Andrew Durr: “Time Frame” (2018) CD Review

Migrant Mother is the title of a famous photograph by Dorothea Lange. That photo and its subject and its creator inspired a play of the same title written by Ken White. The play debuted in January of 2017 (though apparently a shorter version was put on in 2014), with music performed by Andrew Durr. Now that music is available on Time Frame: Songs From The Play Migrant Mother. This is a folk album sort of in the original folk tradition, covering some well-known and beloved songs, songs from the Dust Bowl era. But Andrew Durr delivers some unusual, intriguing takes on the familiar material. Joining him on this album are Ray Vazira on percussion and keys, Janet Baltzo on keys, Steve Ashman on electric bass, John Ady on acoustic bass, Kevin Pallotta on drums, Narayan Baltzo on trumpet, Jeffrey McFarland-Johnson on cello, Patrick Durr on harmonica and backing vocals, Alexandra Durr on backing vocals, and Melissa Dawn on spoken word vocals. The disc’s liner notes were written by Ken White.

The album opens with “Hard Times Come Again No More,” a song that predates the Dust Bowl years. This version by Andrew Durr is delivered honestly without adornment, and features some nice work on harmonica. There is also some excellent, passionate vocal work, and I love the backing vocals. “Many days you have lingered around my cabin door/Hard times come again no more.” That’s followed by a lively, fun number, “Are You making Any Money?” This playful tune features some delightful work on piano, as well as more good work on harmonica. “Make fun when you could make trouble/Make mistakes, but they pay double/Say, honey, are you making any money?/Because that’s all I want to know.” Then we get a good rendition of “Pastures Of Plenty.” Any album of material covering this time and subject must include at least one Woody Guthrie song. It just wouldn’t be right otherwise. This rendition of “Pastures Of Plenty” has a more serious, somber tone, and a power. Toward the end, the snare drum takes on the feel of a march for a time.

“Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?” is one of the most famous songs of the Great Depression. It was written by Jay Gorney and E.Y. Harburg. As presented here, it has a darker folk vibe, which is quite fitting for the lyrics. I really like the way Andrew Durr tackles this one. He starts to belt out the lyrics toward the end, giving a passionate and raw performance, fully invested in the song. Another well-known song from that time is “Pennies From Heaven,” written by Artie Johnson and Johnny Burke. The version here begins with some vocals delivered basically as spoken word, and sounding like an old recording, or like they’re on a radio or perhaps even from over a phone. Then the musicians come in, and the song takes on a sweet, warm folk vibe, with more good work on harmonica. That’s followed by “Who’s Been Polishing The Sun” a fun, bouncy, peppy folk number, with yet more lively, wonderful work on harmonica.

“The Way You Look Tonight” is a song that gets in my head quite often. I’ve heard a lot of different renditions over the years, but I’ve never heard a version quite like the one on this album. It is sort of folk, but has a strange, cool jazzy feel. I like it a whole lot, especially the work on piano. Andrew Durr follows that with an equally unusual rendition of “Keep On The Sunny Side.” He establishes a darker, more serious vibe, fitting the song’s first line, “There's a dark and troubled side of life,” much more than its second, “There's a bright and sunny side too.”  I’ve never heard the song approached this way before. It has more of a “House Of The Rising Sun” vibe, or perhaps even “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.” Listening to it, you get the feeling that it is probably impossible – or at least incredibly difficult – to do as the song says and “Keep on the sunny side of life.” Then “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” begins a cappella, before the guitar comes in. This version is folk, with a gospel element in the backing vocals, and sounds wonderful. The album ends with “Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries,” a fun, playful version that even includes some whistling and then kazoo and then horn. So there! I love it.

CD Track List

1. Hard Times Come Again No More
2. Are You Making Any Money?
3. Pastures Of Plenty
4. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?
5. Pennies From Heaven
6. Who’s Been Polishing The Sun
7. The Way You Look Tonight
8. Keep On The Sunny Side
9. Will The Circle Be Unbroken?
10. Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries

Time Frame was released on CD on November 9, 2018 through IAC Records.

Ina Forsman: “Been Meaning To Tell You” (2019) CD Review

Ina Forsman is a talented Finnish singer and songwriter, whose music is funky, bluesy and jazzy, with an incredible amount of soul. Her new album, Been Meaning To Tell You, features all original material, written or co-written by Ina Forsman. And it’s fantastic. There isn’t any filler here. Every song on this album is excellent. Joining her on this release are Red Young on keys, Brannen Temple on drums, Laura Chavez on guitar, Chris Maresh on bass. Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff on tenor saxophone and backing vocals, John Mills on baritone saxophone and flute, Al Gomez on trumpet, Randy Zimmerman on trombone, Jay Stiles on keys, and Alice Spencer on backing vocals.

