Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2020

 One of the many casualties of the COVID-19 crisis in 2020 is San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.  Scheduled for October 2-4, 2020, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival cannot celebrate it's 20th anniversary in person, but will offer an online show entitled Let The Music Play On.  The show, live from Buddy Miller's studio, will include live performances as well archival footage from festivals past.   Announced guests include:

 Emmylou Harris

Buddy Miller

Amythyst Kiah

The War and Treaty 

Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes, featuring Tim O'Brien and Dennis Crouch.

The festival's organizers also launched the Hardly Strictly Music Relief Fund in 2020 in support of the music community as it grapples with the COVID-19 crisis.  The fund includes $450,000 for musician relief and additional support for local music venues and their employees.  Musicians interested in grant opportunities can visit https://www.actaonline.org/program/hardly-strictly-music-relief-fund/. Venues can visit http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2020/music-relief/.

Details on the broadcast and lineup will be announced in the coming weeks via http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2020/.  

Jodi Shaw - In Waterland

Jodi Shaw – In Waterland
2012, Jodi Shaw

Jodi Shaw has always been a bit off the beaten path.  The Canadian-born, self-taught singer songwriter transitioned to songs from poetry, finding that her aural and lexemic muse flowed freely together.  In 2009, Shaw teamed up with fellow Canadian Malcolm Burn (Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Blue Rodeo) to record her latest album, In Waterland, her most accomplished work to date.  In Waterland (due May 5, 2012) took a long time to make it out into the world.  Partway through the creative process, Shaw discovered she was pregnant.  After the birth of twins, she took some time off from music, but returned to complete the album.  Shaw’s poetry and musical sensibilities intertwine to near perfect on In Waterland, a deeply personal and moving experience that is as subtle as the current, and as deep and unbending as the tide.

Kicking things off with “Swim”, Shaw sinks into a sparse and gorgeous musical medium that flows as freely as an ocean current.  Shaw’s voice is incredibly warm, falling somewhere between the edgy depths of Tori Amos and the enigma that is Leslie Feist, with a touch of Fiona Apple’s edge thrown in.  Shaw goes for shock and awe in “The Witch”, assaulting listeners’ preconceptions full on with deep and esoteric musings on the mutability of beauty.  This could be a message from mother to daughter, perhaps, but it explores the essence of beauty as opposed to the often bollixed perceptions of the world.  This is a wow moment for Jodi Shaw, both as a writer and a performer.

Shaw doesn’t waste time offering up another wow, digging deep for Jack & Jill with ruminations on imperfection and love, and how they interrelate.  Shaw builds offsets her vocal affect with a simple and sparse arrangement that draws equally on the twin beauties of the sonic and silence.  Down through these currents to a more carnal side of human nature, Shaw digs in to “Mystery Of Love”, an utterly poetic yet in your face come on.  There is more here than meets the eye/ear, however, as Shaw shows that even desire has many levels.

Shaw gives listeners a breather with “To The Country (We Go)”, a solid transition that sets up the fantasy/reality of “This Balloon/Ode To Zvezdochka”, a tribute to the last Russian dog cosmonaut, if you will.  Think of this as art deco philosophy, driven in time and place by thought that is not trapped by time frame it captures.  “Fortunate Prince” is once again solid, setting the stage for the utter beauty of the title track, “In Waterland”.  Here Shaw paints with a broad brush, in poetic and graceful strokes that go much deeper than the surface.  Shaw explores the connections we make, the loneliness we feel, and the occasional bits of magic we encounter along the way. You’ll find yourself playing this song again and again; plumbing its depths for deeper meaning that is always just out of reach.

In “Hell’s Bells”, Shaw explores the confusion and pain of being taken in romantically by someone whose intentions aren’t as pure or open as your own.  Shaw leaves no emotional stone unturned, exploring the depths and of personal disgrace in both lyrics and music.  In Waterland closes by turning the game around on those who would toy.  In “Fellas”, Shaw is the huntress and the boys are expendable.  You might expect a tongue in cheek nod here, but if there, it never quite becomes apparent.  It’s a powerful close, one that creates its own suspense without ever answering, or even asking, a question.

