- Bryon Harris
Grit's Guitar - "Anticipation"
Reviewed by Aaron Cloutier
Harold "Grit" Vondenstein (AKA) Grit's Guitar returns with "Anticipation," a 9-minute instrumental blues epic with a healthy dose of rock and roll swagger.
Grit strikes a healthy balance of melodic complexity amidst the consistency of the song's harmonic structure. The music is equal parts inviting and hypnotic. Clean rhythm guitars are juxtaposed with soaring sustained lead lines, soulful bends, and acrobatic pentatonic embellishments. This, combined with the slow and steady groove of the drums, makes for a profoundly meditative feeling throughout.
Fans will immediately recognize Grit's signature style as he rips through blues runs incorporating his trademark hammer-on's, pull-off's, and slides. Newcomers will undoubtedly pick up on Grit's feel as he plays with a Jimmy Page looseness, conjuring a creamy tone from his guitar that includes just a touch of dirt to get that grit (no pun intended).
For those who are uninitiated, Harold "Grit" Vondenstein makes up one-half of the award-winning Gospel Blues Duo, Bible Belt Blues; he and his wife, Paula, have produced (three) albums: "I'm Not Ashamed to Be a Christian" "My God, My God" and "Preacher and the Bluesman," which was released on January 5th, 2022." Grit's Guitar's official debut "Anticipation" was Grit's official debut on Bongo Boy Records' rock album Krypt II Knight Vol. II with Various Artists, released in June of 2021.
Be sure to keep an ear out for more licks in the future.
About Grit's Guitar
If you doubt that the blues is still alive today you’ve got to listen to Harold “Grit” Vondenstein who plays the blues guitar with the finesse and soul of an old blues master. Harold’s guitar playing skills started to blossom and a style that is uniquely his own started to emerge. His wife and producer, Paula Vega Vondenstein, knew that she needed to create a platform for her husband Harold to explore his full range of creativity as a guitarist, so she gave him a new name, Harold “Grit” Vondenstein, and Grit’s Guitar was officially birthed in May of 2021. Drawing inspiration from the great guitar solos of the 70’s, Paula envisioned creating a concept album with each guitar instrumental running between 9-10 minutes long that would cover the full gamut of genres including blues rock, rock, juke joint grunge blues, New Orleans jive blues, and romantic guitar instrumentals. Grit’s Guitar debut concept album “Runs Like a River” is near completion just eight months later.
Grit’s Guitar had its official debut with their blues rock instrumental, “Anticipation” on Bongo Boy Records’ rock album Krypt II Knight Vol. II with Various Artists, released in June of 2021, followed by “No Man’s Land,” a juke joint grunge blues instrumental featured on Bongo Boy Records “Backroom Blues Volume Ten, “Edge of Eternity,” a hard rock instrumental, which will be featured on the upcoming Bongo Boy Records’ rock album, Krypt II Knight Vol. III, and “My Heart’s Desire,” a romantic guitar instrumental which will be featured on Bongo Boy Records’ upcoming “Open Genre Volume XX” with Various Artists.
Harold “Grit” Vondenstein, is half of the award-winning gospel blues duo, Bible Belt Blues, with his wife Paula and they have produced three albums, “I’m Not Ashamed to Be a Christian,” “My God, My God” and “Preacher and the Bluesman” released on January 5, 2022. Bible Belt Blues received a 2021 Josie Music Award nomination for their much-acclaimed 2nd album, “My God, My God” as well as winning the prestigious 2021 W.A.M. Impact Award, the 2020 W.A.M. Music Award for Best Gospel/Christian Lyrics for “We Worship the King of Kings,” and the coveted 2019 Josie Music Award for Gospel/ Christian Duo. Bible Belt Blues recently signed contracts with Bongo Boy Records to have ten of their Bible Belt Blues songs featured on five compilation albums and four of their Grit’s Guitar instrumentals featured on four compilation albums, of which five albums have been released. Twenty-eight of their Bible Belt Blues songs and three of their Grit’s Guitar instrumentals have already received radio airplay on WNIR Radio and The Gospel Blues Hour Syndicated Radio Program.
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