Francey’s new CD a winner
Busy end to Cape Breton summer music season
A few weeks back I wrote about seeing David Francey in concert at the Frolic & Folk Pub in Iona. He announced that night he was taking some time off from performing to rest raspy vocal cords.
The timing couldn’t be worse as he had just released a new CD (“Empty Train”) and was unable to tour to support it.
“Empty Train” is a nice collection of newer material but also includes some of his older, previously non-recorded compositions that go back to at least 2004.
The older songs include “Hospital” (about his father’s last days) and “Holy Ground” (about a man he met with an unusual mission in life).
Recorded by Mark Westburg in a cabin in Ontario, he surrounded himself with some of the best musical companions around.
Besides Westburg, he is joined on the CD by Chris Coles (the owner of the cabin), Darren McMullen, John Showman, Mandy Connell, Rachel Davis and (for the first time) David’s son Colin on vocals and guitar.
There is so much to like and enjoy on this CD and I suggest you pick your own favourites.
Mine included the joyous “Alli’s Wedding” and “Mirror Ball” but it’s the bouncybluezy “Big Texas Moon” and “The Money Boys” that really get to me.
I can see the latter becoming a favourite stage piece for many groups.
No doubt about it, this should be in every collection. Listen to it and you’ll agree.
*****
I managed to work in a second summer trip to Cheticamp’s The Doryman on Aug. 25 and caught some great music from Colin Grant and Howie MacDonald, both in wonderful form.
When Grant took a break, MacDonald took the fiddle with Kathleen LeBlanc Poirier on piano.
More guests came up from the audience including Donnie LeBlanc (the featured artist at The Doryman for many years) and Gerry Deveau (who got the square sets on the floor).
I also heard a pair of young fiddlers for the first time. Danelle Doucet, who is from Halifax with Cheticamp roots, is a powerful player with great swing to her music, and Pierre Luc Boucher is from Iles de la Madeleine with a rousing style of playing that really got the feet tapping.
It doesn’t matter when you go or who is playing, there is always good music at The Doryman.
Last Wednesday I hit the Old Triangle in downtown Sydney where J.P. Cormier was on stage. The place was packed and Cormier was at the top of his game, with old familiar songs and instrumentals, along with some new material as well. And, of course, there were some great stories.
Last Friday night I switched styles and caught some blues at Governor’s from Morgan Davis, a performer who’s been at it for 46 years.
Saturday afternoon I was back in the same downtown Sydney location enjoying tunes from Dara Smith-MacDonald and Adam Young, promoting their new CD, “The Lake Sessions.” At one point, we also got tunes from Mike Barron and this will be the last chance to hear Barron for a while as he starts a new job in Newfoundland.
After that I stopped in at Two Rivers Wildlife Park’s Acoustic Roots Festival on the banks of the Mira. There was a chilly breeze but the music was good as I caught songs from Donnie Campbell and Jinx O’Neil, John Curtis Sampson, Joe Gillis, Kim Dunn and Robert Bouchard before I moved along.
I ended my day in style at the Louisbourg Playhouse where J.P. Cormier and Dave Gunning performed to a soldout show, part of their tour to promote their new duo CD, “Two.”
The boys were simply having fun together with songs, stories and instrumentals, and that set the tone for the evening. I’ve seen both Cormier and Gunning many times and this was easily their best show.
Sunday I was back at a warmer Two Rivers and caught Alycia Putnam, Dwayne Cote, Jason MacDonald, Jason Price, Jimmy Inch, Ryan Roberts, Robert Bouchard and Makayla Lynn. I was particularly impressed with Price (former trainer with the Screaming Eagles) and Glace Bay native Roberts, and after 50 years, Bouchard still has that smooth voice.