As the opening track, “Be My Home,” begins, I am immediately taken by Ina Forsman’s voice. There is something seductive about it, sexy and passionate and vulnerable and human. “And I guess I don’t have much to give/But I wanna give it all to you/I know you must be tired, your load is heavier than mine/But if I take half of it, we could leave the bad days behind/We could leave it all behind.” Her voice draws us in, and then, holy moly, toward the end it bursts open, like her voice is flying up to the heavens. It’s a surprising and glorious moment, and it’s over all too soon. But before we can catch our breath and process what we’ve just experienced, the next song is taking us in a totally different direction. Yes, things turn funky with “Get Mine.” This tune is so cool, coming straight out of a club in the 1970s, featuring a delicious groove to get you loose, and some seriously cool work on guitar. But what also strikes me is her voice, the way what she does here is so different from what she does on the first track, how she just completely inhabits these different songs, different worlds. This track has a really nice instrumental section, with a lead on keys. “I’m having a good time/Time/I came to get mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine.”

There are some 1970s vibes to “All Good” too, but with a very different feel. This is more in the pop realm, with a cheerful, almost cheesy bent, but is totally enjoyable. “All the things that I took for granted/I’m finally grateful for/And I’m believing in myself/Just the way that I should.” That’s followed by “Genius,” a song with an excellent classic groove and a great deal of soul, with those horns and backing vocals. It feels like a party, one you want to attend. There is also more good work on guitar, particularly during that instrumental section in the middle. And then I love when Ina belts out the lyrics toward the end. Oh yes! Then she gives us a song titled “Whatcha Gonna Do.” The first time I played this disc, when this one started, I wasn’t that into it. The opening bit about the six-inch heels, delivered a cappella, didn’t do much for me. But the moment the song kicked in, I totally fell for it. Here we get another good groove, and another marvelous vocal performance.

“Why You Gotta Be This Way” has a kind of sly, slinky opening, and becomes a fun track. There are some things that Ina Forsman does vocally that remind me of Holland Greco’s work with The Peak Show, particularly that first album, the one with “Go Back” and “Junk Drawer.” If you’re familiar with that album (and you should be, because it’s fucking great), I think you’ll hear the similarities. Ina then gets good and bluesy with “Miss Mistreated.” Ah, there is something sultry and yet powerful about her approach here. She is a force, to be sure. “Oh, did you ever put some makeup on your face just to fade/All the scars and bruises, all the lies and abusing/Thrown at your face?” That’s followed by another powerful and moving vocal performance in “Figure.” The focus is really on her vocals here, as she is accompanied mainly by keys for a good portion of it.

The horns then are what make “Who Hurt You” so enjoyable. And I can’t help but appreciate the honesty of lines like these: “Well, I’ll take care of you/I’ll stay by your side forever and ever/But as much as I love you I have to say/Girl, you need to get your shit together.” There is also some nice work on flute in the second half of this one. “I love you/Probably more than you do.” That’s followed by “Every Single Beat,” which is very cool right from the start, with those horns and a Latin rhythm. There are some great funky little touches on keys. This is a song that celebrates music itself, at one point calling out individual instruments and giving different musicians opportunities to shine. The beat is at the fore from the beginning of “Chains,” the beat feeling like it’s inviting us to join in, to join the musicians. It also gives the song a raw power and vibe. And I dig that horn over it. “If you wanna control me/Hold all the ropes/Make sure you hold on tight.” The disc then concludes with “Sunny,” which is delivered a cappella, giving us a chance to really appreciate Ina’s voice. Not that we haven’t had plenty of opportunities to do so throughout the entire album, of course, but here there is nothing else to focus on. “I just hope when you’re lost and lonely/You’ll always have your dreams.”

CD Track List

1. Be My Home
2. Get Mine
3. All Good
4. Genius
5. Whatcha Gonna Do
6. Why You Gotta Be That Way
7. Miss Mistreated
8. Figure
9. Who Hurt You
10. Every Single Beat
11. Chains
12. Sunny

Been Meaning To Tell You is scheduled to be released on January 25, 2019 on Ruf Records.

