Levitation I  

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

This is first installment in the two-album Levitation series. It features Kevin Kastning on 36-string Double Contraguitar, and Laszlo Gardony on piano. Levitation I was recorded in Maine on a summer day in August 2021. The six closely-related compositions of Levitation I inhabit a world equally informed by jazz and modern classical chamber compositions. Kevin and Laszlo possess a rare and special artistic bond, creating musical structures that are at once dense, fiery, intricate, and delicate.  This is the first time that the 36-string Double Contraguitar has been paired in duet with piano, and the results are both startling and beautiful.

“With Levitation I, Kevin has finally reached the mountain top...”

- Echoes and Dust (US)

 August 2022

“This is an album which is an absolute delight. Kevin and Laszlo inspire each other to create something which can be as delicate as raindrops or as powerful as a storm.”

- House of Prog Magazine/Radio (ENGLAND)

 July 2022

“(Levitation I) The combination of Kevin and Laszlo gives the listener something that is well beyond any convenient classification, something truly unique."

- Exposé Magazine (US)

 July 2022

“Having played with a pianist for the first time, Kevin Kastning, in my opinion, recorded the best of his duet projects."

- Jazz Quad Magazine (RUSSIA)

 July 2022

“Levitation I has become my morning music. It starts my day off open to the unexpected magic and humanity in every breath. I love this album. I think the combination is amazing.”

- Billy's Music Without Borders webzine (MEXICO)

 June 2022

“With a strong classical/improv feel, these two masters of their crafts are on the money throughout---as usual. Deep listening that will pay dividends and rewards."

- Midwest Record Magazine (US)

 June 2022

“Kevin and Laszlo have a deep and immediate artistic connection, of which can be heard in each of these advanced and intricate compositions.”

- Exclusive Magazine (US)

 June 2022

Ethereal V

New Age or Ambient Album

This is the fifth installment in the Ethereal album series. This album series is special because it features Kevin Kastning (US) on acoustic guitar-family instruments of his own design, Sandor Szabo (HUNGARY) on orchestrations, and Balazs Major (HUNGARY) on world percussion. This instrumental combination provides a highly unique and one-of-a-kind sound pallette for the five new compositions that comprise Ethereal V. On this installment in the Ethereal album series, Kevin Kastning is featured on 15-string Extended Classical guitar and 17-string Hybrid Extended Classical guitar.

"Travelling through the worlds of jazz, new age, ambient, and modern classical this fifth album in Kevin Kastning’s Ethereal series is filled with lush orchestrations and unusual guitar voicings. Over the years Kastning has works with various solo and chamber group instrumentations and recorded a variety of albums with guitarist Alex de Grassi, bassist Michael Manring, and others.

Otherworld, Kevin's 2015 solo album, was the No.1 album in the world on the iTunes Classical charts in September 2015. As a revered guitarist and celebrated acoustic guitar wizard Kastning continues expanding as a guitar phenomenon.

Ethereal V is a relaxing ambient release that intrigues the senses with its non-pattern based passages. It is a perfect album for juicing one’s creativity as it goes to unusual places in a very pleasurable fashion. The combination of his special acoustic guitar and elongated rolling tones opens this music into a free form world that takes one to alternate universes."

- Mediaversal (US)

 January 2022

“Ethereal V: as a journey to the center of the brain, adventurous syncopated textures of experimentation and improvisation in the memory of Ralph Towner.”

- El Escribe de Jazz (SPAIN)

 April 2022

 “This is the fifth chapter of Kevin’s Ethereal series and it furthers their expression of galactic improvisation. At times it is like a mystery movie soundtrack, an introspective piece that is suitable for meditation.”

- O's Place Jazz Magazine (US)

 April 2022