Gregory Lee Oshima: Press

Artist: Greg Oshima
Album: Classical Guitar Vol. 1
Review by Matthew Warnock


The classical guitar world is full of tradition, in regards to repertoire, technique, teaching and tone. There have been few artists that have successfully been able to “modernize” the instrument, its tone and the repertoire in a way that holds up to scrutiny in the minds of both the general listener and professional classical guitar community. Though some artists, such as John Williams and most notably Ralph Towner, have experimented in their approach to the tonal quality of the nylon guitar and pushed the repertoire in new directions, these recordings are often pushed off to the periphery of the genre, being assigned monikers such as “experimental,” “new age” and “avant-garde.” Due to the high level of scrutiny that any classical guitar record will face from critics and that artist’s peers, as well as the dogmatic approach to repertoire that the genre tends to hold, young and amateur artists will often box themselves in because of these traditional expectations.

Classical guitarist Greg Oshima is an amateur artist who is aiming to defy these traditions with his latest recording Classical Guitar Volume 1. Though the album features a wide selection of traditional repertoire, including “Lagrima,” “Julia Florida” and “Capricho Arabe,” there is also one Oshima original, “Icarus,” and several lesser-known pieces such as Jose Luis Merlin’s “Evocacion” and Moussorgsky’s “Il Vecchio Castelo.” While many of these songs will be familiar to fans of the instrument, newcomers to the classical guitar will enjoy this collection of songs. Though it is not intended to be an introduction to the repertoire, or a survey of the most well-known pieces for classical guitar, by including works such as “Lagrima” and Tarrega’s masterpiece “Capricho Arabe,” Oshima is giving his listeners a healthy dose of the meat and potatoes pieces that make up the core of the instrument’s repertoire, while sprinkling in enough original and lesser played material to keep the album from becoming boring or monotonous.

Oshima should be commended for taking chances with his choice of pieces, but it is his approach to tone that stands out as his boldest move. Throwing aside traditional expectations, Oshima adds analog chorus and reverb to his guitar to beef up the sound and drag the instrument’s tone into the modern age. This is a surprising choice, and unexpected from an amateur guitarist, and the results are mixed at best. Yes, the classical guitar needs to move forward in both tone and repertoire, but it is the intent of those decisions that are key in making those moves successful. In this case, there is a sense that Oshima is adding the effects because he likes that sound with his instrument and feels that his audience will enjoy it as well. But there are also moments where the effects seem to have been added to cover up technical mistakes, such as some of the tuning issues with “Julia Florida” and “Il Vecchio Castelo.” No classical guitarist will ever be absolutely perfect on a recording, or live for that matter, but sometimes it is those little glitches that bring a piece of music to life. By choosing to add chorus and reverb, Oshima is disguising those moments and suggesting that the effect is more of a crutch than an artistic choice.

Classical Guitar Volume 1 is a good effort by Greg Oshima, especially for someone who doesn’t perform on the instrument full time. While his choice of tone and effects may deter some listeners from enjoying the album, others will appreciate his fresh approach to the instrument. If nothing else, this album is a marker of the current state of the classical guitar, providing a glimpse of where the instrument may be headed in the future.


Review by Matthew Warnock
Rating: 3 Stars (out of 5)