Interpretations by Dale Turner

It deflates all the pomposity of the original... An instant classic... I can't wait for Dale's next CD." (Our Rating: 10 Stars)

-WHISPERIN' & HOLLERIN'

"Dale Turner's INTERPRETATIONS was, at first, a little hard to get into. In fact, the first track alone left me wondering if this was a comedy CD. (By the way, it's not.) Once I got past the initial shock of an acoustic version of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' the rest of it was pretty good: 'Blackbird,' 'Hallelujah,' a slightly off-putting rendition of 'Coconut'... Even though I prefer the original versions of all these songs, I did find this album to be cool in its own right. I mean, it *is* called INTERPRETATIONS; I think that gives you creative license to do what you want."

-antiMUSIC

"Dale Turner deserves to be brought to a much wider audience. His excellent and imaginative guitar arrangements are immaculately picked and well sung."

-ACOUSTIC GUITAR WORKSHOP

"Truly amazing renditions of tunes from the 60's and 70's for acoustic guitar and voice--both hilarious at times, and just smooth and cool at other times."

-GUITARHOO.com

"Dale Turner is one of a kind. He's got his own wall to climb and parapet to peer from--outstanding in his own field. I'm a musician too and appreciate people who go their own way as does Dale."

-STEVE SEDBERRY, host ("Appalachian Trail")

WUWG Radio 90.7 FM

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Arranged and performed by acoustic guitarist/vocalist Dale Turner, INTERPRETATIONS is far from a routine ride through the classic tracks of yesteryear.

Over the course of this disc's 40 minutes, Turner takes 10 timeless tunes and steers them into largely uncharted territory--most notably in his treatment of epics like "Bohemian Rhapsody" (his one-man adaptation of this song's famed "Galileo" section is just plain scary--reminiscent of a "guitar-playing Bobby McFerrin") and funky folk freak outs like "Coconut" (an ultra-intense exploration of Nilsson's original one-chord vamp).

Applying new twists to acoustic classics like "Blackbird" (replete with Turner's bewildering "bird" sounds) and "Sweet Baby James" (played at a slower tempo, with a "swing" feel), Turner also takes on piano-based gems like "God Only Knows" (Beach Boys) and "She's Always a Woman" (Billy Joel). It is during these performances, as well as haunting renditions of "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen) and "Leader of the Band" (Dan Fogelberg), where Turner truly reveals the depths of his vocal abilities.

Meanwhile, guitar players--particularly Hendrix fans--will rejoice over the all-acoustic treatment of "Castles Made of Sand" (featuring another Turner trademark: a little "mouth guitar" solo) that appears in this set's closing moments.

All songs were played and sung "live" (i.e., no overdubs) in Turner's bedroom/home studio.

Originally recorded in December 2000 (as a Christmas gift for Turner's mother), this CD has since been "remixed"--in stunning sound quality--and is now available as the first official release on the INTIMATE AUDIO label (released January 2004).

Dedicated to Jeff Buckley, INTERPRETATIONS also features extensive liner notes paying homage to the late singer-songwriter/interpretive artist, as well as track-by-track information detailing Turner's unique arrangements.

Mandatory listening for fans of multi-faceted fretwork and edgy, eclectic vocals.

Average Customer Review: 4