The Sensational Country Blues Wonders: "If I Stop Moving, I'll Fall From The Sky" (2024) CD Review

In these strange and unsettling days, as we consider some of the big questions of the universe and our minuscule parts in it, it's important to retain a sense of fun about the whole endeavor, a sense of humor, a sense of play. And that is something that singer and songwriter Gary Van Miert is able to do so well in his project The Sensational Country Blues Wonders. His latest album, If I Stop Moving, I'll Fall From The Sky, contains all original material. Psychedelics play a part, in the sound, and in the themes of these tracks, but the music is still easily accessible, not getting too far out there. There are elements of pop, country, rock and blues heard here.

"I really don't have much to say/All my thoughts are floating away," Gary Van Miert sings early in the album's opening track, "We Are Made Of Stardust." But then he goes on to say quite a bit, in this song, and on the album as a whole. This song results from pondering the big questions of existence. "We are made of stardust/This is something I have learned/We're all made from cosmic dust/And to dust we shall return." It's true. It's incredible that we are here at all, a wonderful fluke of circumstances, without meaning or intent. And we return to dust all too soon. But do not worry, for this song has a very positive, rather cheerful vibe. Let's celebrate this pointless, wonderful, silly existence! Then at the beginning of "Why Did I Eat The Whole Bag Of Mushrooms?" he sings, "The walls are melting, the room's in a whirl/Now I find myself living in a frightening new world." The song feels like a dance through a carnival sideshow reality. Though these days the frightening world isn't the one we discover on hallucinogens, but the one we encounter when we are sober. "Why is too much never enough?" We've all been there, right? When I was living in Oregon, I remember buying a grocery bag of mushrooms for like fifteen dollars. Interesting times, to be sure. "Sitting alone/In my existential gloom/Listening to Exile On Main St./With a head full of shrooms." Hmm, that's one record I never listened to while tripping, and now I'm curious. Obviously, there is a good deal of humor to this song, but I suppose there is also part of that quest for the big answers within the answer to the title's question.

On "If I Stop Moving, I'll Fall From The Sky," the album's title track, Gary sings, "I'm soaring high, and for what it's worth/I don't ever want to come back to this earth." Yes, you could hear this one as another drug track (I seem to recall at least one trip that I didn't have much interest in returning from), but it's also about that need to be constantly moving forward, constantly active. "Gotta keep moving, can't slow down." Sometimes that need is because of a fear of missing things, but it seems we can miss so much in that kind of rush, that kind of constant activity. That song is followed by "Golden Teacher." "Nothing's really as it seems," Gary sings here. I still recall, rather vividly in fact, my first mushroom trip. It was on the campus of UMass Amherst, and just as things started to take off, a woman rode by on a white horse. That was real, we learned later. But everything after that was questionable, not so much what we saw, but what we then recalled of what we saw before the trip. "Show me all that's real/My old reality has fled." I learned quite a bit that day. While Gary sings of "many visual delights," he provide many auditory delights on this album.

"Head In The Clouds" is about being in one's own world. "It makes me feel so very calm/And it could never do me harm/I've got my head up in the clouds/I'm rising way above the crowd/I haven't heard a thing you said." These days I am making a conscious choice to avoid the news, to be ignorant of much of the horrors this country has so willingly embraced. It was a choice I made in order to be calm, to avoid being furious and depressed for the next four years. Life is too short for that. I am unwilling to give four years to anger. And I am unwilling to listen to a single word that fascist in the White House says. Interestingly, many friends have independently made the same decision. Is it wrong to keep our heads in the clouds? The worlds of our own making are just much more enjoyable at the moment. "Head In The Clouds" is followed by "I Rode The Bus With Joey Ramone." I love psychedelic music, folk music, country music. But I also love punk music, and this song takes a famous punk musician and puts him into more of a country context, with psychedelic elements and just a hint of punk. It's a different sort of bus trip than that taken by the Merry Pranksters, though I suppose there are a few similarities. "It was only a dream, just a crazy scene/I rode the bus with Joey Ramone/But that's not all, he was nine feet tall."

As you might guess, the psychedelic elements are especially pronounced on "One More Cup Of Mushroom Tea." It's been quite a long time since I've taken mushrooms, but this music is making me curious where they would take me these days. Might be scary, but might be beautiful and relaxing, helping us step farther from this ugly and at times sinister reality. There is a playful element to this song, but then again, that is something that is present in basically all of The Sensational Country Blues Wonders material. There is a bright rock energy to "Magic Glasses." "See the darkness turn to light," Gary sings at the beginning of this one. That line stands out now, when we need to feel hope that this country will emerge from its current descent into fascism. We all want to see the darkness turn to light. Do we need just a different way of viewing reality? Maybe. There is a positive vibe to this track, which I appreciate. "See the love that's been reflected/See that we are all connected."

"Gravity" is a particularly playful number, taking us back to an old saloon at the start. The song ponders where we'd be without gravity. "Without the force of gravity/Everything would float away/The oceans and rivers would disappear/They'd leave the earth without a trace/Earth itself would break apart/And drift away into outer space." I am now wondering if there are people who don't believe in gravity. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised. After all, there are people who believe the earth is flat. Morons abound. Anyway, this is a fun number, and something in the delivery at moments reminds me just a bit of some of Syd Barrett's solo material. The album then concludes with "Sky Songs," a song about being a songwriter and finding the songs that are out there in the air. It's interesting, the idea that songs come from without rather than within. And if that is true, then where exactly did the songs originate? Ah, something else to ponder. "My brain is a receiver/For songs up in the sky/It's made me a believer/Of what exists up high."

