On International Steel Guitar, David Belmont returns to original World/New Age material. The album features David on dobro (on every track!) and the stellar cello playing of Brent Arnold. The material was all written or arranged in a 6-month period between mid-July, 2013 and mid-January, 2014...an experiment in compressed creativity. And we're quite happy with the results. Bamboo Scaffold, inspired by an old vinyl record of Chinese music from the 1960s, is the first recording of unaccompanied instrumental music that David has released. A centerpiece of the album is the spontaneously composed tour de force Alizadeh, a 26-minute duet in which Brent and David weave sonic tapestries based on various Persian melodies from the Iranian master musician and composer Hossein Alizadeh (check out some of his CDs on CD Baby). As has been our wont, there are a couple of eclectic cover tunes in the mix: an acoustic psychedelic version of The Doors' I Can't See Your Face In My Mind and a chamber arrangement of the Frank Zappa classic Watermelon In Easter Hay. Special shout out to Dweezil and Zappa Plays Zappa for performing this beautiful composition as the encore at their Halloween, 2013 Beacon Theatre show. Had to work it up after hearing that! Even some African sounds on this CD. The tune Guhahamuka was developed during the rehearsal process for Katori Hall's Children of Killers at the Castillo Theatre. Kudos to director Emily Mendelsohn and the young/youthful cast. And for fans of American solo guitar music, we have a piece in the style of Leo Kottke. Hope you enjoy this latest world adventure!