PLAIN FOLK by Les Pearson So there you have it folks. Michelle Titus likes some tribute albums because tribute artists often sing a composer’s song better than its creator. And she did not have to go much beyond Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, or even Johnny Cash to make the point. On the other side of the fence sits David Gue. Gazing at tribute albums through pointed barbs, he is jangled by abrupt changes in styling and sound that happen when a host of imitators impose their particular brand on an originator’s herd of songs. Individually, songs might be fine. But in a collection like the Gordon Lightfoot tribute, well…. David can love this one. It is a recording by one artist. It has engineered transitions smoother than a ride in an Escalade. (No wonder folks are puzzled about the pronunciation of Esplanade!) Ron Mason was heard to concur that lang’s recording has “a thread of consistency” that binds it into one coherent whole. Michelle can appreciate a vocal master who transforms good or even great songs by Neil Young and Leonard Cohen into vocal masterpeices. I have saved the best for last. Last Friday John Reischman introduced a unique kind of musical tribute during his concert at the Medicine Hat College Theatre. It was the one we have not addressed to this point in our full-sized, stretched-out, luxury discussion of tribute recordings. This tribute was simple, clean, and economical. There were few words or extras. But the audience felt the moment. Several years ago when bluegrass music’s beloved founder died, John Reischman wrote North Shore as his special tribute to Bill Monroe. What better tribute could a musician want? A beautiful original song, played in a style Bill Monroe engendered, as an enduring tribute to his memory. Speaking of meaningful tributes, there are still a few tickets for the Nathan Rogers’ concert at Café Caprice on Saturday, November 26. Nathan’s voice is eerily his father’s but Nathan’s songs are uniquely his own. What better tribute than continuing the family’s folk tradition. Tickets are on sale at Café Caprice for only $15. Catch him while you still can! And that good word on tributes is, thankfully, my last word. Interlocking Solutions - website manager |
This
brings us to another kind of tribute recording. And this time we can all
agree. k. d. lang’s Hymns of the 49th Parallel (Nonesuch 2 79847)
was bright sunlight for any music lover in 2004. This includes folk aficionados.
The recording captures k. d. singing the best songs written by some of Canada’s
most renowned songwriters. 
And
folk fans, in particular, can appreciate k. d.’s choices. Yes, there
is Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and Leonard Cohen from the pop side that sometimes
shares borders with folk music. But there are also songs by Bruce Cockburn,
Jane Siberry and Ron Sexsmith. There may be some argument about Bruce, but
these three are still committed to the Canadian folk camp. Their continuing
festival appearances are proof.