The Napa Valley Duo: “A Soft Message To You” (2016) CD Review

After thoroughly enjoying the new album from the Napa Valley Duo, An American In Paris, I went back to listen to the duo’s previous release, A Soft Message To You. While they cover more modern material on their new release (including the Star Trek theme and a song from The Who), here they deliver mostly classical pieces, including music by Debussy and Chopin. There are also two original compositions, both of which the duo revisit on the new album.

This album opens with one of those original pieces, the title track, “A Soft Message To You,” written by cellist Jeffrey McFarland-Johnson. This is a pretty, emotionally engaging piece with a sound that is gentle, even soothing at times. I love the sound of a cello, and that instrument is the focus of this piece, with Terry Winn’s piano supporting it. As with the Napa Valley Duo’s new album, this one contains one Gershwin composition. I can never get enough Gershwin, and on this disc they perform “Sleepless Night.” This version is wonderful. I particularly like the way the cello seems to speak to us as clearly as any voice could. You can almost feel both instruments reaching out to you.

“Sleepless Night” is followed by another of my favorite tracks, a beautiful rendition of Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.” Terry Winn begins this one on piano, using a gentle touch at first. This track is so moving and gorgeous. The Napa Valley Duo performs several other pieces written by Claude Debussy on this album, including “Beau Soir” and “Romance,” the two separated on this album by a one-minute piano piece titled “Intermission,” arranged by Terry Winn. My favorite of the Debussy tracks is “Nuit d’ Etoiles.” It has the feel of a fairy tale, particularly because of that piano part right at the beginning. It reminds me of the ending to the film version of The Hotel New Hampshire, which had a decidedly fairy tale vibe about it. This track lifts us up into the air, seemingly making all troubles and cares fade below. I love this piece. They also deliver an engaging version of Debussy’s “Page d’Album.”

They also do a couple of pieces from Chopin, both of which were written for solo piano. The first is “Etude Op. 10 No. 3,” and the two instruments work together from the start. It is a fairly short version, but is powerful and might bring a tear to your eye. The second is “Etude Op. 10 No. 6,” which is also short and compelling, and should affect you provided you are not built of stone.

“Chimera” is the album’s other original composition, written by Jeffrey McFarand-Johnson. I’ve listened to this piece several times now, both this version and the version on the duo’s new CD, but it feels like it’s been in my life longer. There is something familiar about it, something that connects to my past as well as present. It features some really nice work on cello. Another of the disc’s highlights is the duo’s absolutely beautiful rendition of Maria Theresia von Paradis’ “Sicilienne.”

CD Track List

1. A Soft Message To You
2. Zion’s Walls
3. Quiet Now
4. Prelude – Sleepless Night
5. Clair de Lune
6. Etude Op. 10 No. 3
7. Beau Soir
8. Intermission
9. Romance
10. Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore
11. Pagliacci –Canino’s Lament
12. Chimera
13. Etude Op. 10 No. 6
14. Nuit d’ Etoiles
15. Vocalise
16. Page d’ Album
17. Vocalise
18. Sicilienne
19. Valse Triste
20. A Tender Time

A Soft Message To You was released on May 2, 2016.

Betty Bryant: “Project 88” (2019) CD Review

Does music keep us young? Does it keep us active? Maybe so. Vocalist and pianist Betty Bryant’s new album is titled Project 88 because she turned 88 last year (as well as because there are 88 keys on the piano), and this album is pulsing with excitement and joy. It is vibrant and fun. Joining Betty Bryant on this release on various tracks are Tony Guerrero on trumpet, Thomas Gargano on bass, Richard Simon on bass, Hussain Jiffry on bass, James Gadson on drums and vocals, Kenny Elliott on drums, Quentin Dennard Sr. on drums, Robert Kyle on tenor saxophone and flute, Ryan Dragon on trombone, Jeff Driskill on alto saxophone, Jay Mason on baritone saxophone, Casio Duarte on percussion, and Kleber Jorge on guitar and vocals. The songs chosen for this CD are a mix of originals and covers.

