July/August, 2002
Jerry Douglas, "Lookout for Hope", Sugar Hill Records SUG-3938, 2002
Following in the footsteps of his predecessors Tut Taylor, Uncle Josh Graves
(of bluegrass titans Flatt & Scruggs), and Mike Auldridge (of the Seldom Scene),
Jerry Douglas has become recognized as this generation's leading master of the Dobro guitar.
A top Nashville session man who has lent his talents to countless recording sessions by
artists of every stripe, Douglas has received 6 Grammy awards, 9 Academy of Country Music
Awards, and 15 nominations by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Douglas'
talents are, however, far too great to be limited to appearances on recordings by other
artists. On his latest solo album "Lookout for Hope", Douglas slip-slides away on eleven
tracks, six of which are his own compositions. Opening with Duane Allman's "Little Martha", Douglas reveals this much loved tune to be a natural for the Dobro. The 10-minute title track "Lookout for Hope" was penned by guitarist Bill Frisell and sounds like a Grateful Dead jam on bluegrass instruments (the track features Trey Anastasio of Phish). On "Patrick Meets the Brickbats", Douglas --- who had never been asleep at the steel --- and his cohorts hit the ground running on a show stopping bluegrass barnburner in which each instrumentalist ups the ante for showmanship and speed (it would make great background music for a movie chase scene). "Monkey Let The Hogs Out" and "In the Sweet By and By" each feature Douglas performing solo instrumentals on a Kona guitar.
Douglas wisely included two guest vocalists on the album to offer variety amid the stellar
instrumentals. "Footsteps Fall" is an aching ballad concerning loneliness and isolation
triggered by "the sound of love through a stranger's wall" beautifully sung by Maura
O'Connell with Douglas on background vocals. Written by Boo Hewerdine and Annette
Bjergfeldt, it is certain to receive widespread airplay and coverage by other artists
inspired by this definitive interpretation. James Taylor closes the album with his
mellow butterscotch vocals on "The Suit", a song about a simple farmer's burial ("It
was one of those occasions where you had to wear a suit...") and "wearing the State of
Nebraska as his overcoat". This album has all the crisp production values that can now be
taken for granted from any Sugar Hill release, along with its usual roster of stellar
supporting musicians like Sam Bush on mandolin and Bryan Sutton on guitar.
"Lookout for Hope" is certain to garner a few more awards for Douglas' crowded
trophy wall.
Mark Erelli, "The Memorial Hall Recordings", Signature Sounds Recording 1271, 2002
Start with the voice. Grace notes and slides complement an effortless legato delivered
with a touch of sandpaper. The resulting sound makes every song Erelli's own, and oh so
easy on the ears. Next, consider the concept behind the Memorial Hall Recordings. It's
engaging--even if the hype about it on the enhanced CD is less appealing. Recorded live
(without an audience) in an old New England hall with incredible acoustics. Some originals
from Erelli with the flavor of home along with songs from his favorite New England writers.
A crackerjack band masterfully handling a range of styles in deceptively laid-back
arrangements. The project opens with its signature tune, Erelli's "Call You Home," a
loping greeting to the listener and the New England valley Erelli thinks of as a long
lost friend delivered with a bittersweet nod to the inevitable goodbye to come. The lyrics
are pure poetry ("The sky is open like a chalice/All along the river road/Where the
patchwork field tobacco barns/Shiver in the cold") and so is Jim Henry's mandolin playing.
And there's so much more. A freight train of a guitar interlude loaded with effects.
A country waltz ("A Fine Time of Year"). A trio of Civil War tunes including "Blue-Eyed
Boston Boy," a traditional tune hauntingly arranged with a reed organ drone;
"Dear Magnolia" a homage to the Band; and one of the album's few missteps, a Byrds-like
rendition of "Follow the Drinking Gourd." But, don't worry. There's also Bill Morrisey's
"Summer Night" with lovely dobro work and tasteful accordion. "Devil's Train," up tempo
country with some very hot guitar licks from Kevin Barry. "Ichabod," an atmospheric
setting for lyrics by New England's John Greenleaf Whittier. And finally the inevitable
"Goodbye," leavened with a touch of vaudeville. Eminently listenable and lots of fun.
