...an unerring sense of swing and melody. His solos, while displaying accuracy and technique, are filled with soul.
Bay Area guitarist George Cotsirilos returns to the intimate language of solo nylon-string guitar on In the Wee Hours, illuminating beloved standards and two original compositions with patience and depth. Recorded largely in unedited first takes over several years, his seventh recording on OA2 unfolds with the quiet authority and refined lyricism that have defined Cotsirilos's career—from his celebrated quartet release Refuge to earlier trio and solo recordings praised for their fluidity and swing. Here, classics such as "Come Sunday," "Haunted Heart," and the title ballad are rendered with a meticulous touch and subtle dynamic shadings that reveal the hidden architecture of each melody. Alternating between exquisite instruments by José Ram'rez and Alberto Morales, Cotsirilos draws out warm, singing tones that blur the line between jazz phrasing and classical resonance.
"...an impeccable sense of timing especially in revealing the hidden rhythms of complex melodies. His approach to harmony is whimsical, but patently beautiful at all times." All About Jazz
Track Listing:
1 A Nameless Poet 1:42
2 Come Sunday 3:49
3 Gale 2:54
4 Haunted Heart 3:34
5 Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me 3:28
6 Providence 2:42
7 Like Someone in Love 3:44
8 In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 4:06
9 The Night We Called It a Day 4:37
10 When Sunny Gets Blue 5:00
11 This is All I Ask 4:41
Performers:
George Cotsirilos - Nylon String Acoustic Guitar
Production Info:
Produced by George Cotsirilos and David Luke
Recorded by David Luke at Opus Studios, Berkeley, CA
and George Cotsirilos at Merced Studios, Berkeley, CA
Various dates between 2017 and 2025
Mixed by David Luke at Argyle Studios, El Sobrante, CA
Mastered by David Luke at Opus Studios, Berkeley, CA
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
