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Reviews from both the self-titled album and 'Omniumgatherum' releases are posted for your perusal. Both American as well as international press have taken the time to take a listen.

The Progressive Newsletter.  German review by Kristian Selm.  Translated by Christine Ward

    Pure guitar, or any keyboard album (or instrumental album)  lives with particular biases, that for the most part is glaringly real. Too often they serve to document a soloists ability as a means to eternity and stupidly forget that music should not only be the line up of notes but that one should not miss the opportunity  to give the songs structure.

    The guitarist Curtis Reid from Arizona overcomes the first hurdle without display of ego or ulterior motives because he derives his aid from various guest musicians, so that he can concentrate on his particular style of playing.  This compliments the rhythmic band naturally, who play out of real emotion and  it is not canned in sound.

    Stylistically, it progresses in the direction of guitar rock without speedy playing or frills, simply with heart that quickly comes to it's point.  It rocks, it grooves, sometimes the guitar synthesizer takes you out in to the outer limits, Curtis Reid goes through the guitar pieces with variety, sometimes with Dixie Dreg feeling, sometimes real cool strokes over the strings.

    Hey, where's the critique? There was the second point I mentioned in the beginning, namely the quality of the song. This , at least at first glance, is the strength  and at the same time the weakness of the album. The songs have about the same qualitative Niveau, which means, that no song really stands out. The right form was chosen but expression still must be perfected. 

    Nevertheless, the album took the right first steps in the correct direction.

Southwest Blues - Matt Alcott

    Although there is much that the guitar teacher and player's music owes to the blues, the majority of this CD lies honestly (and this is a good thing) away from the typical blue note and pentatonic scale progressions often found within the genre.

    "Kingsport," a three-piece (bass, drum and guitar) tune about a town where Reid once lived as a child gets things nicely started. "Lot 49" follows and is a three-minute and 59-second mellow number named after the book "The Crying of Lot 49" by Pynchon. Reid breaks out the guitar synthesizer for "Brigs of Ayr," a song about a haunting and mysterious picture he and his wife found while on their honeymoon in England.

    A Songbird acoustic guitar joins the session on the instrumental "The Dying Tree," a touching and tender memorial to all whom gave their lives during the Civil War. "August 8," a symphonic poem for string orchestra that changed Reid's life after first hearing produces one of the CDs most enjoyable moments. Reid has mastered the guitar synthesizer as well as music composition/theory and it shows on this eight-minute and 20-second atmospheric number.

    His blues background reappears on "Terrise," a guitar-driven number that Reid's liner notes describes as "a world that musician's refer to as 'the zone.'" The CD's only cover is a tune written by Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, and Kansas) called "Aftershock" ("cover songs rock.").

    The Arizona resident has waxed a fine jazz/rock-fusion album that admirers of early Jeff Beck will find stimulating. Reid does make the occasional trip out of Arizona and even the country (Canada) for a music festival or three. If his name appears in a local music calendar listing, you just might want to go and check him and his proficient guitar phrasing out. Betcha' end up buying one of his CDs.

Background Magazine

Curtis Reid | Curtis Reid

    For the guitar aficionado's amongst us here's a release you might like. Curtis Reid's CD takes you through various guitar workouts in the Steve Morse / Dixie Dregs mode, like the opening track "Kingsport", which will be labeled as "an unknown track by Steve Morse" in any blind listening session. But there's more, like the nice acoustic track, also "The Dark Page" and the surprisingly electronic/soundscape-like eight minute piece "Terrise".  A fine debut album and a varied melodic rock album

***+(Maurice/Carsten)

Prog-résiste Magazine.  French review by Fred Delmotte.  Translated by Guy LeBlanc.

    Curtis Reid is an american guitarist. (He) Fell into a pool of Rock when just a lad, his grandma bought him his first guitar and some solfegio lessons. (this refers to the french comic book character Asterix). Later, he would take musical theory and composition. Today, at the age of 37, Curtis is a professional musician and guitar teacher.

    Labeling Curtis Reid to a particular genre is not an easy thing to do. He defines his music thusly: « Sometimes it  rocks. And sometimes it rolls !».

    And he's certainly not wrong on that point, given the musical directions expounded on his disc. So, thanks to the use of his arsenal of guitars, one will travel from 70s nostalgic Rock to the more modern Satriani style,  from the acoustic piece (a superb ballad dedicated to those who gave their lives fighting in the American civil war) to the more complex pieces which show his true progressive character. The whole is very well paced,
pleasant, and beaty done by a guitar-bass-drums trio (reminiscent of Rush) which has perfectly mastered its subject. The clever use of the synth guitar adds a nice touch to an already very melodic ensemble and an atmospheric tone to August 8. One will also note the Steve Morse contribution with the piece "Aftershock". 

    All these things have brought  Curtis Reid to the attention of the American rock press. And one must recognize the truth of his great musical mastery, his ability to produce a quality sound (the production is  impeccable) and the kind of ease he emanates which makes him a sort of anti-guitar-hero. One can only hope that this disc will not become lost in the pile of new releases this quarter.

20th Century Guitar Magazine

GATEWAY RECORDS -  Arizona-based guitarist Curtis Reid strikes a compelling chord on his second solo album, Omnigatherum.  Reid covers a lot of musical variety here — ranging in tone from an ECM-inspired Pat Metheny-style to a more driving Steve Morse / Alan Holdsworth flavored fusion.  There’s also some stately New Age sounding moments featuring the serene background vocals of Aimee Davis.  Reid is backed by some fine players including Guy LeBlanc (Hammond organ),  Mario Mendivil (bass),  Gary Bruzzese and Dan Tomlinson (both drums).  However his passionate guitar and synth playing always commands the center spotlight. Reid even steps to the mic for the album’s one vocal — a Steely Dan-inspired tune dedicated to Jimi Hendrix called "James Marshall".  Striking cover art gives a good indication of the creative surge of guitar innovation at work here. www.curtis-reid.com  

Get Out Magazine | The Mesa Tribune

Get Out Magazine |  An Interview in the Local Spotlight

Progression Magazine

The Arizona Republic | A review by Eric Searleman.

Progression Magazine

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Exposé

The Charleston Free Time