Mark Erelli's Website Buy it at Amazon.com
Larry Pattis, "Hands of Time", Guitar Odyssey GO-0202, 2002
There's something about the opening notes of the title track "Hands of Time"
which are reminiscent of Sor's Fifth Étude. But the mournful prologue quickly
melts into an insistent rhythmic drone, a sinusoidal ebb and flow of wonderfully
conceived melody awash with beauty, mystery and pathos. Larry Pattis has laid his
hand upon a unique solo fingerstyle which is often distinguished by such tintinnabular
themes, bobbing upon paradoxical swells of rejoice and lament, as on "Buddy Boy",
"Nonpareil", "Underfoot", "Free Fall" and "Burning Man". Many of the tunes disclose an
undercurrent of classical guitar influence, especially and not surprisingly on the playful
"Going for Baroque". Although Pattis establishes his technical prowess on the first tune,
it's apparent that he considers composition and mood to be on equal ground with flashy
playing, orchestrating leisurely and melancholic reflections on "Homeland Suite", "The
Paths of Swannanoa" and "Through the Eyes of a Child". "Hands of Time" is a perfect and
exquisite hybrid of neoclassicism and fingerstyle.
Frank Morey's well-abused voice sounds as scratchy as a three-day stubble and as
well-oiled as last night's fifth of Jim Beam. In fact, Morey sounds a bit as if he's gone
to the devil, which with "Cold in Hand" as evidence, would be a tough statement to
dispute. It seems there's a reference to the devil or satan in every other track in this
14-song collection, as Morey is drawn to life's dark side like a moth to a flame.
The Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter creates an intimate, haze-filled world populated
by barflies, scoflaws and ne'er-do-wells. The shadowy universe lurking on the other side of
our brain that most of us shun is embraced by Morey. But while his subjects are filled with
human frailties and shortcomings, Morey works in a measure of compassion as well. His
titles conjure an atmosphere all by themselves: "Blame it on the Devil,"
"Goin'Down Kickin", "Barflies", "Dead Dreams and Whiskey Lies", "In the Middle of Nowhere",
"Junkietown", "Ghosts and Guns". Musically, less is more for Morey, and his spare, jazzy,
New Orleansy, percussive arrangements recall the mid-career work of Tom Waits --
not to mention his gravelly growl. "Cold in Hand" presents a collection of extremely
evocative work. Morey really knows how to pull the listener in close and whisper in his
ear. Very compelling.
Frank Morey's Website Buy it at Amazon.com
Paul Chasman, "I Hope", Bay View Music BVM004, 2002
How do you describe music which is eminently listenable, technically
impressive, and just plain touches the soul? That would be "I Hope" by
guitarist Paul Chasman. It is a classical guitar record, but it goes
well beyond the sometimes stodgy, sterile confines of one more Bach
piece. Maybe that's because the title track was first played by Chasman
in 1986 on steel string guitar, but now he revisits it on a Jeffrey
Elliott classical, lending new color and more flowing rhythm. Chasman
has done well in incorporating Doug Smith on the other guitar, and
cellist Hamilton Cheifetz, whose depth of tone on his magnificent
400-year old Matteo Gofriller cello seems to sweep you up in his bow
strokes. The CD would not be the same without these two fine
co-laborers. The most powerful of the 11 songs is "Light Another
Candle", where Cheifetz takes command from the start, while the
counterpoint of the two guitars has you sitting on the edge of your seat
the whole song. "Grace" and "Love Song" are simply splendid melodies,
while I'm ready to dance on "Joy" and "Friends", where we hear images of
the fire of Spain. In "Don Quixote", I could almost see that poor,
misguided, honorable man riding across the plain on one of his ill-fated
quests. Chasman bookends the disc with solo and ensemble versions of the
title cut, leaving us ready to hit the play button all over again.