Betty Bryant opens this release with an original composition, “Love Came And Went,” a totally enjoyable number, the horn section giving it a big band flavor. “He was funny and charming/But it was alarming/How quickly it turned to ennui/Love came and went/And nobody noticed but me.” This is a song that Betty has recorded before, with a different arrangement. It was included on the album What’s The Point? by the Betty Bryant Trio. That’s followed by a wonderful, lively instrumental rendition of “Oh, Lady Be Good” by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Once again, you can never go wrong with Gershwin. This trio version features a delicious bass solo followed by a cool drum solo. Then comes my personal favorite track of the album, “Catfish Man,” an original composition. This tune is seriously cool, and has a bluesy edge and a good groove. There is something delightful and adorable about a woman who is close to 90 singing about editing images on an online dating service, particularly as she also wrote this song. “You looked so fine/When I saw you online/Then I found out it was just Photoshop.” I love her vocal delivery and I love Robert Kyle’s work on saxophone. On top of all that, Betty delivers a marvelous lead on piano in the second half of the track. This tune is just so bloody cool.

I’ve always enjoyed “Just You, Just Me,” and it’s difficult to think about it now without images from Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You popping into my head (if you haven’t seen that film, you should certainly check it out). Here it is performed as a duet with James Gadson, who also plays drums on this track, and it’s a delight. This rendition also features some wonderful work on trumpet and flute. There is also some nice stuff on bass. This track ends with James Gadson saying, “It’s wonderful, it’s wonderful.” I agree. Another of the disc’s highlights is “Ain’t Nobody’s Business.” That horn that starts this one off is just perfect, and makes this track a favorite of mine within its first twenty seconds. This is a wonderful rendition, with a great groove. And the lines “Because I’m three times seven/And that’s almost twenty-two/And it ain’t nobody’s business what I do” have a certain playful humor to them, considering her age. And there is a playful quality to her delivery of other lines as well. I also love that moment when her piano takes control halfway through, some fantastic stuff there. Plus, this track features some cool work on drums. But that trumpet is really the star here.

The album concludes with two more original compositions, the first being “My Beloved,” a pretty and romantic instrumental number featuring some nice work on flute. Betty Bryant had previously included this song on Just Us. Quentin Dennard Sr. and Cassio Duarte are on percussion for this one. Then “It’s Hard To Say Goodbye” is a romantic yet playful song, mentioning “cinnamon toast” and “ice cream at midnight.” But the lines from that opening section that really stand out are: “You’re ooh, you’re ah/You’re baklava.” After a minute or so, it kicks in. This is a delightful number with a full horn section. Betty Bryant previously included a different version of this song on Iteration.

CD Track List

1. Love Came And Went
2. Oh, Lady Be Good
3. Catfish Man
4. Just You, Just Me
5. But Beautiful
6. Ain’t Nobody’s Business
7. Cho Cho
8. They Say It’s Wonderful
9. My Beloved
10. It’s Hard To Say Goodbye

Project 88 is scheduled to be released on January 11, 2019 through Bry-mar Music.

Random: Music You Can Trust

In the early 1990s, I had a band with a guy named Kevin Kemper. I played drums, and he played guitar and sang lead on most songs. I did sing and play guitar on a few tunes, but usually stayed safely behind my drum kit. We tried a few different bass players, but none stayed much past a rehearsal or two, so we were usually a duo. We played mostly original material, though I do recall us covering Bob Dylan’s “Quinn The Eskimo,” Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” and (once) Madonna’s “Like A Virgin.”

We had to create our own gigs, and just the other day I was reminded of one of them. I live in an apartment the size of a personal storage unit, and so I’m constantly trying to create space by tossing out shit I’m fairly confident I won’t want later (I’ve made a few mistakes). Lately I’ve been going through old videocassettes, some of which aren’t labeled, with the intention of tossing them after viewing them. The other night I popped in a tape and saw a 21-year-old version of myself playing drums. The footage was shot by my friend Stacey Wallace, and on the tape I could hear her telling two police officers that she wasn’t in charge of our little concert. I don’t think we had permission to play there. I had just gotten into acting, and thought the theatre would be a great place to put on a concert. I even made up fliers advertising it, and encouraging people to bring their own instruments. That was something we did, encourage people to join us if they wished, sometimes with awful results, usually with no results, and once with a fantastic result. We also encouraged general weirdness, perhaps even suggesting people take hallucinogens, as we sometimes did ourselves. We wanted it to be a memorable night. And it was. We were shut down after only like five or six songs, and we moved the party to Stacey’s house. Somehow we picked up a larger audience on the way, and had a great time. Anyway, that is one video cassette I won’t be tossing out.

I also recently found a box of T-shirts. Our band was named Random. We tried coming up with a second word, toying with the idea of Random Universe at one point, but not liking it. My favorite was Random Surgery. We could never settle on it, though, and so remained – for the band’s brief life – Random. A friend in another band thought we were named after a character in Roger Zelazny’s Amber series. That was fine. We had T-shirts made up. On the front it said, “Random: Music You Can Trust.” On the back, it said “Like us or die trying.” I still think that’s funny. I’m not sure we sold a single shirt. If I remember correctly, we broke up soon after the shirts were made.

