"The 17 tracks on this album express a lot of creativity in melody line building and a fabulous acoustic guitar technique. The music is played with a lot of passion and energy and the listener is taken on adventurous musical journeys. Influenced by Brazilian, blues, pop, flamenco and classical music."
(Henk te Veldhuis
Bridge Guitar Reviews © 2007)
"The
talented guitarist Emiel van Dijk signed for a gorgeous interpetation
of the Concerto de Aranjuez of Joaquin Rodrigo."
(Nieuwsblad VAR 2005)
"Emiel
van Dijk composes and plays with a stylistic, rhythmic and accurate perfection
which makes your heart beat faster. A new future has begun for the guitar." (Akustik Gitarre, April 2002, Germany)
"The Dutch guitarist Emiel van Dijk can be considered as one of the most promising talents of the guitar-scene." (In Music, April 2002, Germany)
"Van Dijk's Major quality is his feeling for a srong melody."
(Oldie-Markt maart 2002, Dld)
"Gorgeous
music influenced by a variety of traditions - Brazilian, Cuban, Mediterranean,
classical, flamenco and blues. Van Dijk's playing is full of outstanding
rhythms, inventive melodies, insistent bass lines, and sturdy chordal
attacks, but his extraordinary technique never overshadows his ideas."
(Acoustic Guitar, june 2002, UK)
"Emiel van Dijk can make his guitar sound like a complete band or little chamber orchestra. The CD shows van Dijk as a first-rate guitarist and promising composer with a big career to come." (Jazzpodium, april 2002, Germany)
"Emiel van
Dijk is a musical chameleon.
He succeeded effortless in breaking through stylistic borders and stay
authentic in the meantime. On the CD he proves his excellent qualities
as a composer and performer."
(GitarreHamburg.de maart 2002, Dld)
"On 'Across
the Borders' Emiel pulls out all the stops. Whether it is dreamy mediterranean
or lively Cuban, worldmusic, pop or classic, it doesn't matter. Even a
fiery piece of flamenco seems to be a piece of cake."
(Gitarist, april 2002, NL)
"He's
evidently a very gifted guitarist who's able to show a lot of emotion
in his playing."
(Music
Maker, may 2002, NL)
"Blueprint,
a breathtaking debut" "Emiel van Dijk plays to a climax"
(Pulling
the Strings, februari 2001, NL)
This instrumental album grabbed me from the word go; Van Dijk plays with passion, creativity, virtuosity and flair, and the best tracks on Rhythm of the Guitar are truly inspirational. Van Dijk blends jazz, latin American and many other influences, and has a sense of melody which is sometimes missing from instrumental music. (Acoustic Magazine UK april 2007 Sam Wise)
“With Rhythm of the Guitar Van Dijk proves to be both a tremendous composer as Guitarist."
(Gitarist april 2007 Michiel Roelse)