Eagle-Eye Cherry, Desireless
With its honeyed vocals, supple R&B and folk-rock grooves, and rich acoustic-based textures, this debut album draws immediate comparisons to Ben Harper. But where Harper evokes Bob Marley, Cherry leans more toward Marvin Gaye. From the romantic come-on "Save Tonight" to the gentle, bluesy "Rainbow Wings," Cherry proves himself a real musical seducer, and the no-fuss arrangements (featuring several sharp guitarists from his home city of Stockholm) allow plenty of breathing room. Eagle-Eye is the youngest in the musically prodigious Cherry clan (Neneh, Don), and on the title track, he covers a folk-jazz jam tune by Papa Don (who died in 1995). All in all, Desireless leaves me desiring more from this talented newcomer. (Work)
—Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
Harvey Reid, Fruit on the Vine.
This fine collection of 17 tunes (originals but for four) presents one of the true treasures of American acoustic music in a multifaceted setting. While much of Fruit on the Vine features Reid’s trademark solo guitar work recorded direct to DAT, it also includes the help of some capable friends, as well as several overdubbed "duets." With its near-perfect mix of instrumentals and vocals, as well as the addition of stunning Autoharp and octave-mandolin playing to some tasty guitar work, it’s difficult to grow tired of this CD. (Woodpecker, PO Box 815, York, ME 03909)
—Teja Gerken
Sam Bush, Howlin’ at the Moon.
Former New Grass Revivalist and Nash Rambler Sam Bush has an open-door policy when it comes to his musical vision. On this CD he adds elements of jazz, funk, and rock to his buoyant acoustic olio. Breakneck fiddle tunes accompany playful solo mandolin works, raunchy grooves, funky breakdowns, modal journeys, and introspective pieces in odd time signatures. Old cohorts J.D. Crowe, Béla Fleck, John Cowan, Jerry Douglas, Darrell Scott, and Jon Randall Stewart lend a hand instrumentally, and Emmylou Harris adds haunting harmony for a heartfelt tribute to late bassist Roy Huskey, Jr. (Sugar Hill, PO Box 55300, Durham, NC 27717)
—Marc Greilsamer
Kate MacLeod, Constant Emotion.
Evoking Nanci Griffith’s voice and exhibiting an evident reverence for traditional music, Utah-based singer-songwriter (and guitarist and fiddler) MacLeod offers up a helping of home-grown tunes designed to warm the heart and celebrate home and hearth. This is folk music with no pretense of being anything else. It would be equally at home in a coffeehouse or around a crackling fire. Peter Rowan’s background vocals on a few of the songs add a nice exclamation mark to this collection of new Americana. (Waterbug, PO Box 6605, Evanston, IL 60204)
—Steve Givens
Richard Bryant, The Waltz of the Blue Devils.
Richard Bryant’s slightly nasal voice and dissonant harmonica playing have earned him quite a few comparisons to Bob Dylan. While the influence is there, Bryant is no Dylan clone. His hip, gently humorous songwriting—"If the river was whiskey, I’d drown"—mellow vocal phrasing, and jazz-influenced guitar playing owe more to Mose Allison and Leon Redbone than to the tambourine man. The songs on The Waltz of the Blue Devils are spare and cool throughout, with Bryant’s vocals, guitar, and harmonica backed up only by Joel Darelius’ understated, flowing acoustic bass. (Hook and Ladder, 500 Gregory Ave., Weehawken, NJ 07087)
—David Gold
Michael Sagmeister, Here and Now.
A veteran of the European jazz scene, Michael Sagmeister is influenced by Pat Metheny’s arrangements and John McLaughlin’s blinding speed. Here and Now features ten solid, to-the-point compositions played primarily on flattop steel-string with honest acoustic tone. Backed by bass, drums, and marimba/vibes, Sagmeister manages to achieve a refreshingly unique and acoustic sound while staying within the parameters of contemporary jazz. Of particular interest is the guitar and marimba interplay on "Spring High," "That’s Up My Street," and "Silence." (Acoustic Music Resource, 1610 Crestview Ave., Seal Beach, CA 90740)
—Teja Gerken
The Gillette Brothers, Lone Star Trail.
The Gillette brothers, Pipp and Guy, may be better known for their chuck- wagon cooking than their musical performances, but this CD may change that. Their big, beefy voices and simple arrangements feel just right on classic cowboy songs collected by the Lomaxes, Jack Thorp, and others. A couple of originals evoke the brothers’ east Texas roots, and an interesting group of instruments backs a recording of their grandfather reminiscing about the bad old days of the Great Depression. Greg Lowry accompanies the brothers on accordion and Dobro, while Rich O’Brien contributes tasty guitar, banjo, mandolin, and fiddle. (Big Daddy, Rt. 4, Box 131, Crockett, TX 75835).
—John Herndon
Steve Baughman, Steve Baughman’s Celtic Guitar Method.
Using a slew of exotic open tunings (none of them D A D G A D), Baughman presents 13 lovely and varied arrangements of old and new Celtic tunes, with particular focus on dynamics and Celtic ornamentation. The attached CD is Baughman’s very nice solo debut, Drop of the Pure. Baughman’s writing style is clear and engaging. He’s obviously thought a great deal about techniques and problems peculiar to Celtic expression and melodic shape. His explanation of the "middle finger thwack," used by guitarists such as Martin Simpson, is particularly helpful. And the notation and tablature is clean as a whistle. (Mel Bay)
—Danny Carnahan
Ronn McFarlane, The Scottish Lute.
A book on Scottish lute? OK, if you think that all six Scots lute players in the world already know this stuff and Mel Bay went temporarily insane when it published this book, think again. Here’s an absolute wealth of Celtic melody, mostly long forgotten, transcribed for guitar as well as lute and mandora (a five-string cousin to the lute). McFarlane has transcribed 56 melodies from the Skene and Straloch books dating back to the 16th century. Getting these tunes and fragments under your fingers gives you all sorts of ideas for arrangements, medleys, and new ways to revisit the Celtic songs already in your repertoire. (Dorian/Mel Bay)
—Danny Carnahan
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