INNOVA
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Prester John Desire for a Straight Line
Jazz,    Innova 747    CD   15

Truth revealed: Prester John is Shawn Persinger and David Miller See One Sheet
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Composers Performers Related Links
Shawn Persinger Prester John Liner Notes
    Shawn's home
    Also by Shawn on innova
    Sample and buy from iTunes

Track Listing Header
Title Composer(s) Performer(s) Length
Tall Tale Pathology Shawn Persinger
Prester John
4:03
Half Speed Cakewalk Shawn Persinger
Prester John
0:32
The Library Thief Shawn Persinger
Prester John
2:06
Plain of Jars Shawn Persinger
Prester John
3:15
Song for Henry Threadgill Shawn Persinger
Prester John
2:54
Making Circles Shawn Persinger
Prester John
6:52
Janet Feder: Silhouette No. 2 Shawn Persinger
Prester John
1:04
Marionette Waltz in Four Shawn Persinger
Prester John
3:42
Wender's Shawn Persinger
Prester John
3:30
Saturday's Tribe Shawn Persinger
Prester John
2:45
Mike Sary: Silhouette No. 3 Shawn Persinger
Prester John
0:53
Piano and Violin Duet No. 1 Shawn Persinger
Prester John
2:37
Duckling Shawn Persinger
Prester John
2:16
Saints Shawn Persinger
Prester John
2:54
Dave Kerman: Silhouette No. 1 Shawn Persinger
Prester John
0:26
The Favored Colour of Light Shawn Persinger
Prester John
8:29
One Sheet Text

Guitarist, Shawn Persinger is Prester John, is back once again and this time he's brought along some help (not that he needs it) in the form of mandolin virtuoso David Miller. The daunting task of describing the music of Shawn and David, collectively known as PRESTER JOHN, is not a lack of superlatives but their uncanny ability to transform a multitude of disparate genres into a new but familiar sound. Hints of Jazz, 21st Century Classical, Rock, World and Bluegrass pervade everything Prester John touch but you are always left with a feeling of refreshing originality that begs you to guess what might come next.

Challenging yet accessible; varied yet cohesive; smart and whimsical; when it comes to Prester John's music paradox is the name of the game, a reputation Shawn Persinger established with his previous release, 'The Art of Modern/Primitive Guitar' and that he has continued to develop in the intervening years as both a composer and an instrumentalist.

Need some points of reference? Prester John is not afraid to site their sources. J.S. Bach meets Frank Zappa; David Grisman and Tony Rice play Igor Stravinsky and Danny Elfman; Friday Night in San Francisco with a mandolin. You might think you know the all the sounds an acoustic guitar and mandolin can make; and you might, after listening to 'Desire for a Straight Line.'

Prester John:
Shawn Persinger: Acoustic Guitar
David Miller: Mandolin

Reviews

Wayside Music

This is acoustic guitar and mandolin at its best, with great tunes and great interplay between the two musicians. Highly enjoyable.
by

Hartford Examiner

Desire ... takes you on a ride even wilder than Mr. Toad could have imagined. Flying all over the neck and rarely stopping to catch his breath, Persinger makes fast guitar playing someone actually would want to sit down and listen to. His licks are interesting, articulate, and they groove.

The highlight ... is easily track six, "Making Circles" ... infusing a brilliant array of styles as well as a fantastic use of the space around the notes at certain points.

The music on this compilation will probably never be widely accepted by the masses ... Check it out if you think you want to break away from the mundane. 5/5
by Paul Oneto

Guitar Player

"Acoustic guitarist Shawn Persinger and mandolinist David Miller mash up styles and genres with glee and abandon on the 16 technically challenging and intricately arranged instrumentals. The playing and musical interaction are virtuosic throughout, and the performances fun, exciting and surprisingly accessible."
by Barry Cleveland