CD Track List

1. We Are Made Of Stardust
2. Why Did I Eat The Whole Bag Of Mushrooms?
3. If I Stop Moving, I'll Fall From The Sky
4. Golden Teacher
5. Head In The Clouds
6. I Rode The Bus With Joey Ramone
7. One More Cup Of Mushroom Tea
8. Magic Glasses
9. Gravity
10. Sky Songs

If I Stop Moving, I'll Fall From The Sky was released on October 25, 2024.

We Are The West at 701 Santa Monica Blvd, 4-5-25 Concert Review

We Are The West playing "Darlin' If"

These are strange, unsettling times, and so perhaps more than ever we need great music to keep our spirits up. On a day when a good portion of the country's population was rightly protesting the fascist regime currently at work dismantling democracy, We Are The West delivered what could turn out to be the final concert in that special garage series the group has been doing for many years. Or, at least the last show for a while, anyway. Singer and guitarist Brett Hool lost his home in the recent fires, and is moving out of California. In fact, he is moving today. So last night's concert was also a sort of farewell party. Yesterday also happened to be his birthday. Once upon a time, this concert series was a monthly enterprise, and then was held quarterly. But this was the first show since January of 2024.

Nicky Fisher was in charge of the music playing as the audience arrived and got settled in the garage. Gerard Lollie, who was the longtime DJ of the music series, died from cancer recently, and the night was in part a celebration of his significant contribution to these magical concerts. Multiple times over the years, I'd ask Gerard about a song he was playing, and then end up going out and purchasing those albums. He was always happy to share his love and knowledge of a particular song or artist. He is going to be missed, surely. Nicky Fisher started things off with Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and Grateful Dead's "Throwing Stones," the latter a particularly good choice on this day of protests. The parking garage was transformed into a place of magic and beauty not just by the music, but also by artwork, this time created by David Sota and Janel Raihl of Art Wavy. They brought some really wonderful pieces to help produce the right atmosphere. The artwork did not just function as cool backdrops for the music, but also was hanging over sections of the audience, giving the larger space a good vibe.

Daniella Lollie

As for the music, Brett Hool began the evening with a solo number, which was a surprise. I don't recall him doing that before. But it was his young daughter's first garage concert, and he mentioned that she was likely going to fall asleep in two minutes and he wanted to get in one song for her before that happened. That one song was titled "Dancing Air," a wonderful start to the evening. Brett then introduced the actual opening act, A Violet In Youth, a band led by Gerard's daughter, Daniella Lollie. "I know a lot of you knew my dad," she said when she took the stage. She then explained the origin of her band's name, that it is a Shakespearean phrase. For those who are curious, it comes from the first act of Hamlet, when Laertes is talking with Ophelia. He tells her, "For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favor,/Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,/A violet in the youth of primy nature." The band opened the set with a couple of new songs, the first of which established a strong atmosphere before the vocals came in. Afterward, she said the song was like a meditation. Much of the set had a similar effect, and it felt so good being immersed in the sound. The final song featured a seriously cool jam near the end. Both my girlfriend and I wanted to purchase whatever CD or record these guys had for sale, but it turned out that, for now at least, their music is just streaming online.

A Violet In Youth

"Good Luck (And All That Stuff)"

"Well, friends, here we are," Brett said when We Are The West was ready to start, just before 10 p.m. The band eased in, giving everyone a moment to come together, the sound building, gathering us in and washing over us. John Kibler used a bow on his bass for those initial moments of "A New Haven," then put it away, creating a pulse on the strings. And there was the sense of all of us on a journey, on a vessel from the past. All of this was before the first line of the song was delivered, "Ships lost at sea." "A New Haven" was the lead track from the group's first EP, and We Are The West followed it with "Good Luck (And All That Stuff)," the second song from that same EP. That song made me happy the moment it started. It always does. It has that kind of vibe. And it featured some really nice stuff by Sylvain Carton on saxophone. Apart from the main duo of Brett Hool and John Kibler, the makeup of band has always been a little different at each show, and last night it was a seven-piece affair (including Brett and John), and the entire band played on most of the songs. In addition to Brett, John and Sylvain, last night's show featured Brett Farkas, Paul Cox, Corey Fogel and Joe Kennedy. It was cool, the band starting the set with that entire first EP, all three songs played in order, something I don't recall ever seeing them do before. For the third song, "Groene Hart," Sylvain switched to clarinet. Before they started that song, Brett mentioned how performing these shows was pretty much his favorite thing to do in the world. He started "Groene Hart" on guitar. This was a particularly beautiful rendition. Perhaps because this might be the last concert in this series, at least for a while, and because they began it with these early songs, the line "You know the past is gone" stood out to me last night. And the jam was like a powerful mantra that opened gates into other realms, light shining in from the heavens, as if the universe itself were excited and pleased by what was happening, and offering encouragement. It was one of those incredible moments, the very reason I catch live music as often as I can, and the crowd responded enthusiastically. Afterward, Brett told the crowd, "That was our first EP, which we recorded down here."

Interestingly, they followed those initial three songs with the first song from the group's second EP, "The Hammer." For this one, Sylvain switched to flute, delivering some wonderful work, and guitarist Brett Farkas joined Brett Hool on the "La la la" backing vocals. That was followed by "Cauliflower Ears," which, yes, was the second track on that second EP, and I'm sure there were at least a few folks in the audience who briefly wondered if the band might play their entire oeuvres in order for this special concert. That would have been something! Brett and John started this song, and partway through, Joe Kennedy came in, adding some nice touches on keys. The rest of the band sat this one out. Brett delivered a beautiful vocal performance. Any thoughts of the band playing its entire catalogue in order came to a halt when the guys followed "Cauliflower Ears" with "The Golden Shore," the title track to the band's 2018 album. John got this one started with some great work on bass, and soon the others joined in. This song had a deliciously jazzy beginning, featuring some seriously cool work on clarinet. This song was another highlight of the night even before the vocals came in, and there was a beautiful build to it. Just completely wonderful.

