By Brent Thompson

In a record career spanning nearly 25 years, Keller Williams has titled his albums with single words that underscore the premise of a given project – THIEF (cover versions), DREAM (collaborations with heroes) and GRASS (bluegrass) all being examples in this pattern. On October 19, the guitarist with dizzying skills will release SANS (as in “without”), a nine-track collection that revisits older songs and adds a new one to his catalog. Given that he is generally regarded more for his playing than his singing, SANS is surprisingly Williams’ first release of all-instrumental material. If you’re not into Williams already, then the album likely won’t covert you. But if you’ve followed him on his diverse and exciting ride, SANS will be an essential addition to your collection.