Whidbey Island’s guitar master celebrates a new album, his 15th

LANGLEY — Guitar virtuoso Andre Feriante from Whidbey Island has recorded his 15th album.

Feriante, who studied with classical guitar maestro Andrés Segovia, is a world-renowned musician in his own right.

His latest album, “If Only Love,” released Oct. 1, takes the listener on a musical journey around the globe. In addition to the Spanish guitar, he plays the ronroco, harp guitar and baritone ukulele on the recording.

“I’m a multi-instrumentalist, so I’ve gotten into playing lots of different stringed instruments, but this one goes back to my roots,” said Feriante, who was born in Naples. “It’s the sound I grew up with in Italy, the classical and flamenco guitar.”

As a world-fusion guitarist, Feriante mixes classical, flamenco and Brazilian instrumental styles. He has 43 instruments in his collection, all of which are relatives of the guitar. Most recently, he’s been playing the shamisen, ruan, oud and sitar.

Although his 40-year career takes him around the globe on tour, he still finds time to perform at home in the Pacific Northwest.

Feriante is the founder of the Whidbey Island Guitar Festival, which features Northwest guitarists. He has shared the stage with the Northwest Symphony, Heart and Alice in Chains. He has headlined an annual Valentine’s Day concert at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall for 20 years. He presented TEDx Talks for Sno-Isle Libraries on “The Power of Music to Heal, Transform and Inspire” and “The Round Table of Song.” He also has hosted “La Guitarra” on Seattle’s KING-FM.

The all-instrumental songs on “If Only Love” were inspired by love, loss and life transitions. Since the release of his 14th album, “Terra de Eros,” in 2016, Feriante has lost both of his parents, moved from Seattle to Langley and ended a relationship. Now, he is navigating the music industry during a pandemic.

“It’s a pretty introspective project,” he said. “All of the songs were composed and came to me within the last few years while I’ve been living on Whidbey Island. I’ve had some difficult times, some changes in life, and that is reflected in the tone of the record.”

The 13-track recording features seven different instruments. For example, on “In the Arms of Love,” Feriante plays the harp guitar, on “The Invisible Dancers,” he plays the ronroco and, for the title track, “If Only Love,” he’s on the flamenco guitar.

“All these techniques that I learn, they start weaving into each other and coming back to my Spanish guitar,” he said. “It’s really making my playing more interesting.”

Because he is an impressionist guitarist, the beats in Feriante’s songs don’t follow standard tempos but flow with a natural pulse. He likens it to the waves of the ocean or the trickle of a stream. In that way, his albums are meant to be cathartic, relaxing or healing.

Joni Takanikos, a fellow Langley musician, has known him for three years and has become a fan. She said a quote by Andrés Segovia — “It is not so hard to be original. What is hard is to be original with continuity” — sums up Feriante perfectly. Although she also plays the guitar, Takanikos considers herself a singer-songwriter.

“He’s one of the most generous performers I’ve ever seen,” she said. “I just love his approach to music. He really is a genius when it comes to figuring out (an instrument) and playing it in a way where you feel like you’ve just been invited into the music.

“He really is a soulful player. His range is amazing.”

Takanikos said she’ll never forget when he moved to Whidbey Island four years ago. “Everybody was abuzz with ‘Oh my gosh, this internationally known guitarist has moved here to our little island.’” She knew she’d have to meet him.

At 13 years old, while a student at the Overseas School of Rome, Feriante attended a flamenco concert that sparked his love of guitar. Five years later, at 18, he launched his music career, playing Spanish guitar concerts on three continents. He studied with masters Henry Rivas, Andrés Segovia, Leon Atkinson, David Russell and Michael Lorimer, among others.

Feriante, 59, recorded a live-stream show at Ott & Hunter Winery in Langley via Facebook on Oct. 1 to celebrate the new recording. Watch the show on his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AndreFerianteMusic. The show starts at the 11-minute mark of the video.

That Facebook concert has inspired Feriante to host what he calls One Moon Studio shows, featuring musicians from around the world. On Nov. 5, Feriante plans to kick off the series with a concert that includes readings from “Slender Gods,” his book of poetry set to publish this month.

Already, Feriante is working on his 16th album, titled “Gypsy Strings,” which will feature him on a variety of stringed instruments, including the balalaika, oud and the sitar.

“I’ll put together this interesting collection of sounds from around the world,” he said. “But I have to market this one, before I get into the next one.”

Feriante has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to help pay off expenses for his latest album. Donate to Feriante’s “If Only Love” release at www.indiegogo.com/projects/andre-feriante-if-only-love-new-album#.

For more information on Andre Feriante, including his “If Only Love” album, go to www.andreferiante.com.

Sara Bruestle: 425-339-3046; sbruestle@heraldnet.com; @sarabruestle.