Six Strings North of the Border
various artists
The Borealis Recording Company
2000
15 tracks
There is much that is remarkable about this compilation of recordings by Canadian acoustic guitarists. Like the country from which it is drawn, this musical anthology is a study in contrasts and similarities. This music spans a wide range of styles and cultures reflecting a significant segment of Canada's cultural makeup, yet there is also a homogeneity to these tracks, a unity of sound that gives this release strength and integrity. Without too much of a stretch, it might be said that this recording is like a metaphor of Canada and her many peoples.
Although some of these guitarists have been known to push the envelope in live performance and on other recordings and excellent though these performances may be, the selections on this release reflect a conservative bent on the part of producer Bill Garrett. The performances tend to be quiet and gentle. Listening to Six Strings North of the Border is a lot like revisiting those boxed album compilations direct-marketed by organizations like Reader's Digest a few decades ago. The performance is excellent, but there's little here to stir the heart.
In his liner notes, Bill Garrett comments that, "Canada is fortunate to have an abundance of fine guitar players" (from among whom he selected the fifteen featured on this release). The truth of his statement becomes quickly apparent when one considers the players who could have been included but were not. Without much thought at all, I could come up with fifteen names for the next volume.
In fact, Garrett has already considered issuing a next volume to this recording, which is subtitled Volume 1. In his liner notes, he points out that, "Grit Laskin, my partner at Borealis, suggested calling this CD 'Volume 1,' which will allow other players to be included on future volumes. End of Problem! We look forward to presenting more great guitar music on volumes 2, 3, 4, 5, and..." I, for one, look forward to seeing which players and tracks they choose next time and to hearing the end result.
Given the overall high quality of performance on this release, I at first hesitated to comment on any given track for fear of somehow diminishing the others. On further consideration, I decided that this is indeed the correct path to take. Because each guitarist draws upon slightly different musical heritages and takes a different approach to the music, any attempt at comparison would at best be flawed, imprecise and, therefore, suspect.
The quality of these recordings is indisputable. To choose a favourite from among these tracks would be difficult and would most likely derive not from the performance itself but from the specific musical tastes of the listener. As an anthology of Canadian acoustic guitarists, Six Strings North of the Border is an excellent sampler for listeners looking to discover artists not yet heard and a must have for anyone interested in the state of our musical heritage in the new century.
Those who may be interested can also look up Six Strings North of the Border at Borealis.
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