By the way, the one time our inviting people to join us resulted in something excellent was at another party at Stacey’s house. At one point, Kevin and I started a groove, and Stacey and our friend Mara began improvising lyrics. The resulting song was “Sex In The Morning,” probably the best song we ever performed. All of us were on acid that night, but fortunately we had the whole show on audio tape, which we needed to reconstruct the song later so we could perform it again.

Napa Valley Duo: “An American In Paris” (2018) CD Review

The Napa Valley Duo is made up of Jeffrey McFarland-Johnson on cello and Terry Winn on piano. Their new album is An American In Paris, out now on IAC Records. While, as the album’s title indicates, the duo covers some well-known material, this release also includes several original compositions, written by Jeffrey McFarland-Johnson. Interestingly, both of these talented musicians have had careers as teachers. An American In Paris follows their 2016 release, A Soft Message To You.

The album begins with a short piece, “Hotel,” written by Francis Poulenc for voice and piano. Here, Jeffrey McFarland-Johnson’s cello takes on the vocal line. It has a somber beauty. That is followed by a playful, wonderful, lively rendition of Gershwin’s “An American In Paris,” the title track. I believe I’ve mentioned this once or twice before, but you can never go wrong with Gershwin. And certainly the Napa Valley Duo proves that here. The piece was written for many instruments, and sometimes versions have a full and busy sound. Here played with just two instruments, the approach and sound are different, though the excitement is still there. The cello and the piano feel like two characters, engaged in a tale, and taking some joy in the telling of it. In addition to being the album’s title track, it is also, at fifteen minutes, the longest piece of music on the disc. There are different sections, with different vibes, different themes, as the tale progresses, as these two characters venture to different places. This version once again shows just how excellent Gershwin music is. Plus, well, I suppose I should mention again that I am a sucker for cello, and my love for that instrument must certainly be a part of my love for this rendition. Now I want to hear Napa Valley Duo tackle “Rhapsody In Blue,” my favorite Gershwin composition. There seems to be a hint of it on piano on this track.

Napa Valley Duo delivers a beautiful, gentle rendition of “It Never Entered My Mind,” a piece written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Their version takes its inspiration from the 1954 recording by Miles Davis Quartet heard on Vol. 3. Then we get into some of the original material, beginning with “Prelude Perfume.” There is something a bit unsettling, fanciful and even eerie about this piece. That’s followed by “A Soft Message To You,” another original composition, though perhaps owing a bit to “An American In Paris.” This one has its own beauty, and is a piece that was included on the duo’s 2016 release, functioning as the title track to that album. We then get the most surprising track of the album, “Star Trek Anthem/I Love Lucy.” This medley is one of the oddest pairings I’ve heard. And yet this piece combines them well, particularly at the end. I completely love this. Yeah, I’m a fan of both shows (particularly Star Trek), but you don’t need to be one to enjoy this track.

“Meritage Estate” is an original composition that begins rather gently, but has some intense and startling moments. Then “Preparing For The Day” comes in with a bright, lighter, pleasant and uplifting vibe. The moment it starts, I find myself smiling. If this is the start to the day, then the day is bound to be a good one. That’s followed by a more somber and thoughtful piece, “Vesper For Janelle,” and then by “Chimera,” an interesting tune that was also included on A Soft Message To You. We then get another unexpected cover and combination of material, “See Me Feel Me/I Will Fight And Never Slack.” Yes, “See Me, Feel Me” is the song from The Who’s Tommy, the vocal line beautifully performed on cello. The track suddenly changes gears as it shifts into “I Will Fight And Never Slack,” which has something an insistent tone and a surprising power. The track then returns to “See Me, Feel Me.” The disc’s final three tracks are beautiful pieces, beginning with Giacomo Puccini’s “Moderatamente,” and followed by “Romanza,” from Mozart’s “Piano Concert No. 20 in D minor.” This magnificent and moving piece is one of my personal favorite tracks.  The album concludes with “The Lady Caliph,” a gorgeous piece composed by Ennio Morricone for the film La Califfa. This is an excellent rendition.

