Daryl Shawn is one of those acoustic guitar gems that can seize you and drag you along with him in an erratic dance in the pick of a string. Blending African, Andalusian and European classical influences acquired in his early years of musical exploration, San Francisco born Daryl Shawn’s vocal compositions bring an unsettling touch to the soothing sounds of his guitar solos. It is clumsy in a Syd Barret kind of way, delightfully disharmonious, and only gets better as the stories unfold in angst and precipitation. The tempos clash as the voice nonchalantly tells the colorful tales of a West Coast white boy, while the instrumentals get carried away in an exotic adventure of their own. Currently based in Brooklyn, Shawn is working on a range of new material which he will be presenting during a tour of the US West Coast this fall. But for now he’s training for a personal musical marathon which will take him to play 5 shows in NYC – one per borough – during Make Music NY on June 21. He picked a hot day for a marathon! Watch out for updates, and in the meantimes, treat yourself to some of his work, both vocal and instrumental, on the website. – Tracy Mamoun
