More than six months after stepping into John Hall’s “old school” studio in Pacifica, California and recording on a TASCAM 388 magnetic tape, I am pleased to announce the release of my first CD. I am proud to share with you sixteen all original finger style guitar compositions. “55 Miles” is a tribute to the beauty of the San Mateo County coast and the wonderful people who live there. The CD is meant to evoke a drive down Highway 1 on a sunny afternoon, top down, music on. The loss of my sister, Dorothy, in early 2008 was a big part of my motivation to record this CD. She was the first person to hand me a guitar when I was just a teenager. The composition “Na Sua Pele” was composed especially for her as she battled ovarian cancer. A portion of all proceeds from the sale of my CD will go to the American Cancer Society.
Dog Dreams |
Closer than They Appear |
Weezy Anna Slide |
Na Sue Pele |
I was fortunate to have articles about the CD published last week in the Pacifica Tribune and Half Moon Bay Review!
I’ve also attached a wonderful review of the CD by Pacifica Tribune writer Jean Bartlett.
TO PURCHASE MY CD:
A signed copy of the CD can be purchased in person ($15.00) or by mail (add $3.00 S&H) by emailing me at: mbooda@comcast.net
Checks can be sent to:
Mark Kostrzewa
P.O. Box 371374
Montara, CA 94037
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Also for sale at Café Lucca in Montara and “The Music Hut” 329 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA
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Available for download at the very cool site for independent musicians:
Search for “Kostrzewa” to locate 55 Miles, hear snippets of the compositions and download the album
As always, thanks to all the people that have encouraged me and supported the local music scene. This would not be possible without you!
Mark Kostrzewa “55 miles”
It’s a nice stretch of road along the San Mateo Coast – waves hugging cliff sides, morning sun dancing over sweet
sprays of spring flowers, old worn out roads where bootleggers once dared to tread. You’ve got miles without
houses and places near the water where northern elephant seals consider the day. If ever there was a CD to explain
all the colors and textures of a journey down this road it is Mark Kostrzewa’s “55 miles.” A composer and acoustic
guitarist, Kostrzewa sits down to a 6-string steel Guild JF-30 and a Yamaha nylon string CGX-171SCF and plays 30
years of musical gifts just busting to be free. (All songs are by Kostrzewa.)
“Dog Dreams” opens the set with an effortless listen of summertime school days. “Closer Than They Appear” is a
sort of lyrical desert passage. On “Salvadoran Sunrise,” Kostrzewa invites Tony Miranda on electric bass, Nancy
Hall on percussion and Valerie Nuzum on flute to musically paint a lovely mountain walk glide into a semitropical
marketplace. “Barefoot on The Bluffs” has the musician/composer playing percussive, belled and detailed birds-inflight
guitar and “Django’s Cheerios” pulls up tonalities from his Michigan youth and mixes them with Gypsy jazz.
“Weezy Anna Slide” is a killer slide blues, kicking in bits of rock and a kind-of Smoky Mountain panorama on
strings. “Na Sua Pele” (in your skin) which features Brazilian waterfall guitar by Kostrzewa, singer Nomi Harper’s
voice as instrument, Nancy Hall on percussion and Tony Miranda on electric bass – could be right out of the Tom
Jobim songbook. Ditto for “Ipanema Highway,” a joint effort of voice, percussion, bass, conversational Portuguese
and exquisite Kostrzewa guitar. These latter two tunes create an indecent amount of replay hits.
There are 16 compositions on this incredible artist’s first release which was co-produced by the multi-talented John
Hall. You put it on the car stereo and you just go where his strings take you – all over the world with the San Mateo
coastline always in view. “55 Miles” is a very satisfying first release, Mr. Kostrzewa, and don’t you make your fans
wait so long for the next one.
Offering double-stops, string bending, Rio articulation, beautiful chord passages, washboard popping and a nice way
of phrasing to let the cool air in – Mark Kostrzewa is having a string conversation and its magic.
Jean Bartlett
Managing Editor, Jean’s Magazines
Music Reviewer, Pacifica Tribune