It’s a cliché, perhaps, but In Waterland is a revelation.  Jodi Shaw creates music like a master painter creates art, with each single stroke building to something beautiful, ear-catching and raw.  The album is nothing short of sublime, leaving rote ideas and musical schemes by the wayside, in favor of raw honesty, and a musical purity not often approached in popular music.  The same melodic magic that Sarah McLachlan is capable of is here, but in more subtle and vaguely darker tones.  At the same time, Shaw exudes the edge of Amos, Apple and Feist.  The album is nothing less than stunning, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc for certain.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jodi Shaw at www.JodiShaw.com or www.myspace.com/jodishaw.  In Waterland makes its way into the world on CD on May 5, 2012.  For those of you who prefer to rent your music, it's already available as a download through the etailers below, as well as through the Wildy's World Amazon Store.

    Amazon MP3          iTunes

Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.

John Connolly - The Wind

John Connolly - The Wind

2010, John Connolly

Prince Edward Island, Canada singer/songwriter John Connolly began travelling to Nashville in 2008 to develop his song craft.  Connolly developed a friendship with producer Brian Ahern (Emmylou Harris, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash) over the course of time, and in early 2010 called on his friend to produce Connolly's debut album, The Wind.  While the process of recording in a Nashville mansion amongst vintage gear and a sense of the city's history may have been daunting for some, it appears to have provided Connolly with deep inspiration.

The Wind opens with "Unfinished Business", a simplistic secular parable about learning to live life for yourself.  Connolly is folk singer/songwriter with a smooth sheen and an amazing voice; drawing you in with a purity of sound that makes you want to listen.  "Here You Are" captures both the surprise and sweetness of finding love unexpectedly and or reality passing expectation.  The folk/country arrangement offered here is very mellow and features a melody you won't be able to escape.  "The Wind" is a song of comfort that sounds like a blend of traditional country and an almost Eagles-style California country sound.  "Country Stars" is an ode to old-time country and a lamentation that the country stars of yesteryear are nearly forgotten nowadays.  "Does It Show?" is a halting love ballad that is a study in musical aesthetics while providing an equally adept vocal line.  Connolly closes with "Ancient City", recollecting a youthful love affair far from home.  Connolly is masterful as a story place, building a time and place in song and inviting the listener in to be a part of the experience as memory recalls it.

The Wind introduces John Connolly as a riveting story-teller with a mesmerizing voice and an almost magical ability to feed the listener's senses beyond sound.  John Connolly's songwriting has a timeless quality that can't be bought; a gift that will likely keep on giving as Connolly continues to pursue life in music.  The Wind is the sort of album that keeps you coming back, and chomping at the bit for whatever else Connolly might have up his sleeve.  If The Wind isn't on year end critics' best of lists, it's because they haven't heard it.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

 Learn more about John Connolly at www.johnconnolly.ca or www.myspace.com/johnnyprovince.  The Wind is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes

Review: Corinne West - The Promise

Corinne West - The Promise
2009, Make Records

Corinne West left home at the age of fifteen, guitar in hand, to travel and live with a group of traveling artists and activists. The restless spirit that drove her to that decision continues to motivate West today. As an established singer/songwriter whose won critical acclaim, you still get the impression that West gets a bit antsy if she's in one place for too long. That rambling spirit runs all through her third album, The Promise, coming November 2, 2009 on Make Records. Produced by West and Canadian musician Doug Cox, West sings from the heart with a voice that's both road-weary and jubilant at the wonder of life.

West opens with The Promise, a soft and wonderfully nuanced song about perseverance. West's voice is of earth and sky, as elemental as the heart that beats inside of her, and fills the listener with a sense of time and place that is hauntingly familiar and yet as alien as the horizon of another world. Pollen is a song buried deep in allegory. There is a love gone wrong here; the classic tale of an interloper (told in the first person) who regrets what she's done only after the consequences are abundantly clear. West tells the story in such personal terms it's as if she's living it. Having been a road warrior for some time, West knows what it's like to walk into a strange small town and look thoroughly out of place. The Stranger is a monologue on this very subject. With a haunting melody and poetic lyrics, West takes you inside of those you might see passing through your town. Lily Ann is a love song written in classic country style, even pulling in some bluegrass style backing vocals. The arrangement is nothing short of gorgeous.

The River's Fool is homespun wisdom from someone who has spent time traveling on it. It's another wonderfully nuanced and intelligent song with a gorgeous melody. West lets her warm, expressive alto wrap around Harry Nilsson's Everybody's Talkin' in an unforgettable performance that's likely to generate a lot of buzz. And if you think Everybody's Talkin' is splendid, wait until you get to Whiskey Poet. This is a pure masterpiece of songwriting. Expect Whiskey Poet to be covered ad nauseum by other artists in the near and distant future; it's a classic. Lady Luck is an ode to its namesake, done in a powerful Americana arrangement that is not easily forgotten. West then closes out The Promise with Turn The Wheel, a song about the cyclical nature of time. Turn The Wheel is an amazing bit of songwriting, full of wisdom, nuance and maturity that seems beyond West's years (but is obviously not).