CD Track List

1. Hotel
2. An American In Paris
3. It Never Entered My Mind
4. Prelude Perfume
5. A Soft Message To You
6. Star Trek Anthem/I Love Lucy
7. Meritage Estate
8. Preparing For The Day
9. Vesper For Janelle
10. Chimera
11. See Me Feel Me/I Will Fight And Never Slack
12. Moderatamente
13. Romanza
14. The Lady Caliph

An American In Paris was released on November 9, 2018 on IAC Records.

Ynana Rose: “Tea Leaf Confessions” (2018) CD Review

Singer and songwriter Ynana Rose’s new album, Tea Leaf Confessions, features some wonderful folk and country music, also using elements of soul and jazz on certain tracks. The album contains mostly original material, written or co-written by Ynana Rose. Joining her on various tracks of this release are Damon Castillo on guitar and bass, Dominic Castillo on guitar, Dorian Michael on electric guitar, Kenny Blackwell on guitar and mandolin, Dylan Johnson on upright bass, Paul Griffith on drums, Daryl Vandruff on drums, Erin Inglish on banjo, Duane Inglish on accordion, Bill Flores on dobro and pedal steel guitar, Joel Tepp on harmonica, Kristian Ducharme on keys, Larry Kim on piano, Bob Liepman on cello, Tammy Rogers on fiddle, Brynn Albanese on violin, and Holly Ann Lewis on backing vocals.

The album opens with “Stardust Firefly,” an excellent and compelling song. There is a steady rhythm at its base, and some wonderful work on dobro over that. Of course, it is her vocals that are the main focus, and she gives an honest, passionate delivery. “I can see forever in your eyes/To the heavens I will speak your name.” I also really like that “La-la la-la la” part, which is catchy. This track also features some nice touches on harmonica. That’s followed by “Hard Work Of Love,” a beautiful and moving track with a lot of soul, both in Ynana’s lead vocals and in the backing vocals (which are performed by Ynana Rose and Holly Ann Lewis). There is also some good work on electric guitar here. “And I don’t give a damn/About a shower of diamonds/Or a pocketful of gold/Oh but baby, when I’m falling/Give me a steady hand to hold.” Then “Sugar On The Vine” has a lively vibe, due in part to that percussion and in part to her bright vocal delivery. Also, this song features banjo. “When the world’s gone crazy, I need simple things.” Oh yes. And, yes, the world has gone crazy. But maybe, just maybe, we are finally nearing the end of the Donald Trump disaster, and we can begin to put the country back together.

“Mendocino Sunrise” is gorgeous and somewhat haunting at moments, a song to pull you into another realm, something that is more and more desirable these days. And check out these lines: “I come to the ocean with my sorrow in the dark/I hear your voice in the motion of the tides.” Part of the beauty of this song comes from the presence of Bob Liepman on cello, an instrument that I always find incredibly effective and touching. “Mendocino Sunrise” was written by Ynana Rose and Damon Castillo. That’s followed by the album’s only cover, a delightful rendition of Lefty Frizzell’s “I Want To Be With You Always.” We are now obviously firmly in country territory, and this rendition features some wonderful work by Tammy Rogers on fiddle. A very different type of fiddle-playing graces the cool “Impossible,” a tune with a delicious old-time jazzy European vibe. That’s Brynn Albanese on violin. Duane Inglish plays accordion on this track. This tune also features some excellent lyrics, such as these lines: “My foolish heart serenading the stars/Writing love letters to the moon/I lost and yet I’ll never regret/My impossible dream of you.” And I dig Dominic Castillo’s work on guitar. This is my favorite track.

“Leave Me Lonely” is a sweet-sounding country tune of heartache, featuring more good work on fiddle by Tammy Rogers. Bill Flores is on pedal steel. “When you wrap your arms around me, no place I’d rather be/But you’re keeping your love locked away, and I can’t find the key.” The album then concludes with “Thin White Line,” a more serious number that begins with Ynana’s vocals prominent in the mix, pulling us in, the guitar somewhat deeper in the background, softly backing her up. Then the band comes in. It is a song of pain and forgiveness. “The world will let you down/But as long as it’s spinning ‘round/You can choose which way to turn/And cross that line when you learn.”

CD Track List

1. Stardust Firefly
2. Hard Work Of Love
3. Sugar On The Vine
4. The Gift Of A Song
5. Mendocino Sunrise
6. I Want To Be With You Always
7. Impossible
8. Lillian
9. Love Song To A Hummingbird
10. Leave Me Lonely
11. Thin White Line 

Tea Leaf Confessions was released on November 16, 2018.