"Sea Of Light (Dirty Ditty)"

Before starting "The Watchers," a song also from The Golden Shore, Brett mentioned that John had just gotten back from Big Sur, and that Big Sur had inspired this song. I love "The Watchers," in large part because of the powerful vocal work, and also because of the way the song grows intense as it progresses. It grabs hold of you, pulls you into the story told, and then begins to rock you, toss you around. I noticed that people reacted to it like a heavy rock song, that "head-banging" motion. There was a much-needed breath, a pause, before that final, softer section of the song. John then switched from upright to electric bass for "Sea Of Light (Dirty Ditty)," another song from The Golden Shore. This song featured some particularly good stuff by Brett Farkas on guitar, especially toward the end. They followed that with a cover of Spirit's "Darlin' If," from that band's The Family That Plays Together album, dedicating the song to Gerard Lollie, who had turned them onto that band. It was a tender, touching rendition. John played electric bass on this one too. He then switched back to upright bass for "Don't Worry About It," from We Are The West's 2021 album Only One Us, with Sylvain on saxophone and Brett Farkas on tambourine rather than guitar. There was a great deal of power to this song.

Someone in the audience called out "Happy birthday" to Brett Hool, and Brett mentioned that it was also his mother's birthday. He then talked about rehearsing for this show the night before, the first time he'd had a chance to play with these guys in a long time. "And it was amazing, wonderful, beautiful," he said. We could feel the truth of it, and hear the love for the music in every note he sang last night. I've said it before, but there is magic in those garage shows, which Brett himself mentioned: "A few hours ago, it was just a garage, with nothing going on. The second we all come down here, the spirit takes hold." And as he spoke, they began "Only One Us," and everything felt just right. This is another one of those songs that work to raise our spirits, make us feel good about being alive, about being on this silly, glorious planet. Not only that, but the music encourages us, letting us know we have the power to make our lives something special. John then led the crowd in "The New Birthday Song" for Brett, and a cake was brought to the stage. "Another year has passed/You made the grade/Today's your special day/Some things will change/And some will not/But the thing that won't change/Is that you're a special person/Today's your birthday/Happy birthday to you." They wrapped up the show with "Hey God, I'm Alive!" The crowd sang along. A perfect ending to a fantastic show. I hope it won't be too long before we're all able to gather again, because we need this.

Set List

1. A New Haven
2. Good Luck (And All That Stuff)
3. Groene Hart
4. The Hammer
5. Cauliflower Ears
6. The Golden Shore
7. The Watchers
8. Sea Of Light (Dirty Ditty)
9. Darlin' If
10. Don't Worry About It
11. Only One Us
12. The New Birthday Song
13. Hey God, I'm Alive!

Helene Cronin: "Maybe New Mexico" (2025) CD Review

Helene Cronin is a talented singer and songwriter, with a special ability for telling compelling stories in her material, and addressing serious and universal yet personal topics. On her new album, Maybe New Mexico, many of the songs, particularly in the second half, take a strong look at the larger questions of existence, things I imagine many people have been pondering in these unsettling times. The album contains all original material, written or co-written by Helene Cronin. Joining her on this release are Bobby Terry on acoustic guitar, dobro, steel guitar and mandolin; Matt Pierson on bass; Paul Eckberg on drums; Charlie Lowell on piano, keyboards and organ; Melodie Chase on cello; and Mitch Dane on additional keyboards and percussion. Caitlin Anselmo and Matt Singleton provide backing vocals.

The album opens with "Copperhill," which immediately establishes a cool groove, a strong pulse. "You can see the scar where they dug the heart/Out of the mountainside." It's a song of the destruction of the land, a powerful start to the album. "The trees are bare and the land is wasted/Can't hear the song of the whippoorwill." This country is a mess right now, with no one at the helm who has any sense of its history or its future, no one who cares about the land. How did we get here? "Look what they've done, look what they've done." It seems that's all we can do, remark on the terrible things they've done rather than stop them from doing them. We can feel the land's pain in this song. "Power Lines" also opens in a somber place, with a more intimate, more personal feel. "One minute you're here/Next minute, you've flown/And when you're out of reach, I'm still hanging on." We can all relate to that feeling that things are out of our control, and in this song even the relationship finds the person just hanging on, realizing that the other person holds the power. We hear the ache in her voice, and in the steel guitar work. This track features a captivating vocal performance.

The first line of "Maybe New Mexico," the album's title track, is "I spent a night in Tucumcari." Hearing the name of that town makes me think of Little Feat's "Willin'," the first song I ever heard that mentions that town. It's not the only New Mexico town in this song's lyrics. "Maybe I'll get lost in Las Cruces/Or wander down to some border town/Or find my way up to Santa Fe/I know it's a long shot, but God I hope/That maybe New Mexico can help me let you go." We can feel that desire, that need. New Mexico can help you forget a lot. Helene Cronin delivers a moving vocal performance, and there is sort of easygoing vibe to this track. There is also a bit of humor in the lines, "And if this don't work/There is always Arizona or California." "Maybe New Mexico" was written by Helene Cronin, Lisa Carver and Scott Sean White. Then "Rifleman" explores the character of a soldier, and the way war has affected him, the damage it inflicted. "They sent him off a boy, brought him back a wreck." And as the song continues, we begin to understand the narrator's relationship to this man. This is another powerful number, featuring some good guitar work.