Corinne West is special. There are a number of great songwriters in the Folk world, but West has a gift for making the moments and people in her songs come alive. She writes wonderfully; her arrangements are gorgeous, and her voice draws you in, wraps it's arms around you and doesn't let go. The Promise is destined to be one of the top Folk albums of 2009.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Corinne West at www.myspace.com/corinnewest or http://www.corinnewest.com/, where you can purchase a copy of The Promise.

Review: Zydecosis - Zydeco All Night

Zydecosis - Zydeco All Night
2009, Vinyl Records

Zydecosis is the musical brainchild of Houma, Louisiana's Steve Junot (guitar, vocals). He's joined by prodigious accordion player Chubby Carrier, and Lupe Valdeviez, Jr. (drums) with special guests Waylon Thibodeaux on fiddle and Tony Hall (Harry Connick Jr., the Neville Brothers, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris) on bass. Zydecosis plays classic rock standards in Zydeco style, and reminds listeners that Rock N Roll was meant to be fun. Zydeco All Night, the band's debut CD, is good old-fashioned party music. Covers they may be, but at their best Zydecosis restores the spark that these well-worn classics once had.

Zydeco All Night opens with Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love. To be honest this was my least favorite track on the disc, mostly due to the verses (the chorus is very well done). Particularly in the first verse there's a feeling of separation between the vocalist and the instruments that's a bit jarring. Each segment is well done but they just don't seem to mix well on this track. Talk Dirty To Me (Poison) is a whole other matter; this one is a cross of early Elvis Presley (Don't Be Cruel) and Zydeco and works wonderfully well. Aerosmith fans may well bristle at the idea of Walk This Way being interpreted as a Zydeco tune, but once again the song sounds like it was never meant to be anything else. Satisfaction (Rolling Stones) is fairly close to the original in spite of the different instrumentation. Perhaps the biggest treat of the disc is Zydecosis' take on Queen's Fat Bottomed Girls. It helps that Queen themselves never forgot that Rock N Roll was fun and entertaining. This is a song that translates well into most any genre, but Zydecosis seems to have a special affection for this song that shines through in their performance.

Baba O'Reilly (The Who) sounds more like a country arrangement. Junot provides a great vocal but the arrangement lacks the life and energy elsewhere apparent on Zydeco All Night. I Want You To Want Me (Cheap Trick) is presented in a live track with a small but appreciate crowd listening in. The arrangement here just doesn't carry the urgency of the original, or that the song seems to demand. Musically it’s aesthetically pleasing but just lacks the oomph you might expect. Some Kind Of Wonderful (The Drifters) is presented in a sparse arrangement (bass, drums, harmony vocals), adding guitar on the second verse. It's not Zydeco, but is full of the joy that the song's lyrics imply. Your feet will be tapping and don't be surprised if you feel the urge to dance. Zydecosis closes out with Bad Company's Feel Like Making Love in a memorable rendition that might just be better than the original.

Zydeco All Night is an uneven but memorable effort. At the top of their game Zydecosis sounds like one of the best party rock bands there is. Steve Junot is a plus vocalist who's very composed and sings with a lot of heart. Chubby Carrier is inspired on the squeeze box and really drives the album. Most of the songs here are memorable. A few tracks are well done musically but lack the pizzazz or zest heard elsewhere. On the whole, Zydeco All Night is a very welcome project that I recommend.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Zydecosis at www.myspace.com/zydecosis or http://www.zydecosis.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Zydeco All Night. If it’s digital you want, you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: HuDost - Trapeze

HuDost - Trapeze
2009, Open Sesame Music

HuDost, based in Montreal and NYC, defy not only national classifications but musical ones as well. Vocalist Moksha Sommer has travelled the globe, studying no less than 12 distinctive vocal styles from around the world. She also contributes harmonium, piano and accordion. She is joined by Jemal Wade Hines on guitar, vocals, bouzouki and bendir to form HuDost, spinning musical webs from all corners of creation. HuDost's CD, Trapeze, is driven by the love of music from all cultures and a seemingly evolutionary songwriting style. Adding to the zeitgeist of the Trapeze is the fact that Sommer was diagnosed with a brain tumor leading up to the recording of Trapeze. The album was recorded between the time of diagnosis and surgery, and reflects some of the urgent energy of someone who truly doesn't know what tomorrow may bring. All of these stands were pulled together by the masterful production skills of Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel).

