Gordon, Kottke channel Caribbean August 30, 2005- The Technician (North Carolina State University) By Hisham Salama Album Review - Sixty Six Steps It has been a year since Phish played its final shows during a two-day festival in Coventry, Vt. While the band is no longer a collective unit, its members have furthered their solo careers by touring with new bands and releasing new studio albums. Sixty Six Steps is the second installment from masterful guitarist Leo Kottke and longtime Phish bassist Mike Gordon. The two paired up after the request from Gordon to release a second studio album. The music for Sixty Six Steps was written and arranged in Costa Rica, followed by recording sessions in the Bahamas. The music on the album is relaxing and tranquil, allowing the listener to hear each note Kottke and Gordon play. The guitar work from each is essentially flawless. The good feelings from Central America and the Caribbean have landed on the album. ³Ya Mar,² which Phish made a staple at their concerts, is included on the album. Gordon and Kottke have covered the song during past live shows, but the studio version includes electric guitars and percussion, which make the sound complete. Another classic cover on the album is Aerosmith¹s ³Sweet Emotion.² The Mike-and-Leo take is so mellow and smooth, it is difficult to recognize. Gordon further displays his musical talent by adding a banjo to this track, making it truly sweet. Other key tracks on the album are ³Twice,² a slow, melodic song written by Kottke, and ³Can¹t Hang,² a more upbeat track with bass and percussion taking control of the sound, written by Gordon. If you are a true music lover you will thoroughly enjoy this disc. Not often do two great musicians from opposite ends of the spectrum come together to collaborate and release music. Review © 2005 The Technician (NCS University)