"We got roots that go back generations/And dreams that stretch for miles," Helene Cronin sings in "People." As the title suggests, this song is about people, all people. Our differences, our similarities. These days our similarities seem to have been forgotten. "Such a mess, but so beautiful/People." It's a positive song at a time when few of us feel very positive about people. "Trying to change the world/Before the world spins around again." Ah, good luck to us all. "People" was written by Helene Cronin and Scott Sean White (Scott Sean White recorded and released his own version of this song). It's followed by "Switzerland," a song that looks at a different sort of war, a different sort of battle. Here a couple is splitting, without any neutral land to retreat to, to meet to work things out. "But now everybody's talking and calling us/They're taking sides, they're dividing up/Some are picking you, and some will stick with me/Let the fallout fall, we're both losing friends/There's no neutral ground, in their defense." "Switzerland" was written by Helene Cronin and Cheley Tackett.

"Not The Year" eases in, taking light steps, then asking, rather gently, "What if you were told on the day you were born/The day you'd die, just not the year/Would it make you think, would it make you change/What you push away, what you pull near?" How would you spend that day each year? Life is so short, and we don't know when the end is coming, just that it is certainly coming. Death has been on my mind lately. It is something we all do have in common. Our "time is tick-ticking," and I marvel at the ways some people choose to spend that time, making things difficult for those who are different from them. Why do they spend their brief time on this planet causing harm? Would those people do things differently if they knew the day they'd die? I don't know. I don't think those people ponder such things. I don't think they are keen on self-reflection or growth. But for those who do have the ability to contemplate, this is one of the album's most striking songs. And one of the things that makes it striking is the gentle way it is delivered. "Not The Year" was written by Helene Cronin, Lisa Carver and Scott Sean White.

"Aint That Just Like A Man" features some nice work on steel guitar. Check out its opening lines: "He tells me I'm pretty when I don't feel pretty/When I don't see what he sees." I need to play this song for my girlfriend. I'm baffled when she fails to see how beautiful she is. This is a sweet love song that rings true, and will likely make you want to take your sweetheart into your arms and not let go. "He don't always know what to say when I'm crying/But he lets me cry on his chest/And most of the time can't fix my worries or problems/But he ain't afraid of my mess." Oh, how I wish I knew what to say, and how to fix the world for my girlfriend. I suspect most men feel that way about the women they love. This one was written by Helene Cronin and Nicole Lewis. Then "Maker's Mark" builds in power, rolling forward, and we feel part of that movement, its power becoming our own. "'Cause I want to leave this place better than I found it/Take what breaks my heart and wrap my arms around it/I want to put a little good out into the world/Shine a little light in the dark." I wish everyone felt that way. Maybe the little kindnesses we extend to others will have some impact. I know sometimes a stranger can turn my day around just by letting me in when I'm entering traffic. If we all did these things, I bet the world would be a better place.

As "Dear Life" begins, there is a feeling of melancholy. And when the vocals come in, the lyrics address life directly: "Dear life, I've been thinking about you lately/Because lately you've been hard to understand/I've tried, but I don't know where this is going/Because none of this is going like I planned." I'm guessing we can all relate to this song, especially when all we can do "is keep holding on for dear life." Helene Cronin delivers a beautiful performance here, one that is certain to move you. Another couple of lines that stand out for me are "Dear life, even when you're almost perfect/You still don't give a damn about my happiness." That's something that's hard to accept sometimes, that the universe doesn't care about us, one way or another. It is an indifferent world, not necessarily a cruel one. We're alone out here, so let's make the best of it, folks. This is a gorgeous, sad, honest song, featuring some beautiful work on cello. Helene Cronin then switches gears with a song in which the universe, or God, does care and comes checking in on us. "God stopped by my house today/He's always catching me off guard." She admits here that she has questions: "I never understood/Why he lets the bad things happen if he's really good." I understand wishing there were a god who cares about us, someone watching out for us, someone understanding our troubles, our worries, our failures. It is highly unlikely that such a being exists, but I understand wanting it to. Either way, this is another beautiful song. "None of us ever asked to be here," Helene then begins the album's final song, "Visitors." We are all here together, through chance, and so why do all our common experiences and elements fail to make us treat each other better? The line "We're all passing through the same revolving door" reminds me of a song Leonard Cohen used to cover, "Passing Through." "We're just visitors here," Helene reminds us. And this is it, folks. It is so terribly brief, and there is probably nothing afterward, so start being kinder to each other.

CD Track List

1. Copperhill
2. Power Lines
3. Maybe New Mexico
4. Rifleman
5. People
6. Switzerland
7. Not The Year
8. Ain't That Just Like A Man
9. Maker's Mark
10. Dear Life
11. God Stopped By
12. Visitors

Maybe New Mexico was released on March 7, 2025.

Amelia Hogan: "Burnished" (2025) CD Review

As long as I can remember, I've been drawn to Irish music, to Celtic music. Something in my blood, I've been told. Perhaps, but this music, I've come to believe, should be in everyone's blood, for it seems to have the ability to connect us, one to another, and all of us to our collective past. Amelia Hogan, who gathered accolades for her 2023 release Taking Flight, has focused on Celtic traditions, and on her new album, Burnished, delivers some wonderful renditions of traditional tunes as well as more contemporary songs (which themselves have a traditional feel), along with one original composition. Joining her on this album are Christa Burch on bodhran and backing vocals, James F. Murphy on rhythm guitar and mandolin, John Weed on fiddle, Lewis Santer on rhythm guitar, Maureen Brennan on Celtic harp, Marla Fibish on mandolin and mandola, Ray Frank on guitar and backing vocals, Richard Mandel on guitar, Skyler Blakeslee on flute and whistles, and Steve O'Neill on bass.

