Though Seldom Revealed :: Quotes and Reviews

"WOW, Though Seldom Revealed is incredible. One of the best things you two have done. The playing and communication is off the charts here. Huge congratulations to both of you."

- Mark Wingfield (UK)
Guitarist, composer

"I listened to Though Seldom Revealed, and you have gifted my days with a series of great works. This was especially uplifting for me. Congratulations, you have created a great thing."

- Balazs Major (HUNGARY)
Percussion artist

"Today I had time to listen to Though Seldom Revealed carefully. Congratulations! Musically point of view, it is one of the best so far, if not the best with Carl. You have incredible chemistry with Carl. Congratulations on your new release with Carl. It is beautiful music, very special. I also like the sound, how you illustrated the sound sources. I imagined a big church where I sit 10 meters away from the instruments. It is very lifelike, as if it were recorded there."

- Sandor Szabo (HUNGARY)
Guitarist/composer

Kevin Kastning / Sándor Szabó — To Capture the Light
(Greydisc GDR3596, 2025, CD / DL)

Kevin Kastning / Carl Clements — Though Seldom Revealed
(Greydisc GDR3598, 2025, CD / DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2025-12-04

"The two titles under review capture guitarist Kevin Kastning in collaboration with two members of his inner circle, Hungarian guitarist Sándor Szabó, and American saxophonist / flutist Carl Clements. On some of the previous recordings — particularly the three part Convergence series from 2020 to 2023, Kastning, Szabó and Clements composed and played together; this time Kastning works with each of them individually in duo settings, and the results are nothing short of exceptional. To Capture the Light is all guitars, Szabó on his six- and sixteen-string classical guitars, Kastning with his seventeen-string sub-contra guitar, eighteen-string contraguitar, thirty-string contra-baritone guitar, thirty-string double contraguitar, and twenty-four string double sub-contraguitar. That’s a lot of guitars and a lot of strings — go to Kastning’s website and click on ‘instruments’ and prepare to be amazed. I don’t believe there are any overdubs here — on first listen one might believe that this is some kind of gentle inspired improvisation between the two guitarists, but then again, Kastning recorded his parts in York County, Maine, and Szabó recorded his parts in Vac, Hungary (as well as mixing and mastering the results splendidly), so one or the other guitarist had to start each of the album’s ten pieces. Many gems here, including “And Carries Outward,” “A Universal Forever,” and the closer “Within Light Capturing,” but honestly it’s easy to get immersed in any of these pieces, each is a world unto their own.

On Though Seldom Revealed, Kastning plays most of the aforementioned guitars, while Clements plays soprano and tenor saxes, as well as alto flute. Unlike the finely tangled chemistry of two intertwining guitarists, here Kastning and Clements have very different roles, the former providing a rhythm, foundation, and overall environment, and the latter providing melodic solos throughout the album’s seven tracks, which tend to be somewhat longer that those on To Capture the Light. The overall feeling here is more dreamy and spacious, each player often pausing to give the other a chance to make a brief solo statement. All of the tracks herein were recorded on the same day at the same studio, so there is a good chance this represents a live improvisation, composed and performed in real time. With the instrumentation at hand, this one seems more in line with much of the ECM jazz records of the early to mid-70s, like John Abercrombie or early Pat Metheny (whom Kastning studied under). More than anything, Though Seldom Revealed conjures up a feeling of peace, tracks like “Neither Night Nor Water,” opener “Now a Path, Now a Journey,” and “Its Own Season” all go far to underscore that feeling."

- Exposé Magazine (US)
December 2025

Kevin Kastning & Carl Clements - 2025 - Though Seldom Revealed
December 26, 2025
by Kev Rowland

(47:22; Greydisc)

"Before I had the opportunity to review Kevin’s latest album with Sandor Szabo a new one arrived, this time featuring Carl Clements on their eighth outing together, so it is only fitting to review this one at the same time. This is a very different release to the one Kevin recently completed with Szabo as he provides 17-string Sub-contraguitar, 18-string Contraguitar, 24-string Double Sub-contraguitar, 30-string Double Contraguitar while Carl is on Tenor and Soprano saxophones plus Alto flute, so a very different musical offering indeed. Also, it follows the normal way of Kevin’s recordings in that it was undertaken in just one day, 23rd January 2025.

Here we find Carl often taking the lead, with Kevin providing support in very unusual manners and configurations, allowing Carl to develop his sound and motifs, knowing that Kevin is there with his multi-stringed instruments to assist him in taking the music in directions which are both unusual and powerful. It is music which demands the listener to do just that, interrupted and preferably on headphones so one can savour what is taking place. I recently listened to this at night while sipping a locally produced slow gin and it really was the perfect match, with the delicate flavours somehow blending with the musical invention taking place between my ears. Again the use of space is a powerful force, and Kevin knows when to take a step back and to let Carl shine with no accompaniment, and when to lift his presence up a notch, the result being something which is wonderfully fragile but made of gossamer steel. Another delight from Greydisc."

- Progressor Magazine (UZBEKISTAN)
December 2025

"American guitarist Kevin Kastning is known as a multi-stringed guitar player (contraguitars with 17, 18, 24, and 30 strings, sometimes even on two necks!). He boasts a discography of over 50 albums! Once or twice a year, he records a new album in duo with one of his musician friends. Over the years, this has resulted in a fine collection. Kevin Kastning and Carl Clements are currently on their eighth collaboration. Based in Massachusetts, Carl Clements plays tenor and soprano saxophone and alto flute. He leans towards free jazz, as can be heard on some tracks. On others, his music is gentler. The album "Though Seldom Revealed" is the sequel to their 2024 release, "Partitas Book 1." And there are even more to come… I'll be playing a first track on the show on December 2nd, 2025."

- Radio Air Libre (BELGIUM)