California-based guitarist and composer Mark Vickness made guitar fans happy with his 2018 album Places and he’s back with another incredible album in 2020. Entitled Interconnected, the nine-track CD features Mark in the company of some excellent players including Mads Tolling (violin), Joseph Hebert (cello), Dan Feiszli (bass) and Ty Burhoe (percussion). With its mesmerizing sound, describing Interconnected as a meditative musical experience would be an understatement. At once ethereal yet, also highly structured sounding, Interconnected is another excellent showcase for Mark’s democratic approach to music revealed to ears with a blend of Americana offset by a range of World Music concepts.  Encompassing Western New Age and jazz-based instrumental music complete with Mark’s influences from India and West African music, Interconnected lives up to its title with a range of rewarding styles and moves. As Mark mentions on his web site, “This music requires musicians capable of delivering a wide spectrum of styles”. Living up to his own assessment, Interconnected takes global, acoustic-fusion instrumental music to higher ground.