Amelia Hogan opens the album with that original piece, "Rolling In The Gold," a song about California. She sings, "And they come from all over/And hoped that they'll get rich," which is still true, though here she sings of the time of the gold rush. There are so many songs about California, and it's easy to understand why. There has always been a promise held in its land, making it an appealing subject. This song is pretty and uplifting and joyous, reflecting the way many of us view this place. And though it's an original number, it has the vibe of a traditional tune. It features some really nice work on mandolin, and its lyrics provide the album its title. "Made up of a sunburn/And scented tall giants/It’s burnished wildflowers/In each gilded beam/And a tidal pool sparkle/And salt waves I cherish/You’ll have gold aplenty." That's followed by a cover of "Blue Is The Eye," a song by Ye Vagabonds, who included it on Nine Waves. There is a magical feel to this rendition by Amelia Hogan, in part because of the work on flute, in part because of the subject, the mysterious realm of the ocean, and the hope of immigrants who travel across it. It's a beautiful and comforting song. "Lie down and sleep, sleep well my darling/Blue is the eye watches over the sea."

The album changes gears a bit then with "They Call The Wind Maria," a song that comes from Paint Your Wagon, and was written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Amelia Hogan delivers a thoughtful, contemplative rendition. There is still that magical feel, heard largely in the work on Celtic harp. And while the previous song was about the sea, this one is about the wind. In both, the elements are personified. Here she begs of the wind, "Maria blow my love to me." Then in "The Snow Hare," she sings, "The hare turns white as the year turns black." We're at the point where even the prior naysayers are finally acknowledging climate change. In this song, a hare is unable to use his white fur as camouflage and so is vulnerable to predators. Amelia gives an incredible vocal performance. Her voice seems to come from the past, from some eternal place, as she looks at this current moment with sadness.

Amelia Hogan gives us a great take on the traditional number "Wayfaring Stranger," her rendition having a somber feel. I suppose the world has always been cruel to those who wander, but these days it seems particularly cold. What has happened to us as a species? That sense is reflected in this striking rendition, in its pace, in its delivery. That's followed by "Patriot Game," written by Dominic Behan. Ardent patriotism has always alarmed me. At one point in my favorite movie, Harold And Maude, Ruth Gordon says, "What sense in borders and nations and patriotism?" Patriotism often leads to unspeakable acts, with the participants feeling secure in the notion that they are right. Yet love of the land itself is something different, as is love of the people upon that land. "This Ireland of ours has for long been half free/Six counties are under John Bull's tyranny/And most of our leaders are greatly to blame/For shirking their part in the patriot's game." Amelia Hogan cuts out the verse that begins, "I don't mind a bit if I shoot down police."

Music is the main passion of my life, but another important element is the work of William Shakespeare. It was through my love of Shakespeare that I came to really appreciate the work of Trevor Peacock, for he had roles in some of the BBC productions of the complete canon, all of which I watched during my initial Shakespeare study many years ago. (I also loved him in The Vicar Of Dibley, starring Dawn French.) It was a while before I realized he also wrote songs, including the big Herman's Hermits hit "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter." Holy moly! On this album, Amelia covers his "Little Yellow Roses," a song that both Adam Faith and Jackie De Shannon recorded in the early 1960s, and she delivers a gorgeous and moving rendition. "My father taught me that all men are equal/Whatever color, religion or land/And taught me to fight for the things I believed in/So that's what I did - with a gun in my hand." I wonder if an armed rebellion will become necessary in this country. It's a frightening notion, but perhaps even scarier is us letting the fascists in their red caps dismantle our democracy, which is what they are now doing. By the way, Jackie De Shannon sang different lines in that verse, leaving out the gun. Amelia Hogan's rendition is powerful and haunting. She performs this one solo, her work on shruti being the only accompaniment for her remarkable vocal performance.

"Home By Bearna" is a traditional number, and this rendition feels like a delightful dance, with good work on bodhran and fiddle. That's followed by a cover of Gordon Bok's "Bay Of Fundy." Something about this track grabs me, something in its delivery, its pace. There is a haunting aspect, especially in lines like "Cape Breton's bells ring in the swells/They ring for me, they ring for me." Then "Come Away In" offers a sweet and pretty invitation. "Come away, come away in/Welcome into the house/Where we have bread to eat." There is such a light and friendly feel to this song that the world it evokes seems to be without danger or malice. This is the world we all want to live in, I imagine, even as some people are doing much to create a world that is harmful, that is contrary to everything we hear here. This song was written by Karine Polwart. It is followed by "The Laverock Sang," which was written by Brian McNeill, who included it on his 1985 record Unstrung Hero. There is something timeless about this song too, something magical and beautiful, and Skyler Blakeslee delivers some wonderful work.

"Haunted Hunter (Walker In The Snow)" is a traditional number that relates a compelling ghost story. "Not far upon my journey had I gone along the way/When a dusky figure approached me in a capuchon of gray." This stranger become companion, though without speaking. Amelia's voice is given prominence, with some soft accompaniment on guitar and flute. That's followed by another traditional number, "Dh'eirich Mi Moch Maidainn Cheitein," this one with a lighter, more joyful spirit, and sung in Gaelic. The album concludes with "Who Will Watch The Homeplace," a song written by Kate Long, who included it on her 1998 album Pieces Of Heart.  Laurie Lewis had released her own version in 1993 on her True Stories album (where it is titled "Who Will Watch The Home Place"). Amelia Hogan's rendition is delivered a cappella, with Christa Burch and Ray Frank joining her. "Who will fill my empty place/When I am gone from here?" A sadness and a longing run through this track. I've been thinking about death a lot lately, and about the future of humanity. Will people continue to hold dear any of the things that we deem important? I wonder, I wonder.