Trapeze opens with Trespasser, an energetically mellow bit of layered musical angst that makes Radiohead sound Top-40. Sommer's vocals are a gorgeous thing to hear, and don't so much float over the song as fly down upon it like an eagle on the hunt. Royal Mountain laments the loss of a burial place for the poor in the face of progress. It's a lovely tribute that's in both English and (Canadian) French, and reminds us that the fate of those who were buried there will inevitably be our own. Royal Mountain is set in a great mellow pop arrangement that with other subject matter would likely be real radio fodder. Waiting is presented in the form of a near-Appalachian folk tune, complete with Country/Americana accents.

BreakDown BuildUp is one of the more interesting songs presented on Trapeze, mixing Western and Eastern elements around a great rock melody. Sommer truly shines here in a performance worthy of significant attention. BreakDown BuildUp is a definite highlight track. Waking is a song of thanks for new opportunities and new roads; the song is gorgeously dark with hopeful undertones. Sommer is at her best here, singing with a conviction that is unsettling. Drowned In White plays like an old madrigal choir tune, full of dark, minor-key harmonies and a church-like sense of grace. Sommer shines again on an inspired vocal line set against an instrumental background that is thrillingly complex. Trapeze closes out with something of a reprise of Trespasser.

Have patience with HuDost. It took me three or four listens to really get into Trapeze, but the effort was well worth it. Jemal Wade Hines is a masterful musician in his own right, and Moksha Summer will blow listeners away with her understated vocal grace. There are shades of early Sarah McLachlan here, but just shadows. Summer and Hines are a one-of-a-kind duo. Whatever you want to try to classify them as, HuDost is guaranteed to energize your musical synapses with music that never rests, never stops moving. In conversational terms, Trapeze is an album that never really raises its voice yet commands the room. Trapeze is a classic.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about HuDost at http://www.hudost.com/ or www.myspace.com/hudost. You can purchase a copy of Trapeze at www.cdbaby.com/hudost5.

Review: Dala - Everyone Is Someone

Dala - Everyone Is Someone
2009, Campus Music/Lenz Entertainment

Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine met in high school music class and first wrote together in 2002. In the seven years since then, Dala has toured across Canada six times; performed at the Edmonton Folk Festival, Mariposa, The Ottawa Folk Festival and have played Toronto's storied Massey Hall six times. Dala is also the only Canadian act to be invited to play at the 50th anniversary of the Newport Folk Festival in 2009. With two previous albums and four Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, Dala come into 2009 at the top of Canada's Indie circuit and ready for bigger waters. On June 9, 2009, Dala released their third disc, Everyone Is Someone. With comparisons to the Everly and Louvin Brothers as well as Emmylou Harris, it's easy to see that this could be a breakout year for Dala.

Everyone Is Someone opens with Lonely Girl, a song about how loneliness can breed bad decisions, and vice versa. The narrator shows a strong sense of self ("I'd rather be alone than someone you take home") in response to a man who "holds his lovers like quarters". The song is smooth and lush and yet emotionally charged. It's a definite change of pace, as this kind of emotional backbone in song you might generally expect in a rougher musical environment, but Dala writes/play in a fairly straight-up acoustic rock style with hints of Country on the edges. Crushed throws a wicked curveball at listeners, starting out at the wedding of another person and bemoaning the fact that the protagonist has never known love. Much later in the song we re-visit a wedding scene, and learn that she met the man she loves at her own wedding. The song is a bit of a mystery novel set to music but definitely makes the listener sit up and listen.

Levi Blues has a bit of a Wilson-Phillips feel to it, and would be a perfect marketing song for the brand it plays off (don't be surprised...). This is a great pop song in the classic sense, playing off the melodic and harmonic styles of 1950's and early 1960's female pop vocalists. The ladies of Dala certainly harmonize well, and this could almost be a signature song for their sound. Horses has the feel of memory; a moment from childhood punctuated by the scenery outside a car window. The song is sadly beautiful, declaring victory over sadness but awash in a deep sorrow. Northern Lights is a moderately upbeat song about being apart from the one you love. This is a great Folk/Pop song that deserves a great deal more attention than it’s likely to get from Pop Radio. Younger is a mellow Pop tune that is a pleasant listen but didn't leave the sort of distinct impression that much of the rest of the material on Everyone Is Someone tends to leave. The album closes out with Stand In Awe, a song about love lost wrapped in a melancholy musical shell. A bonus track, a remix of Levi Blues is appended as the eleventh track in a clear case for the argument to never mess with the original.

