NIGEL KENNEDY Shhh! (2010 UK 7-track CD album - Recorded in November 2009, 'Shhh!' confirms the maverick status and omnivorous musical taste of one of Britain's finest and most unpredictable musicians. Following his 2008 excursion into the self-penned tracks of the NKQ's 'A Very Nice Album', Kennedy's latest collection reveals an even more eclectic character. It was recorded at one of rock's fabled residential country studios, Rockfield in South Wales with the Polish musicians which make up the NKQ: Tomasz Grzegorski [tenor sax, soprano sax & bass clarinet]; Piotr Wylezol [piano & Hammond]; Adam "Szabas" Kowalewski [contrabass & electric bass] and Krzysztof Dziedzic [drums]. Collaborating on one of the album's outstanding and most surprising tracks is Boy George, an old mate who shares his passion for the songs of the late Nick Drake. George's delicate vocal on 'River Man' points to another new direction for Kennedy's music – a gentle chamber pop which brings out the understated lyrical tone in his violin playing. The other songs on 'Shhh!' are all Kennedy originals, ranging from the long instrumental opener, 'Transfiguration' - reminiscent of the fusion-ary flights of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra - to the dirty funk rock outro 'Oy!'. The moods along the way vary from the sparse and desolate calm of 'The Empty Bottle' to the uplifting 'Silver Lining'!).