CD Track List

1. Rolling In The Gold
2. Blue Is The Eye
3. They Call The Wind Maria
4. The Snow Hare
5. Wayfaring Stranger
6. Patriot Game
7. Little Yellow Roses
8. Home By Bearna
9. Bay Of Fundy
10. Come Away In
11. The Laverock Sang
12. Haunted Hunter (Walker In The Snow)
13. Dh'eirich Mi Moch Maidainn Cheitein
14. Who Will Watch The Homeplace

Burnished was released on April 1, 2025.

Matthew Muñeses/Riza Printup: "Pag-Ibig Ko Vol. 1" (2025) CD Review

In 2022, saxophone player and composer Matthew Muñeses released Noli Me Tángere, an album of music inspired by the work of José Rizal, a Filipino writer of the nineteenth century. Now he is continuing his exploration of Filipino music on Pag-Ibig Ko Vol. 1, this time with harpist Riza Printup, who also has Filipino roots. This album focuses on kundiman, Filipino love songs. Two of the pieces from Noli Me Tángere are revisited here, but with different arrangements, and a much different feel, as that earlier album featured a quintet. 

The album's opening track, a cover of the classic Filipino love song "Dahil Sa Iyo," begins with some gentle, pretty work on harp. There is a hint of melancholy, evoking the sort of memory or image that can lead to smiles or tears. Sometimes we just look at that person who has our heart and feel we could burst into tears for the sheer wonder of it all, and the pain of it. Matthew Muñeses' work seems to describe, or capture, the moment perfectly, and maybe says what, at times, we are unable to. The way love can open up something within us, and seemingly outside of us too, showing us the entire world in a better light. Put this album on and hold your loved one close. It is so sad to think it will end one day, that death will separate us forever. There is a delicate beauty to "Nahan" as well, and a warmth, as it begins. It feels like a love that is spoken softly, for that special person is right there. And even if the world around is dark, dismal, disjointed, there is a safe spot here in a lover's arms. Love is what it's all about, after all. Most of the rest is nonsense, to be endured, or ignored if possible. The music seems to suggest, or urge us to relax and let go of the world, at least for a time.

"Kundiman Ni Rizal" is one of the pieces that Matthew Muñeses included on Noli Me Tángere. There is a more somber aspect to this one. There is beauty here, of course, but also a sense of obligation and, perhaps because of that obligation, of loss. There is something familiar about the theme. And though there is an intimacy at play, there is something larger at work here, something outside of any couple, forces that affect them. I hear goodbyes within the framework, hoping they are not permanent separations. That is followed by "Minamahal Kita." In this gorgeous expression of love, there is joy, contentment. It is a magical land where love is both of the moment and eternal. May we all live within its realm, a place where fairy tale and reality combine, and be lifted up and embraced by it. Then there is a wonderfully romantic air to "Maalaala Mo Kaya," created mainly by the saxophone early in the track. This is a slow dance that becomes the entire world. How can anything exist outside of such a moment? Though there is always some element of an uncertain future that wants to sneak in and remind us that all of this is fleeting, that it is all so brief. And perhaps that is why music like this speaks to us so strongly. We can play the song over and over, and in doing so extend that moment, and keep the world at bay.

There is something somber in "Nasaan Ka, Irog," a darkness that hovers over us, threatens to consume the beauty, the passion. Yet, partway through, the joy rises up to gently confront this threat, this menace, and we get the feeling that perhaps love will triumph after all. That's followed by "Canto De Maria Clara," the other piece that Matthew Muñeses included on the earlier album and revisits here. There is something perhaps uncertain as this one begins. We are unsure of our path, unsure of the outcome, but something from within guides us, and we trust it, our steps steady. The individual voice, here presented by the saxophone, has power, has beauty, has determination. And the harp encourages magic, makes us believe. What is more magical, more transformative than love? There is a slight pause approximately five and a half minutes in, as if we might have reached the conclusion, but the harp then firmly takes us into that magical realm, makes it real. The album concludes with "Sampaguita," which has a relaxed, tender and pretty sound. It offers both solace and encouragement. It is a beautiful world, after all, the music reminds us. Even within its brevity is beauty.

CD Track List

1. Dahil Sa Iyo
2. Nahan
3. Kundiman Ni Rizal
4. Minamahal Kita
5. Maalaala Mo Kaya
6. Nasaan Ka, Irog?
7. Canto De Maria Clara
8. Sampaguita

Pag-Ibig Ko Vol. 1 is scheduled to be released on April 4, 2025.

Mark Muleman Massey: "Been A Long, Long Time" (2024) CD Review

Mark Muleman Massey is one hell of a good blues singer and songwriter. He was born in Mississippi, and started performing in the northern part of that state in the early 1990s. His latest album, Been A Long, Long Time, which was released in the fall, contains mostly original material written by Massey, Ed Hill and Billy Lawson. Mark Massey plays guitar on these tracks, as does Billy Lawson (Lawson also produced the album). They are joined by Jim Whitehead on keys, Travis Wammack on guitar, Kelvin Holly on guitar, Bob N. Weaver on bass, Roger Starr on drums, and Robert Fossen on harmonica, along with The Webster Street Horns. The Avalon Sisters provide backing vocals.

