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From
Acoustic
Guitar Magazine, May 1999, No. 77
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CDs
Rory Block, Confessions of a Blues Singer
On this album, Rory Block pays
tribute to the Delta blues artists who inspired her, by singing,
stomping, howling, and moaning her renditions of classics such as
"Statesboro Blues" and "Kassie Jones." Her percussive,
driving fingerpicking, a pleasure throughout, is especially fine
on "Bo Weavil Blues" and "If I Had Possession over
Judgment Day." The standouts are two nonblues originals: "Mother
Marian," an elegy to her adopted "grandma," and "Life
Song," in which she lays her own personal tragedies and triumphs
bare. "No matter what you do, you got to keep on," she
sings. And she does. (Rounder)
—David Gold
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David Russell, Message of the Sea
Classical virtuoso David Russell
takes on Celtic music on his latest CD. Russell arranged 20 of the
disc’s 30 selections, alternating Irish and Scottish reels and jigs
like "Spatter the Dew" and "The Deil amang the Tailors"
with mournful airs like "Morag" and "Neil Gow’s Lament
for the Death of His Second Wife." He includes Celtic-inspired
works by Mauro Giuliani, Fernando Sor, and contemporary composer
Peter Maxwell Davies with those of traditionalists James Scott Skinner
and Francis O’Neill. Russell’s performances marry precision and
passion, dancing vigorously one moment, sighing with heartfelt longing
the next. (Telarc)
—Mark L. Small
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Del McCoury, Doc Watson, and Mac Wiseman, Mac, Doc,
and Del
There was a time when country
music meant rounding up friends and neighbors to pick. Mac, Doc,
and Del is just that kind of country music, with the legendary Doc
Watson, Del McCoury, and Mac Wiseman teaming up for a relaxed, spontaneous
get-together. Their musical neighbors include Alison Krauss, Jerry
Douglas, Jack Lawrence, and the red-hot Del McCoury Band. The music
ranges from Watson leading the way through "Little Green Valley"
and McCoury pouring out his bluegrass heart on "Talk of the
Town" to a brilliant reworking of Watson’s classic "Black
Mountain Rag," featuring Ronnie McCoury’s haunting cross-tuned
mandolin. Come join the party. (Sugar Hill)
—David McCarty
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Villa-Lobos Duo, Orange Moon
This German duet, consisting
of Michael Seubert (guitar) and Sven Holger Philippsen (cello),
explores the music of Astor Piazzolla, Chick Corea, David Leisner,
and Jaime M. Zenamon. The interplay between the two musicians is
superb. Imaginative guitar parts are augmented by the cello’s lush
melodic qualities, and the repertoire is engaging without being
too challenging for the casual listener. This is a timeless album
that shouldn’t be missed by friends of contemporary classical music.
(Acoustic Music)
—Teja Gerken
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Rebecca Kilgore and John Miller, It's Easy to Remember
Twenty-five years ago John Miller
was one of the first guitarists to arrange jazz standards using
country blues–based fingerpicking techniques. This recording with
singer Rebecca Kilgore shows that he’s continued to explore this
timeless music. By combining a jazz guitarist’s confidence and mastery
of the fingerboard with a blues picker’s tone and feel, Miller has
developed a unique and appealing style that complements Kilgore’s
sweet tone and straight-ahead delivery on hits like "Put on
a Happy Face" and "That Certain Smile." Fans of the
great Joe Pass/Ella Fitzgerald duets as well as Memphis Minnie and
Bo Carter aficionados should definitely check out this excellent
release. (Orb)
—Dale Miller
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Cathy Ryan, The Music of What Happens
Cathy Ryan, onetime lead singer
with Cherish the Ladies, has teamed up with producer and flute whiz
Seamus Egan for a second solo album with first-rate results. Egan’s
clean yet playful production suits Ryan’s voice and material perfectly.
