Recorded in July at the Dublin International Guitar Festival, this new live album from guitarists Williams and Etheridge is an effervescent jewel box of colour. It embraces everything from the West African makossa 'Sangara' by Cameroonian-born composer, singer and multi instrumentalist Francis Babey to the baroque stylings of 'Slow Dub', by way of a medatitive reading of the delightful 'La Ultima Cancion by the great Paraguayan guitarist-composer Augustin Barrios Mangore. Other highlights include the high octane 'Extra Time' which segues seamlessly from a Bach-inspired opening to the inticatelyrhythms of it's minimalist conclusion, the dazzling interplay of Malinke Guitars in which the duo sound at thei most Kora like, the three movementt 'Peace, Love and Guitars' by Ben Verdery and the haunting simplicuty of Mitopia by the Madagascan composer Rossy.
Etheridge contributes a brace of tunes, the evocative and harmonically dexterous ballad 'Strange Comforts' plus the Gallic flavoured waltz 'Places Between'
Peter Quinn
read Jazzwise review

For many years now, I have been heading up the M1 for an annual series of club dates in Yorkshire with my comrades in arm, Ben Crossland and Dave Tyas. These gigs fall nicely between the hit and miss of a pick up band and the structures of a fully rehearsed outfit. Ben and Dave are perfect for this - a strong, flexible and resourceful rhythm unit. Although we stay within more or less straight-ahead format, we have a broad range of colour and texture.
The album is the first I've done for some time playing extended tunes 'live' in the studio as you would hear on a typical gig. It's also a chance to put down some compositions of mine that were conceived as live vehicles and have not been previously recorded, as well as a new composition by Ben. It is also good to feature classic songs from outside the normal jazz repertoire. The results are an honest and successful representation of the work we have as a trio over the years. Let's keep rolling.
John Etheridge

"John Etheridge is a versatile guitarist whose wizardry enables him to produce a whole anthology of unexpected sounds from a wide range of guitars. Here’s a rattling piece that I find so exciting that I feel no need to apologise for calling its timbre ‘the apotheosis of the curtain wire".
Humphrey Lyttelton. Best Of Jazz. Radio 2.
November 2006.

Dave Gelly. The Observer. wrote:
Thirteen violin-and-guitar duets may not sound like an exciting proposition, but this is a most remarkable album. The range of expression, originality of ideas and boldness of execution puts it in a class of its own. Etheridge has been called 'one of the best guitarists in the world ' by no less a figure than Pat Metheny, and on this showing that's the plain truth. Garrick, a former prodigy, can swing with the best of them, but there's also warmth, lyricism and a lot of wit. The programme is inspired, too, with themes by everyone from Duke Ellington to William Walton, by way of Ennio Morricone.

Northern Echo wrote:
Virtuoso performances here from two extremely talented performers performing on a variety of violins and guitars. Jazz is just one part of this wide ranging set which includes folk, classical and many other influences. It's simply stunning at times.

Birmingham Post wrote:
Etheridge is a guitarist for all seasons and all situations - whether reworking Frank Zappa or paying homage to Django Reinhardt.
Garrick is a violinist with a thoroughly personal voice on the instrument and the technique to be able to express it eloquently.
Together they work their way through a range of music from the majestic English folk of Richard Thompson's title track, to the delicacy of film themes from both William Walton and Ennio Morricone, the traditional Londonderry Air, some Astor Piazzola from his southern hemisphere answer to Vivaldi's Four Seasons and, of course, a couple of Hot Club of France tunes. Garrick.. a sensitive melodic touch and a wide range of timbre and emotional resonance. Etheridge, of course, delights on every level.

After many years of featuring solo interludes in concerts and on record augmented by the occasional entirely solo performance, John Etheridge has made an album of guitar pieces – some formal, some less structured, using a variety of guitars especially fretless and a six string guitar with lowered bass strings, as well as the conventional instrument.
Etheridge has produced a varied and engrossing CD which has already been described by Charles Alexander of Jazzwise as “a real winner of an album”.
The CD was officially released on June 14th and will be distributed by New Note.

John Etheridge - 'I Didn't Know' (Dyad DY024)
This is the kind of album to make you glad you're not a guitarist. How can anyone achieve this level, not just of skill but of musical inclusiveness? Nothing seems to be beyond Etheridge's grasp. He can spin a simple old spiritual, 'Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child', into four minutes of almost abstract melody, then follow it with an undeniably funky 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy' and make both sound complete and perfect. Maybe that's why he hasn't yet been hailed as a superstar - there's just too much of him to fit into any known marketing category. This astonishing set of 16 numbers, solo apart from a few discreet overdubs, also exhibits Etheridge the composer, who turns out to be equally impressive. This is one not to miss.
The Observer

see the outstanding reviews of 'I Didn't Know' launch at the Pizza Express.

1. In
2. Ash
3. Venerable Bede
4. IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY
5. Baiere
6. Chips
7. INFANT EYES
8. UGETSU
9. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS
10. LITTLE WING
11. 81
12. Out

This DVD features 12 very different guitarists, men who helped to shape the face of rock. Includes footage by Paul Kossof of Free, Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, Robin Trower, Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Rory Gallagher, John Etheridge of Soft Machine, Jan Ackermann of Focus, Vernon Reed, Steve Hackett, Steve Howe, Mick Box of Uriah Heep and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.