On balance, this is a very strong album. There were a couple of missteps on Everyone Is Someone, but from a songwriting and performance aspect Dala have proven they have what it takes to gather and hold a crowd. Their crowd will fall more into the Folk and Easy Listening/Pop demographic, but if you're a fan of great female vocal groups then I urge you to check out Dala. This is great stuff.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dala at http://www.dalagirls.com/ or www.myspace.com/dalagirls. You can purchase a copy of Everyone Is Someone through Maple Music, or download the album through iTunes.

Review: Davie Gayle - Amber In The Clay

Davie Gayle - Amber In The Clay
2009, Claydirt Music/Remba Records

Los Angeles-based Davie Gayle grew up on country music in New Jersey, where her father was a guitarist in a country band. Her entire family was musical, and Gayle eventually formed a duo with her brother (The Gayles). After moving to LA, Michael began his own label and went into production while Davie threw herself into songwriting and performing. Davie Gayle’s debut solo album, Amber In The Clay, is a distinct and poignant collection of songs drawn from her own life experiences. Comparisons to Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless and Lucinda Williams are understandable, but Gayle’s point of view as a songwriter is practically unique.

Amber In The Clay opens with the title track, a story song paralleling a scientist who finds the building blocks of life stored in the earth and a person of significance who helps a broken or lost person rebuild their life. The song has a classic country tragic sound while moving toward a positive message. Get Me is a great roadhouse country tune that sounds like it should be a hit on the country charts. If Shania or someone of that ilk recorded this song you'd hear it everywhere, and Gayle is a much better vocalist. 3:09 finds Gayle giving a classic country performance in a voice that mixes her sweet tone and just the right dose of bittersweet sorrow. Channel To You takes more to the pop side of the scale with some R&B and Gospel influence in one of the more daring tracks on the disc.

Roundabout is one of the best story songs I've heard in some time, culminating in a positive message that parallels Robert Frost's Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening. Gayle's sweet, honest voice is the perfect instrument to deliver this song, and she deserves real attention for this one. You Don't Say is a country flavored blues rocker ala Bonnie Raitt with an innate pop sensibility that will turn a lot of heads. Doghouse Flowers lets Gayle rip it up a little; this one will be a particular favorite of the ladies. Rockabilly Bug will have you reaching for your dancing shoes and cowboy hats.

Amber In The Clay is a pleasant surprise, hitting the high points of country music without succumbing to the Top-20 Country milieu that pervades commercial radio. Davie Gayle has a tremendous voice mixing sweetness with just a hint of mischief, and the arrangements here are out of sight. Amber In The Clay is music you need to hear; a potential breakout disc.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Davie Gayle at http://www.daviegayle.com/ or www.myspace.com/daviegayle. You can purchase a copy of Amber In The Clay at www.cdbaby.com/cd/daviegayle.

Review: Jason Harrod - Bright As You Are

Jason Harrod - Bright As You Are
2007, Jason Harrod

Jason Harrod is familiar to many as one half of folk/pop duo Harrod And Funck, but has drawn rave reviews since setting out solo. Harrod's latest CD, Bright As You mixes Americana, Southern Rock and Blues across ten impressive tracks. Assisted by a top notch backing band featuring Phil Madeira (Mavis Staples, Al Green, Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller), Harrod has created what has to be an early favorite for consideration on year-end Americana/Rock lists.

Bright As You Are opens with The Sun Is Up, a great bit of upbeat Americana. Harrod reminds me of a cross between Francis Dunnery and Del Amitri here, on what may be the best and most obvious potential single on the album. Kickin' Mule breaks out in a Southern Rock/Blues hybrid that is instantly memorable. Messed Up Everywhere Blues is a strong concert tune, with Harrod sounding a bit like Peter Gabriel on vocals. Night Fall On Me is a fun listen and For Your Time is a great straight-up folk song with both heart and mind in the composition. My favorite track on the disc is My Mad Girlfriend. This rocker with real pop sensibility has universal appeal and is destined to become a fan favorite.

Jason Harrod has some great things going for him. His songs are catchy and memorable, his voice is a pleasure to listen to, and he appears to have a touch for writing that is accessible and likable. Bright As You Are is highly recommended as a great listen; Jason Harrod is one of those artists you'll find yourself gravitating toward and looking for that next release. Excellent.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jason Harrod at www.myspace.com/jasonharrodmusic or http://www.jasonharrod.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Bright As You Are.