Vladimir Chernyshov, a Ukrainian fingerstyle acoustic guitarist, joins the likes of Buck Curran and Jon Gomm in transforming the acoustic guitar into an expansive, serene orchestra in its own right. Like trumpeter Miles Davis, Chernyshov’s skill lies in using silence as a powerful, structural part of his playing, as in his serene composition ‘India’ in which the well-chosen notes float weightlessly in equally well-judged silences. Chernyshov has a controlled yet expressive touch with his right hand, which is well suited to his poised, reflective style of playing. 

Elsewhere in his work, as in the poignant ballad ‘Loneliness’, we encounter Chernyshov’s surefooted instinct for dynamics and harmony, the Ukrainian guitarist expressing subtly shifting moods through shimmering, richly resonant chord voicings and an agile rhythmic pulse, with tastefully creative syncopation bringing the composition to vivid life. 

On the tender ballad When You’re Not Here we once again see how deftly Chernyshov weaves rhythmic invention into his emotive songcraft, using multi-note hammer-ons to extend the percussive and harmonic possibilities of the instrument. 

Taken together, the body of work paints a portrait of a mature yet creative instrumentalist, who seeks to expand the possibilities of solo acoustic guitar while affirming the traditional power of crisply written melody and emotive themes within his work. 

Jamie Dickson (Editor-in-Chief, Guitarist magazine and co-author of the best-selling music-listening titles 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die) 

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Jamie Dickson

Editor In Chief, Guitarist magazine

6th November, 2025