A Piece Of Time
The Golden Wire
Earthly Pleasures
Imagine You
Vigango
Blues For Snake
The Island Of Silk
Journey Through Blue Regions
Piya Tose
Rain Forest In Manhattan
A Thousand Stones

Produced by Andy Summers & David Hentschel

Recorded by David Hentschel assisted by Dennis Smith
at Evoke Studios, Venice California, November and December 1988 and also at Mad Hatter Studios Los Angeles. California assisted by Darren Mora, November, 1998

All technical assistance and loop recording by Dennis Smith

Mixed at The Complex, Los Angeles, California by David Hentschel assisted by Sharon Rice, January 1989.

Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering,
Los Angeles, California.

Special thanks to Bob Bradshaw

David Hentschel plays Ensoniq Keyboards
Kurt Wortman plays Remo Products and Paiste Cymbals
Andy Summers plays on this record.

All compositions published by 1988 Evoke Music
administered worldwide by Listening Room Music Inc. BMI

ISLAND OF SILK published by 1988 Evoke Music BMI/David Hentschel Music PRS

PIYA TOSE (Copyright Control)

Extra special thanks to Najma for travelling so far and singing so beautifully.

Photography: Glen Erler
Art Direction: Norman Moore
Jimmy Haslip appears courtesy of MCA Records

Paul McCandless appears courtesy of Portrait Records and Windham Hill Records

Private Music 1989

ANDY SUMMERS THE GOLDEN WIRE (PRIVATE MUSIC NEWS) 05.89 BY TIMOTHY WHITE

As any picker who's ever attempted to cop his chord patterns and pealing Police-era harmonics can attest, Andy Summers can be a marvelous (and demanding) stylist, composer and technician. Yet his uncommonly rich and fluid approach has slowly become eclipsed in the rock lexicon by the giddy dexterities of Eddie Van Halen or the motley grandstanding of Joe Satriani. Sure, Summers remained plenty productive after the Police disbanded in the mid-'80s, knocking out a string of rather outre solo albums while also scoring such successful movies as Down and Out in Beverly Hills. Yet the fire and invention of yore grew sporadic at best, making many feel he required the trappings of arena-band megastardom in order to shine. In one deft stroke, The Golden Wire is likely to dispel that estimation for good.

By turns spooky, propulsive and spellbinding, The Golden Wire is a guitar paced cascade of rock, jazz, blues and classically textured world beat that translates into 11 exquisite numbers. The support crew for the album is intriguing, including keyboardist/co-producer David Hentschel, Doug Lunn and Yellowjacket Jimmy Haslip on bass, Paul McCandless of Oregon on brass and reeds, drummer Kurt Wortman and, on one transcendent track, Anglo-Indian singer Najma Akhtar; the sound they achieve under Summers' guidance is extraordinary. But the ultimate strengths of The Golden Wire are in the playing and song structures. From the impeccable sonic vocabulary of "A Piece of Time" to the siren-pitched guitar and banjo exclamations of "Vigango," there is a sure sense of tension and release on each story-like track. Throughout, the rhythm section offers enough sensual drama and melodic atmospherics to give both Bryan Ferry and Enya a few contemporary pointers; while the art of constructing pan-cultural rock soundscapes hits new heights when Summers' instrument embraces Najma's ecstatically sexy vocals on "Piya Tose". This is music born for CD, its surges and subtleties a delight.

For Andy Summers, The Golden Wire is the guitar equivalent of Peter Gabriel's So, a personal and artistic breakthrough which becomes an instant treasure. Those with a sense of rock history also are reminded that, for its alumni, no band is an island.

- Timothy White