(PR) As a boy growing up in England, Peter Frampton adored the music of instrumental bands like the Shadows and the Ventures, as well as a potpourri of the popular jazz, blues and classical guitarists that were vital to youth at the time. Before long, he set out on an influential career in music of his own, eventually selling out arenas and garnering multi-platinum sales. Frampton returns to his roots with Fingerprints, finally culminating his lifelong dream of recording an instrumental album in the spirit of his first musical heroes. A&M/New Door Records/UME will release the album September 12. In a career full of accolades, Frampton is particularly proud of Fingerprints: "This has been the CD I've been waiting to make all my life. Every track has been a wonderful challenge, pushing me to raise my own bar again and again."
With a stellar cast of players, Frampton traverses a diversity of material on Fingerprints, from American soul to Latin balladry and all-out rock tunes. To help bring his childhood musical dream to life, Frampton invited Rolling Stones Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman to play on "Cornerstones"; original Shadows members Hank Marvin and Brian Bennett to perform with him on "My Cup of Tea"; and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready and Matt Cameron join him for a cover of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" and the original "Blowin' Smoke."
Fingerprints also reveals Frampton's penchant for American roots music, especially on "Blooze," featuring Warren Haynes on slide guitar, and "Double Nickels" featuring Nashville virtuoso Paul Franklin on pedal steel. Frampton trades licks with British saxophone legend Courtney Pine on the blues rocker "Boot It Up." He and guitarist/co-producer Gordon Kennedy play harmonizing electric guitars on "Float," another album highlight. Another guitar virtuoso, John Jorgenson, joins Frampton on the Django Reinhardt-style "Souvenirs De Nos Pθres."
Fingerprints follows Frampton's critically acclaimed 2003 release, Now, which prompted The Washington Post to proclaim, "Frampton comes alive again." In another review, the BBC described Frampton's playing as "faultless throughout." The Associated Press said, "When it comes to fiery, guitar-drenched rock, Frampton delivers."
The consistency of Frampton's playing was also affirmed when he earned a "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" Grammy nomination for Live in Detroit (2000). In 2001, Universal released the 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of the 1976 landmark Frampton Comes Alive, to much acclaim. The album remains one of the most successful live albums of all time and continues to influence generations of young artists.
