It must be fun to have great chops, master numerous musical idioms and on top of it, sing-all at the same. Stories, if it were a book, would be found in every section of the library at eye level because it would be easy reading and a certain best seller. Of Woody Mann, John Fahey says, "I've never heard a more creative, or more musical sounding guitarist." From page one on, Woody's solo CD is a ubiquitous showcase for his talent as a writer, guitarist and vocalist. Heading East is a vibrant flash of sound exemplifying Woody's mastery of the guitar, followed later by Lisboa, which is simply beautiful in a down home swaying 3/4 which makes you think of home, your lover, and the reason you listen to music. It is one of those songs you may not be able to hum by memory, but when you hear it again, it is as if you are in the song, there, nestled between the lines. It just makes you feel good. Stories is indeed a tale-notes becoming sentences, phrases becoming chapters and songs as integrated as familiar characters. Woody's influences are well noted as a young disciple of Reverend Gary Davis and Lennie Trestano. But if they all of the same generation, Woody would have been a peer, true to the emotional side of music they exuded, playing from the soul, bridging divides in genres, cover to cover. The Lieber and Stroller tune, I've Been Framed is great dialogue between Woody and his o wn subtext, "I told you so", guitar. While the lyrics "I always seem to get the blame" are not the plot of Stories, it serves as the perfect postscript, with Woody saying in effect, "This is my story and I'm sticking to it." JEFFREY MEYER