The album opens with its title track. "It's been a long, long time," Mark Massey repeats at the beginning of the track, and we know he could take that in so many directions. Perhaps you have a few ideas yourself where he might go. And he then sings, "It's been long time coming since I felt this good." And we are relieved, for we are right with him. We want to feel good, are ready for it, are eager for it, and this music is helping in that regard. "Welcome to the neighborhood," he tells us, and it is like this very album is the neighborhood, this first track telling us he's glad we're here. And so are we. For who in this country doesn't have the blues these days? Most of the good stuff is being dismantled by fascists, but we still have the music. This track features some great work on harmonica. That's followed by "Baby's Gone." "Yeah, I've never lost a love like this before, and, fellas, I truly hope you don't feel the pain that I am feeling tonight," Mark tells us in a brief spoken word introduction. And then he delivers a great, soulful vocal performance. "What a crazy world I've been living in now/I must go on, though I don't know how." Of course, any line about this world being crazy speaks pretty strongly to us now. This is a beautiful, moving song, with a classic blues and soul vibe. There is a bit of a Van Morrison feel. "My baby's gone, gone, gone/She's gone for good/I'd tell her I'm sorry on my knees/If I could." I can't imagine how I could face this crazy world if my baby were gone. This is one of my personal favorite tracks.

Mark Massey then picks up the energy with "Can't Tell Me Nothing About The Blues," in which he sings, "I was born in Mississippi/Nearly died there twice/Once at my birth/And the other was shooting dice." Those lines feel true, feel autobiographical. And when he says that we can't tell him about the blues, he means it. We hear it in his voice, in his delivery. That is a voice that knows the blues. He also sings about how he "Spent some time in Parchman," which is true. Apparently when he was nineteen, he went to Parchman Prison, and it was there that he really got into the blues, becoming a member of the Parchman Prison Band. This track contains some good stuff on guitar. It's followed by "Give Me Your Love." There is a wonderful classic sound to this one, and another soulful performance. "Fall in these arms/That have missed you so much." Oh yes! He really knows how to deliver these slower numbers. This is fantastic. "Bring down the wall/That I helped you build." It's never too late, right?

The album's first cover is a country number, Hank Williams' "Hey Good Looking," here delivered with a kind of funky blues vibe, which works surprisingly quite well. This track actually had me on my feet, dancing around, the first time I listened to this disc. I imagine the band must get the crowd moving when they play this one in concert. "Hey Good Looking" is followed by another cover, this one a Tom T. Hall song, "That's How I Got To Memphis."  It's another interesting choice to cover, for, again, it's not a blues number, but a country song. Here it is delivered with a good soulful energy. "If you love somebody enough/You go where your heart wants to go/That's how I got to Memphis." I know that feeling. If my sweetheart decides to move out of Los Angeles, I'll be going too. To Boston, to Sicily, even to Memphis, wherever I find she's going.

Mark Massey goes back to original material with "She's Married To The Streets," delivering a delicious mix of blues and soul. "You can't compete/She's married to the streets/She'll make promises that she can't keep/She's married to the streets." He conjures a vivid image of this woman in our minds. I see her stepping through the smoke of twilight and disappearing down an alley. Then we get the album's final cover, "I'm Sorry About That," which was written by Bobby Womack and recorded by Wilson Pickett. Mark Massey delivers an excellent vocal performance, one of passion and regret. His apology is sincere. And this track features the horn section. Here he sings, "They said to be sorry/Is a sure sign of weakness," something that a large number of people in this country sadly now believe, having been misled by a fragile sociopath with narcissistic personality disorder. So I love the little laugh Mark gives at the end of that line, letting us know just how ridiculous, how foolish, that notion is. Oh, if only other people could learn that.

The horns are present on "My Used To Be" too, an original number about not wanting to run into an old flame. That means him not being able to go to any of their old places. So not only is she gone, but she's taken his city with her. "No more strolling down by the park/I don't want to see her in another man's arms." He declares he'd take her back, but by then we already know that. "You see, my used to be, she used to be everything to me." Ah, it is clear she still is. This song serves as a warning, as a lesson to the rest of us. Hold onto that love, friends. That's followed by "Going Back To Memphis." Yes, earlier in the album Mark Massey sang about how he got to Memphis; now he tells us he's going back there. This is a fun number featuring some very cool work on harmonica, as well as some delicious stuff on keys. "I'm going back to Memphis/Where the women know how to rock and roll." The album concludes with "Your Good Stuff," a playful number that has a good funky edge and also includes the horn section. "I ain't gonna miss you/Go on and leave/Take your good stuff with you."

CD Track List

1. Been A Long, Long Time
2. Baby's Gone
3. Can't Tell Me Nothing About The Blues
4. Give Me Your Love
5. Hey Good Looking
6. That's How I Got To Memphis
7. She's Married To The Streets
8. I'm Sorry About That
9. My Used To Be
10. Going Back To Memphis
11. Your Good Stuff

Been A Long, Long Time was released on October 31, 2024.