The sound—half Irish, half Nashville—should delight fans of Mary
Black and Maura O’Connell. Ryan’s original songs, especially "At
the Foot of Knocknarea," are lilting and catchy. The great
Irish guitarist Gerry O’Beirne holds down the fretted end of things,
providing some great interplay with Ryan’s voice on the thoughtful
ballad "I’m Going Back." This is one fine album. (Shanachie)
—Danny Carnahan
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Robert Atyeo, Heart Like a Rubber Ball
With a delivery as deadpan as
Leo Kottke’s and a voice as hard and nasal as Willie Nelson’s, Canadian
Robert Atyeo is an unlikely singer. But somehow that doesn’t matter.
His low- key vocals, combined with his accomplished, sophisticated
fingerpicking and offbeat lyrics ("Love is scared, love is
afraid, love got caught in a panty raid") add up to a delightfully
listenable mix. His humor doesn’t overshadow his sensitivity, however,
and in some of his best songs the comedy is decidedly black, as
he tells his stories of love and loss. (Dave’s Records of Guelph)
—David Gold
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Various artists, Pinareño:
From the Tobacco Road of Cuba
Various artists, Pinareño:
From the Tobacco Road of Cuba.
Ry Cooder’s gorgeous Buena
Vista Social Club whetted our appetite for classic Cuban dance
music and song. This CD is another fragrant and haunting mixed bouquet
of Cuban music, though this time the music comes from Pinar del
Rio tobacco country, not urban Havana. The Finnish-Cuban production
features ten bands and solo artists playing many traditional styles:
bolero, son, guaracha, danzón, rumba, and more. I could listen
to the opening track, "Guateque Campesino," all day. Other
highlights include tres master Aldo del Río’s solo work and
the intricate percussion of Grupo Oban Yoko. A thoroughly entertaining
collection. (Alula)
—Danny Carnahan
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Various artists, A Child's Celebration of Lullaby
Finally, the ultimate lullaby
recording. A Child’s Celebration of Lullaby presents a gorgeous
compi-lation of music that flows exquisitely from song to song to
create a rich and relaxing listening experience. Producer Leib Ostrow
has sequenced tracks by various artists with sensitivity to in-strumentation
(acoustic and orchestral), genres, musical keys, even vocal styles
and timbres. You and your young ones can share quiet times with
Taj Mahal, Jerry Garcia, Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville, the Roches,
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lena Horne, Raffi, and more. The only trouble
is that this CD may soothe you to sleep before you’ve heard every
last note. (Music for Little People)
—Jessica Baron
Turner
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Jacques Stotzem, Fingerprint
If you are looking for a fingerstyle
CD with impressive stylistic diversity, Fingerprint is a
good choice. Belgian guitarist Jacques Stotzem is a formidable musician
who matches finesse with a solid blues-based drive. Inspired to
take up guitar after seeing Stefan Grossman on television, Stotzem’s
ragtime and blues influences are leavened with jazz and acoustic
rock flavors. Tenor saxophonist Thierry Crommen joins Stotzem on
one composition. The production quality is excellent; the guitar
sound is natural with a touch of reverb. Acoustic Music Records
has also released a book of transcriptions for the stouthearted.
(Acoustic Music)
—Gary Joyner
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SOURCES
Acoustic Music, Postfach 1945, D-49009 Osnabrück, Germany;
fax (49) 0541-70-86-67; www.acoustic-music.de.
Alula, PO Box 62043, Durham, NC 27715-2043; (919) 416-9454;
www.alula.com.
Dave's Records of Guelph, PO Box 24062, Bullfrog, Guelph,
ON N1E 6V9, Canada.
Music for Little People, PO Box 1460, Redway, CA 95560;
(800) 346-4445; www.mflp.com.
Orb, 2123 Fourth Ave. N. #1, Seattle, Wa 98109
Shanachie, 13 Laight St., Sixth Floor, New York, NY 10013;
(212) 334-0284; www.shanachie.com.
Sugar Hill, PO Box 55300, Durham, NC 27717-5300; (919) 489-4349;
www.sugarhillrecords.com.
Telarc, 23307 Commerce Park Rd., Cleveland, OH 44122-5804;
(216) 464-2313.
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