Release Date: May 11, 2018
Catalog #: RR7988
Format: Digital & Physical
21st Century
Romantic
Solo Instrumental
Guitar

The Fifth Row

An Acoustic Tour of Historic Theaters

Stuart Weber composer, guitar

Find your seat and settle in with THE FIFTH ROW, the latest album by guitarist Stuart Weber. These twelve compositions, recorded in several historic American theaters, employ Weber’s strong yet delicate guitar playing along with the acoustics of the rooms in which he recorded.

Combining elements of classical and folk, Weber embraces the elegance of high-brow compositions as well as the grit of stripped-down Americana. Conversely, Weber’s interpretation of “America The Beautiful” cracks the hardened shell of the country’s staple song and exposes the pearl underneath that brings a brand new, marvelous way of looking at the classic.

Weber’s folk and classical elements are diversified throughout the album. “Spanish Creek” combines elements of the tango and flamenco guitar, while the “Jefferson Waltz” maintains that triple time rhythm to inspire the famous gliding dance.

Under the influence of the legendary Christopher Parkening, Weber finds his own sound through the humanizing element of folk in his compositions. He employs as much of an Andrés Segovia influence as he does a Jackson Browne influence. With Weber playing off of the acoustics in the performance halls in which he recorded the album, the experience of listening to this album feels as though the listener is sitting in the front row, hearing the pluck of every finger in real time.

Listen

Hear the full album on YouTube

Track Listing & Credits

# Title Composer Performer
01 Bourrée alla polacca Georg Philipp Telemann Stuart Weber, guitar 3:06
02 8 Humoresques, Op. 101, B. 187 (Arr. for Guitar) Antonín Dvořák Stuart Weber, guitar 3:23
03 Sacagawea Stuart Weber Stuart Weber, guitar 3:12
04 Lute Sonata No. 18 in D Major: VII. Passacaglia Sylvius Leopold Weiss Stuart Weber, guitar 3:43
05 Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father Randy Newman Stuart Weber, guitar 2:50
06 Spanish Creek Stuart Weber Stuart Weber, guitar 6:31
07 10 Easy Piano Pieces, Sz. 39, BB 51: No. 5, Evening in the Country (Arr. for Guitar) Béla Bartók Stuart Weber, guitar 2:51
08 Jefferson Waltz Stuart Weber Stuart Weber, guitar 2:33
09 Toccata (Darkness) Stuart Weber Stuart Weber, guitar 1:42
10 Walk Away Stuart Weber Stuart Weber, guitar 3:02
11 America the Beautiful (Arr. for Guitar) Samuel A. Ward Stuart Weber, guitar 2:10

Track 1 – Recorded at the Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan UT
Track 2 – Recorded at the Wilma Theatre in Missoula MT
Track 3 – Recorded at the Fort Peck Theatre in Fort Peck MT
Track 4 – Recorded at the Wyo Theater in Sheridan WY
Track 5 – Recorded at the Central City Opera House in Central City CO
Track 6 – Recorded at the Washoe Theatre in Anaconda MT
Track 7 – Recorded at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride CO
Track 8 – Recorded at the Opera House Theatre in Philipsburg MT
Track 9 – Recorded at the Panida Theatre in Sandpoint ID
Track 10 – Recorded at the Wilson Theater in Rupert ID
Track 11 – Recorded at the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman MT

Editing
Peak Recording and Sound  Bozeman MT

Mixing & Mastering
Airshow Mastering
Boulder CO

Microphones
Neumann KM183 (House)
DPA 4011 (Guitar)
Millennia HV-3D Microphone Preamp

Recorder
Sound Devices 744T

Photography
Audrey Hall

A Special Thanks To
All the theater managers and their staffs for their dedicated service, and for accommodating my inconvenient requests; the State Arts councils of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming for their support of these venues; Jeffrey Elliot for building me such a beautiful guitar

Executive Producer Bob Lord

Executive A&R Sam Renshaw
A&R Director Brandon MacNeil
A&R Jacob Smith

General Manager of Audio & Sessions Jan Košulič
Recording Sessions Director Levi Brown
Audio Director Lucas Paquette

VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming
Publicity Patrick Niland, Sara Warner

Artist Information

Stuart Weber

Composer, Guitarist

Stuart Weber's passion for the guitar was ignited early on when at age 12 when a cousin loaned him a flood-ravaged folk guitar. Undaunted by its poor condition, Weber began a ravenous period of self-study, which carried him through his teenage years and beyond.