WDR Big Band: "Bluegrass" (2025) CD Review

While the blending of musical genres might be common these days, musicians are still finding exciting and new combinations of sounds and styles, and in the process offering surprises and fresh looks at material. Such is the case with the album Bluegrass by WDR Big Band, directed by Bob Mintzer. That's right, it's a wonderful combination of bluegrass and big band sounds, featuring violinist Darol Anger and mandolin player and guitarist Mike Marshall, both known for their work with David Grisman (as well as with many other artists). They also both, by the way, provide thoughts on the project in the disc's liner notes. The WDR Big Band is made up of Wim Both on trumpet, Ruud Breuls on trumpet, Andy Haderer on trumpet, Martin Reuthner on trumpet, Ludwig Nuss on trombone, Tim Hepburn on trombone, Andy Hunter on trombone, Mattis Cederberg on trombone, Johan Hörlén on saxophone, Karolina Strassmayer on saxophone, Jeremy Powell on saxophone, Paul Heller on saxophone, Jens Neufang on saxophone, John Goldsby on bass, Dominik Raab on drums, and Billy Test on piano. The band is led by Bob Mintzer, who plays saxophone and electric wind instrument. The album features material written by Marshall and Anger, along with one piece composed by Mintzer and a couple of traditional numbers.

The album's opening track, "Slip And Slide," begins with a classic burst of big band energy. Then Mike Marshall makes his presence known, and the adventure begins. He delivers some really nice work on mandolin here. He also wrote this one, and it was included (in a very different setting) on the Darol Anger & Mike Marshall album Woodshop. This track also features a wonderful, warm lead on saxophone by Karolina Strassmayer. It really builds in energy in that section. Darol Anger delivers some beautiful stuff as well. But it is Mike Marshall at the heart of this one, moving it forward in bright colors. The combination of big band and bluegrass elements is compelling and unusual without feeling at all forced or disjointed.

The band then tackles some traditional music, combining "Elzic's Farwell" and "Yew Piney Mountain." This one is fun from the start, with a delicious bluegrass vibe delivered with the power of a big band. Smiles all around, I imagine; certainly on the faces of those who are listening. "Ezlic's Farewell" is a piece that Mike Marshall recorded for Third Journey, an album he did with Caterina Lichtenberg. And "Yew Piney Mountain" was included on the Mike Marshall And Darol Anger With Väsen album. On this track, we are treated to excellent leads by Johan Hörlén on saxophone and Ruud Breuls on trumpet. There is a good deal of joy in that groove by Dominik Raab on drums and John Goldsby on bass. And I love when Darol Anger's violin takes charge in the second half. There is a fantastic energy here at moments, so be prepared for your body to demand you dance. This is an outstanding track. It is followed with another traditional piece, "Down In The Willow Garden," which opens in softer, gentler territory, with promises of something blooming within, the violin offering something soothing, like taking us back to a home perhaps more of our imagination than memory, but one we all wish for, where we are all welcome. I also love that work on piano supporting Darol's lead. This track also features a great lead by Bob Mintzer on tenor saxophone, like sunlight dancing upon that home and its surrounding land. There are some cool moments too, perhaps as evening comes and this place becomes a jazz club. That saxophone work is so good, and I'm digging that supporting bass line. The track then ends gently. This is a song that Mike Marshall and Darol Anger previously included on The Duo Live At Home And On The Range.

"Green Lawn" was written by Bob Mintzer, his sole composition on this album. As he mentions in his portion of the liner notes, this track represents his "virgin foray into the bluegrass realm." The big band elements are still emphasized here, though there is plenty of room for Mike Marshall to deliver some great work on mandolin. Then, a couple of minutes in, it takes on a good dance rhythm. There is so much joy here. Darol Anger has a chance to exchange licks, and thoughts, with Mike Marshall in the second half of the track, and there are great swells of energy from the band. We then get the first of two tracks composed by Darol Anger, "Emy In The Woods," which Marshall and Anger had previously recorded for Da Capo. It has a kind of playful opening, and Darol delivers some really good work almost immediately, introducing the tune's theme. This is a totally enjoyable number. And check out Andy Hunter's lead on trombone, taking that theme into somewhat different territory. Bob Mintzer provides some delightful work on EWI. And toward the end, Mike Marshall delivers an excellent lead on guitar. Throughout the various leads, the music here never strays too far from its center. That is followed by the second composition by Darol Anger, "Replace It All," which begins with a cool percussion section, then comes alive with great bursts from the brass section. There is a good energy to this track, and the beat is an important element here. The violin lead has an appealing edge to it, getting loose. That is when this track takes on the feel of a delicious jam, soon featuring some wonderful work by Jeremy Powell on tenor saxophone. This is one of my personal favorites, in part because of that jam.

The album's last three tracks are all written by Mike Marshall. The first of the three, "In The Lion's Den," has some strong work on mandolin from its start. There is a pleasant vibe to this track, one that leaves you feeling good and kind of relaxed, even as the music builds in power at moments. Paul Heller delivers a strong lead on tenor saxophone. Then "Dexter" begins in firm bluegrass territory, with the big band adding some great touches early on before then pulling things more into its world. At that point, we are treated to a wonderful lead by Billy Test on piano, with a fairly strong groove beneath it. Bob Mintzer takes over on saxophone, driving things forwards with a good deal of both power and joy, taking us along on the ride. The band jams on the groove for a bit, leading to some great stuff on violin. This is another piece that was previously included on Da Capo. The album concludes with "Borealis," which begins beautifully with Mike Marshall on guitar and grows from there. This is one of those pieces of music that remind you how extraordinary it is to be alive at all and to appreciate the many wonders and beauties around us, and even our own motion. What a perfect way to wrap up the album. Now turn off your cell phone or laptop and go outside.

CD Track List

1. Slide And Slide
2. Elzic's Farewell/Yew Piney Mountain
3. Down In The Willow Garden
4. Green Lawn
5. Emy In The Woods
6. Replace It All
7. In The Lion's Den
8. Dexter
9. Borealis

Bluegrass was released on February 28, 2025.