full bar available at 1402 W. Grove St. Pick up tickets for $10 at the door.
- Idaho Statesman

Singer, songwriter, and pioneering fretless guitarist Ned Evett and his band Triple Double open an evening of innovative guitar mastery in direct support of Joe Satriani on the The Wormhole 2010 tour. - Artist Exposure

Singer, songwriter, and pioneering fretless guitarist Ned Evett and his band Triple Double open an evening of innovative guitar mastery in direct support of Joe Satriani on the The Wormhole 2010 tour. - Artist Exposure

In the popular poker game Texas Hold ‘Em, the concept of going all in is when you put all your cards on the table and offer up your life—win or lose—to the fates. This is exactly what super-duper guitarist Ned Evett did with the Adrian Belew-produced Treehouse. He left his wife, he left his life, he watched Boise, Idaho, disappear in his rear-view window. He went on the road opening for Joe Satriani on a six-month tour. While in Milan, Italy, he met King Crimson guitarist and singer Adrian Belew.

“My marriage of 20 years was dissolving anyway,” he explains. “It’s funny. I’m actually from Nashville, Tennessee, originally, but I was living in Boise. So I came back home, basically. Treehouse is a lot about coming back home artistically and literally. Adrian and I hit it off so well he invited me to come to Nashville to start this project. It was basically all cards on the table. I’m all in with this record.”

Treehouse­ has Malcom Bruce on bass (son of Cream’s Jack Bruce). It falls directly into that “Americana” sub-genre. “I’m not looking for historical re-enactments,” says Evett. But still, some of the songs are about the losses he’s suffered on the way to building this Treehouse.

“Dead On A Saturday Night” may be some good solid kick-ass rock ’n’ roll (opener “Pure Evil” is pretty damn delicious, too) but the rustic folk charm of “Say Goodbye For The Both Of Us” is more in line with his story. His finger-picked intro is just beautiful. Warm. Expressive. Real deep down. Dude really has a way with an acoustic (not to mention a finger-picked electric as well). And bubbling just underneath the surface of the mix, there’s producer Adrian Belew banging on some pipes with a crowbar… or whatever the hell he’s doing to get that avant-garde Tom Waits-type weirdo sound in the background.

Speaking of weird, Evett plays a freaky kind of fretless glass ax that he constantly fingerpicks (he was trained in finger-style classical guitar as a kid). “Let me put it to you this way,” he explains. “It’s like playing slide guitar with your fingers. You don’t put a slide on your fingers. Your fingers become the slide, sliding over the fingerboard [as opposed to fretboard]. That’s really what it’s about. Putting a slide on the other side is another way I describe it. So instead of one slide moving like a bar across the strings, I have four slides, my fingers, all moving continuously.”

Winning the 2003 North American Rock Guitar competition resulted in him being in a PBS documentary about the event. Influenced by Mark Knopfler and Richard Thompson, his playing is exemplary, but it’s not what he’s choosing to focus on right now. He considers Treehouse, his sixth solo album, as a way to bring his eccentric John Haitt-style vocals and his compositional flair to the fore. “Nightmare And A Dream Come True,” for instance, is such a unique composition, sung in such a captivating style, infused with such superb musicianship, that it demands your attention. “Sayonara Serenade,” lyrically, captures his angst as he made difficult life transitions. And “Mars River Delta2128” just sounds so damn good, period.

To go from guitar geek to profound singer/songwriter is a quantum leap forward. To layer the profundity with players like Belew, Bruce, drummer Lynn Williams and organist Ed Roth makes it all the more appetizing. Throw in those goodtime rockers, put it out your own damn self, and you’re all in all right. Only time will tell. For more information, go to nedevett.com. - The Aquarian

In the popular poker game Texas Hold ‘Em, the concept of going all in is when you put all your cards on the table and offer up your life—win or lose—to the fates. This is exactly what super-duper guitarist Ned Evett did with the Adrian Belew-produced Treehouse. He left his wife, he left his life, he watched Boise, Idaho, disappear in his rear-view window. He went on the road opening for Joe Satriani on a six-month tour. While in Milan, Italy, he met King Crimson guitarist and singer Adrian Belew.

“My marriage of 20 years was dissolving anyway,” he explains. “It’s funny. I’m actually from Nashville, Tennessee, originally, but I was living in Boise. So I came back home, basically. Treehouse is a lot about coming back home artistically and literally. Adrian and I hit it off so well he invited me to come to Nashville to start this project. It was basically all cards on the table. I’m all in with this record.”

Treehouse­ has Malcom Bruce on bass (son of Cream’s Jack Bruce). It falls directly into that “Americana” sub-genre. “I’m not looking for historical re-enactments,” says Evett. But still, some of the songs are about the losses he’s suffered on the way to building this Treehouse.

“Dead On A Saturday Night” may be some good solid kick-ass rock ’n’ roll (opener “Pure Evil” is pretty damn delicious, too) but the rustic folk charm of “Say Goodbye For The Both Of Us” is more in line with his story. His finger-picked intro is just beautiful. Warm. Expressive. Real deep down. Dude really has a way with an acoustic (not to mention a finger-picked electric as well). And bubbling just underneath the surface of the mix, there’s producer Adrian Belew banging on some pipes with a crowbar… or whatever the hell he’s doing to get that avant-garde Tom Waits-type weirdo sound in the background.

Speaking of weird, Evett plays a freaky kind of fretless glass ax that he constantly fingerpicks (he was trained in finger-style classical guitar as a kid). “Let me put it to you this way,” he explains. “It’s like playing slide guitar with your fingers. You don’t put a slide on your fingers. Your fingers become the slide, sliding over the fingerboard [as opposed to fretboard]. That’s really what it’s about. Putting a slide on the other side is another way I describe it. So instead of one slide moving like a bar across the strings, I have four slides, my fingers, all moving continuously.”

Winning the 2003 North American Rock Guitar competition resulted in him being in a PBS documentary about the event. Influenced by Mark Knopfler and Richard Thompson, his playing is exemplary, but it’s not what he’s choosing to focus on right now. He considers Treehouse, his sixth solo album, as a way to bring his eccentric John Haitt-style vocals and his compositional flair to the fore. “Nightmare And A Dream Come True,” for instance, is such a unique composition, sung in such a captivating style, infused with such superb musicianship, that it demands your attention. “Sayonara Serenade,” lyrically, captures his angst as he made difficult life transitions. And “Mars River Delta2128” just sounds so damn good, period.

To go from guitar geek to profound singer/songwriter is a quantum leap forward. To layer the profundity with players like Belew, Bruce, drummer Lynn Williams and organist Ed Roth makes it all the more appetizing. Throw in those goodtime rockers, put it out your own damn self, and you’re all in all right. Only time will tell. For more information, go to nedevett.com. - The Aquarian