Nicolas Meier World Group - Elysian Drift (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Smile
02. Elysian Drift
03. The Last Tango
04. Discover the World
05. Colossal
06. Mystical
07. Beneath the Turquoise
08. Mesa
09. A Night in Sant Cugat
10. Clouds
11. Kekova Sunset
12. Hymn to Freedom

Nicolas Meier (nylon string fretted and fretless guitars; steel string & 12 string guitars; glissentar; jazz guitar); Demi Garcia Sabat (percussion); Richard Jones (violin); Tom Mason (acoustic bass); Alex Hutton (piano); Randolph Matthews (vocals); José Almarcha (flamenco guitar on ‘A Night In Sant Cugat)

Some people collect mementos or souvenirs on their travels, but Nicolas Meier collects sounds and sonic inspirations. The Swiss-born guitarist, who resides in the UK, absorbs the sounds of the places he visits and then integrates them into his music. The result is an album that has sounds from afar as the Middle East and Turkey, and North Africa and South America. On this record, jazz meets Flamenco, the Tango, folk and much more.

Nicolas Meier is one of those musicians whose output leaves you breathless. Still only fifty-three, he has released a dozen solo albums, and numerous band albums including his trio and the World Group – this is the latter’s third release. He has also recorded more than half a dozen guitar duo albums with Peter Oxley, and plays in a heavy metal band. Meier’s guitar virtuosity caught the attention of the late Jeff Beck and they played together on two world tours.

The World Group is normally a quartet composed of Meier, percussionist Demi Garcia Sabat, bassist Tom Mason and violinist Richard Jones, but on this album the line-up is augmented by pianist Richard Jones and vocalist Randolph Matthews, who add lots of new tones, textures and colours to the music. Flamenco guitarist José Almarcha makes a guest appearance on one track.

Meier mostly plays acoustic guitar, and a Glissentar, which is a cross between an oud and a classical guitar. There is also a light sprinkling of jazz guitar here and there.

The album has a dozen songs on this album, ten of them composed by Meier. The opening number is a cover of Charlie Chaplin’s song ‘Smile.’ Like Jeff Beck (who once recorded ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’), Meier has a keen ear for a strong melody and he was inspired to cover this when he visited Chaplin’s former home in Switzerland. This cover is a powerful rendition, with a soaring vocal performance by Randolph Matthews.