Salvatore Casabianca, "Curve", Depot Square Music 0137, 2001
That a kid could mature from teen adoration of Kiss and Zappa to an acoustic
singer-songwriter whipping up thoughtful jazz-pop vocal stylings seems like a generous
irony, or maybe just recapitulates all the other things that also happen naturally with
age. If nothing else, it speaks to the value of disparate musical influences on fertile
creative soil. On "Curve", Salvatore Casabianca combines the agile songcrafting of
Stephen Bishop or Livingston Taylor with the soulful urgency of Van Morrison and the voice
of Elton John. "Fast Lesson" and "Ocean" are torchy Brasilian-tinged odes, humid swaggers
which lurk around the perimeter of his personal stories. Casabianca resurrects bittersweet
images and memories around the death of his brother on "28 Years", and where a lesser
songwriter might be bogged in maudlin sentiment, Casabianca succeeds in a very real tribute
because of sincerity and a feeling for nuance. On "Addiction", he reaches back to some
blues influence from his past life, gutsily sounding like Peter Green's "Oh Well".
Salvatore Casabianca's Website Buy it at Amazon.com
Tim Sparks, "At the Rebbe's Table", Tzadik TZ7160, 2002
Tim Sparks has built an impressive track record of fingerstyle excellence
since winning the Winfield Championships. Noted for his outstanding
explorations into ethnic musical forms transcribed for guitar, Spark's
last 3 recordings have narrowed the focus to Jewish music, drawing deeply
from the wells of Jewish cultures both oriental and occidental,
especially the music which flowed from European Jews. This latest
effort, "At The Rebbe's Table", may be Sparks' best yet in capturing the
life and cross-pollination richly textured in these 11 selections from
the diaspora Jewish communities around the world. All of the tunes on
the disc are based on traditional Jewish forms, and for the Goyim among
us, Sparks' liner notes help us sense some of the flavor he has tried to
create with his 6 strings. Sparks is not alone on this disc, but
ably joined by Marc Ribot on nylon stringed guitar, Erik Friedlander on
cello, Greg Cohen on bass, and Cyro Baptista on percussion. The songs
contain allusions to Greek, Persian, Spanish, and Arab music. Of course,
in the title cut and "Sadagora Dance" we can almost hear the wailing of
the Klezmer violin. "The Keys from Spain" take us jaunting through
Andalucia, while the traditional Yemenite tune "Beautiful City" sends us
to Jerusalem. Mixed in with all this culture is the quiet, solo "Mashav"
written by John Zorn, who produced the CD, and whose vision these days is
driving Tim Sparks to bring us some wonderful guitar music.
Tim Sparks' Website Buy it at Amazon.com
Eamon O'Tuama, "Behind Every Life", 2001
Expect no mercy. Eamon's O'Tuama's second outing, "Behind Every Life", will challenge and
surprise you. It starts mid-song, with O'Tuama spitting out lyrics--including the album's
title--from the lips of a character who knows "it's all been done before and nothing really
matters today when it's gone away." The vocals float in a tide of electric sound and
insistent drums. Keyboards climb the scale one note at a time. Tension rises, relieved for
a moment by a chorus in which the tension builds all over again. O'Tuama--an Irishman in
New York--confounds expectations throughout: vocals that sting with a whisper; an effects
laden mix with an acoustic bottom; sexual ambiguity; a little Celtic influence and a solid
rock sound that consistently hits heavy on the two and the four. And moments of beauty
among the ruins: a searing solo in "Bloom Again" one highlight of effective violin playing
throughout; tuneful refrains elevated by chorused female harmony voices; jangly Byrds-like
guitar. The lyrics, a series of allegations, take no prisoners: "I never listen to what you
say; touched by your little cares that were so empty then; your hands are cold and clammy...
cause we touched one day at a funeral." The most memorable songs, like "Rescue Me" and
"Portrait," expose a bit of vulnerability and work the hook with Beatlesque harmonies and
that jangling guitar. In the closing tune, O'Tuama approaches resolution, chiding
himself --"Poor Baby"-- for "writing sad songs through the years", like the ones in this
unrelenting litany of "big stories" about "hard lessons" learned by those with
"lost dreams". It's not easy to live in the world O'Tuama depicts. But, how easy is it to
live in yours?
