Fibonacci's Dream

Sharply weaving together his dual passions for mathematics and music — and letting us know in no uncertain terms how the fields are connected — San Francisco based composer and finger-style guitarist Lawrence Blatt makes beautiful, seductive, and highly rhythmic acoustic music while paying homage to one of the greatest mathematicians of all time on Fibonacci's Dream, his thoughtful follow-up to 2007 instrumental debut Out of the Woodwork, which was subtitled "Eclectic Modern Compositions for the Acoustic Guitar." Both projects consist of mesmerizing layers of guitar work decorated with compelling melodies and exciting percussive moods. On Fibonacci's Dream, Blatt complements his steel and nylon string guitars with textures of charango, a South American ten-stringed instrument derived from the lute; acoustic bass; ukulele; a 100-year old bowl-back mandolin; piano (on the gently reflective "I Remember When"); and various organic percussion instruments. Intrigued by Fibonacci mathematics, Blatt thought it would be interesting to use these numbers in his composing, exploring the relationships of them in the chords, melodies, and rhythms of the music. Rather than sounding academic and sterile, Blatt's mathematical musings provide a creative springboard for a collection that is vibrantly melodic, joyfully percussive, and, above all, instantly accessible. Certain songs were inspired by traveling, including the opener "Bern "the Bear"" (which he wrote while on a trip to the capital of Switzerland) and "I Remember When," which he composed thinking of places and people in the past while visiting Kauai. "Una Vida (One Life)" celebrates the Latin influence in the culture of California, while "Song for Chava," which he wrote for his daughter's 13th birthday, has an Eastern European lilt in a slight wink to his heritage. The first piece he wrote was the title track, which is loaded with Fibonacci math and inspired the rest of the album; its middle section features a melody played in the sequence of Fibonacci numbered phrases.