Published: September 29, 2000

On 13 intriguing instrumentals, Johnson, an Arkansas-born, Nashville-based guitar virtuoso, evokes an unusual array of sounds from his oddly tuned six- and 12-string instruments. Sounding at times like the folk-jazz combo Oregon (participants here include that unit's Paul McCandless on oboe, English horn and soprano sax), Johnson offers gorgeous melodies and new spins on standards such as Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" and "Happy Talk" from "South Pacific" along with playful originals like "Freestone Peach."