Marco Pereira, "Valsas Brasilieros", GSP Recordings 1022, 2001
Many South American composers have utilized dance rhythms as the basis for their
compositions for solo guitar. Among these are the choros of Heictor Villa-Lobos,
Astor Piazzola's tangos, and Antonio Lauro's waltzes. Marco Pereira's new disc
"Valsas Brasileiras" explores the versatility and diversity of the Brazilian Waltz.
Performing on both 6 and 8 string guitars, Pereira's playing is wonderful.
From the virtuosic "Desvairada" by Garoto to the romantic whimsy of "Emotiva No. 1" by
Helio Delmiro, we are treated to refined, well thought through interpretations.
The up-beat "Valsa Negra" by Leandro Braga will conjure images of the Brazilian nightlife.
In contrast, "Eu te Amo" by Antonio Jobim and Chico Buarque will prepare you for a mid-day
siesta. Pereira also treats us to two original compositions: "Plainte" and "Marta".
The choice of repertoire should please both the avid listener of Brazilian music and the
novice alike. The recording quality is very nice. The guitar is clear with just enough
reverb to imitate a small warm recital hall. This disc is a must have for the fan of
Brazilian music
Marco Pereira's Website Buy it at Guitar Solo Publications
Bob Hillman, "Welcome to My Century", Brave New Records BNR81742, 2001
Acclaimed in major dailies nationwide, Bob Hillman is a sharp-witted
troubadour akin to Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson, and John Hiatt. A
purveyor of intimate, wry, and nakedly honest autobiographical pop songs
cloaked in a folk-rock context, Hillman's second release is an engaging
journey through the emotional highs and lows of human relationships and not-so-simple
twists of fate. Producer Tommy West (Jim Croce, Mama Cass, The
Partridge Family) enlists a dream team ensemble to complement Hillman's raspy
vocal delivery and engagingly tangled word-play. Guitarist Dave Schramm
(Heather Eatman, Yo La Tengo, Richard Buckner), bassist Sal Maida (Roxy
Music, Sparks), guitarist David Hamburger (Chuck Brodsky, Freedy Johnson),
guitarist Mark Bosch (Carol King), keyboardist Brian Mitchell (Crash Test
Dummies, John Lurie), guitarist Billy Masters (Richard Shindell, Dar
Williams), cellist Mary Wooten (John Cale, Sheryl Crow, Marianne Faithfull),
and drummer Dan Vonnegut (Carrie Newcomer) are the consummate side show,
embellishing Hillman's routine chord progressions with inventive harmonies,
tasteful solos, and strategically placed riffs and counterpoint. Each track
runs like a mini-movie. "I Need You" commences as a bar-room dirge bemoaning
a broken romance then leisurely slips into a syrupy "misery loves company"
chorus worthy of Harry Nilsson. In "Games" the singer confesses a fear of
losing his hair and paramour, but we don't know which is most important to
him. The history lesson in "Greenland" is really a cry for affection, but
what better way to woo a women that to thrust her upon the same pedestal as
Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy?
Bob Hillman's Website Buy it at Amazon.com
©
Patrick Grant
Buy it at Amazon.com
©
David Kleiner
©Alan Fark
Frank Morey, "Cold in Hand", Indigo Hamlet, 2002
©
Fred Kraus
©Kirk Albrecht
©Alan Fark
©Kirk Albrecht
©
David Kleiner
©Philip Hemmo
©Tom Semioli
