I shouldn’t have to introduce you to Nokie. He was a member of the Ventures and is well-known in guitar circles. Knowing that and nothing else about him will leave you very surprised about this album.

Nokie proves himself a versatile player, full of interesting licks and a master at playing melodies. There’s killer bends (“Summertime”), beautiful descending runs (“Tequila Sunrise”), chickin’-pickin’ double stops (“Carvin’ It Out”), and lots more.

His sense of melody is uncanny. Check out his take on “Georgia On My Mind.” Same with “The Windmills of Your Mind.” Two old chestnuts that sound very fresh here. Just to show he’s paying attention, he covers “Revelation,” a tune written by Yellowjacket Russ Ferrante, but the best known version is probably by guitar ace Robben Ford. Nokie does a really nice job with it, soloing beautifully, and handling the written melody.

I love this album. Edwards proves himself the complete guitarist. Recommended.