"In preparing his arrangements, Weiser approaches the task of adding bass lines and inner voices with respect and skill. ... (His) results should please both classical players and folk purists,and introduce this rich tradition to a new generation of guitarists."
- Andy Ellis for Guitar Player, June 1996, in his review of my book, "Celtic Harp Music of Carolan and Others for Solo Guitar."
"Impeccably clean playing on stunningly beautiful Celtic melodies" - Mark D. Moss, Editor, Sing Out! (Comment on my 2006 CD, "Brian Boru's March").
"A sparkling smorgasbord of fingerstyle guitar" -Greg Haymes, Albany Times Union (From his review of my opening set for folkie Tom Paxton in 1998).
"A monster talent." - Jason Ringenberger (Jason and the Scorchers)
I'm an Irish-American acoustic musician (my mother was born in County Down) and a writer in the Albany, NY area. I began my musical life when I was only knee-high by singing in church. At 13 I took up guitar, studying first classical then acoustic fingerstyle, and from there I went on to learn banjo, harmonica, mandolin, and fiddle.
As well as teaching private music lessons, I perform traditional Celtic music, acoustic blues, and folk music in the Northeast, and write as a music reviewer for Metroland, Albany's alternative newsweekly. I have also written for Acoustic Guitar, Sing Out!, and Acoustic Musician magazines, and am the author of four Celtic fingerstyle guitar books and
three harmonica books.
Besides my solo project, I play Celtic music with Greg Schaaf in the duo Byrne and Barrett and acoustic jam-band music with Dave Danks in the duo Dancing Bear. (mp3s of both duos are online on my website, celticguitarmusic.com).
My solo fingerstyle guitar CD, "Brian Boru's March" contains my published solo arrangements of Celtic fiddle, harp, and bagpipe music performed on vintage prewar Martins (I'm holding a 1931 0-21 in the picture), and is available from my website. You can hear selections from my CD right here.
I was also at the original Woodstock festival in 1969, and when you can look back on Jimi Hendrix playing "The Star-Spangled Banner," being old enough to join AARP doesn't feel so bad. So check out my music, visit my website, and join my posse if you like what you read and hear.
