Love's Work by Zachary Cale

Love's Work is the first instrumental album by NY based songwriter/musician Zachary Cale. With his signature fingerstyle guitar technique at the forefront, the album highlights Cale's natural sense of melody and movement.

Although referencing the John Fahey / Robbie Basho (et al) Guitar Soli genre, the album encompasses a larger brew of influence. Collaborating with the improvisational prowess of percussionist Jeremy Gustin and bassist Shahzad Ismaily, Cale's compositions are unconstrained and free flowing, bringing to mind jazz players like drummer Billy Higgins work with Sandy Bull, and the expansive acid-folk of forward thinking roots musicians like Michael Cooper.

Even without Cale's distinctive singing, these tracks are filled with lush melodies: the foundations of his song-craft. Many of the key tracks on the album feature the violin playing duo Arun Ramamurthy and Trina Basu. The elegance of their playing lifts the emotional weight of Cale's melodies, bringing buoyancy and brightness where it needs it. Pianist Robert Boston (Emergency Group) and Steel Guitarist JR Bohannon (Torres) add even more dimension to the pieces. Cale himself adds layers of ambient synthesizer to tie the tracks together, accentuating the drones of the open-tuned guitar patterns and the tonal harmony of the overall group.

Love's Work plays like a soundtrack to an imaginary film, the pieces flowing like movements in a classical suite.

RIYL: Takoma Records, ECM, Jim O Rourke, The Hired Hand Soundtrack, Penguin Orchestra Cafe, William Tyler, Popol Vuh, Elkhorn, Aux Meadows, Sandy Bull, The Dirty Three, Glenn Jones, Richard Thompson

Love’s Work out October 3rd 2025

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