Of Note: CD Reviews

Making the rounds of local and North County venues quite a bit lately has been Freebo, a folk and blues singer/songwriter with a colorful background. The face and name will be familiar to veteran Bonnie Raitt fans, as he was her longtime bassist. After his decade-long stint with Raitt ended, Freebo (aka Daniel Freidberg) stayed busy with session work and working as a touring musician with other top artists.

In the 1990s, he decided to give songwriting a try, honing his craft until his 1999 solo debut, End of the Beginning. He has since released two more, with the most recent being Before the Separation. His background would point to abilities playing blues, rock, and country music as his fretless bass and tuba playing have put him on album covers as far back as the late ‘70s, but the sound on Separation is mostly subdued and intimate folk, with a touch of other styles.

"It Goes By Fast" establishes the sound, a lighter-than-air tune built around an acoustic guitar lick, tight Crosby-Nash style harmonies, Freebo's sweet-sounding fretless bass, and his vocal. He has an easy folk-singing presence that evokes John Sebastian. The title tune stays in a soft folk mode with some criticism of the status quo, again effectively using harmonies to shore up the vocal, especially on the chorus. A rare step toward rock is taken in "Stand Up" as a strident beat is supplemented by electric slide guitar (not Raitt on this disc). This one clicks pretty well, though it is a step outside the box for Freebo the songwriter. "You Don't Have to Live This Way" is better, straying from folk for a mid-tempo minor chord ballad that uses sitars, drone effects, and a lead solo played on an esraj (a sitar-like Indian string instrument). This track has a memorable melody, stylistic surprises, and is also the closest that Freebo comes to country-blues music on the disc. The listener won't be able to forget the chorus lick of this standout cut.

Freebo produced himself, and the sound recalls the folk-pop of the late ‘60s and early '70s. The title tune and a few others might touch off reminders not only of Sebastian but also of Jon Mark of Mark-Almond and others from the era.

"The Beauty of Life" tries for a funk/R&B vibe, with horn charts and chord changes that sound like Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay." Freebo tries hard for a style switch here, and sings it well. While the tune lyrically matches the uplift/lesson ideas elsewhere, musically it doesn't fit. Buried in the play order is the disc sleeper, "To the Light." This is an infectiously catchy, quiet folk tune needing only Freebo's voice with some background vocals and light instrumentation; another highlight, it probably works best because of its simplicity.

Freebo is rare musical personality, who completely transitioned from a successful performer to become a creator of his own interesting musical ideas and songs. Before the Separation is a chance to hear what he has to say.

Glancing Love is a duo featuring Celtic folk harpist Theresa Rochelle-Ross and violinist Rachel Amov. These two are familiar faces in the local music scene, having both members of the Celtic Fusion group the Strange Woods as well as collaborators with a variety of artists. Each is also a multi-instrumentalist; Rochelle-Ross performs on penny whistle, recorder, bodhran, and harmonium, while Amov's musical abilities extend to viola, cello, and keyboards. All of these additional sounds complement their primary instruments, creating a richly layered depth to their arrangements. Guest musicians include guitarist/keyboardist Patrick Espinoza and Cactus Jim Soldi on bass and guitar (who also mixed and mastered the recording). Glancing Love is generous in their praise of these guests' talents and contributions, noting that they were often the source of ideas.

The CD's selections are medleys of tunes linked together and given unique titles based on the moods they create. The liner notes also list the titles of the songs that make up each medley so that listeners can identify the source material. Their performances are immaculate, with Rochelle-Ross' sparkling harp tones providing the foundation upon which much of the music is anchored. Amov's string melodies go from sublime lyricism to nimble displays of agility. The wind instruments add another color to the melodic palette, lending everything from poetic serenity to uptempo fire to a number of passages. 

"The Fields of May" opens the album with the instrumental layers slowly unfolding. A penny whistle and violin are soon joined by a piano playing arpeggios underneath. Harp and violin take center stage during a fleet-fingered passage that finds the whistle returning to play the melody in unison with the fiddle. This track evolves in a very natural progression, displaying a number of styles as it does so. "Highland Boat Song" starts as a somber minor key ballad that has nice interplay between the violin and whistle. The violin then takes the lead during a more leisurely passage, which later features some lovely cello countermelodies. Soldi's lush guitar accompaniment is notable on "Over the Sea to Skye," creating a pastoral, almost church-like mood behind the melody. There is a real sense of a journey here. "Flowers of Edinburgh" is a spirited medley, evoking visions of folk dances and period costume. The middle section of this piece is a very famous song called "Morrison's Jig" whose great energy carries through to the finale.

Things take a more reflective turn on "Dew on the Grass," with the whistle leading for quite a while until harp and fiddle come forward bringing the song to a more energetic finish. "In the Grove" is notable for its very familiar melody ("The Ashgrove"), played alternately on harp, whistle, and violin, then picks up steam as it turns into a couple of lively upbeat tunes. "Her Dark Hair" begins as a melancholy duet for whistle and fiddle before becoming an Irish standard. It ends with a jig, led by Amov's articulate fiddling, bolstered by Espinoza's skilled piano playing.

The CD ends on a hopeful note with the title track, a dramatically melodic harp piece that features accompaniment by viola, cello, recorder, and penny whistle. That such an authentically Celtic sounding recording can originate in Southern California is a testament to the deep commitment these artists have to this music. Their years of immersion in this art form bring credibility to the statement they are making. The overall effect is soothing, but attentive listeners can also appreciate the musical sensibility and craftsmanship that went into the making of this recording.

Local singer/songwriter Jackie Daum has been writing songs for her debut disc, and headed for Austin to record keyboard pop and alt-country songs with producer Billy Harvey, who has worked with local songsmith Steve Poltz and others. The result is The Sky Inside.

The music on the new disc is a collection of heart-felt love songs with good first-person lyrics and plenty of emotional delivery by Daum. The band of experienced session players gives the music an Austin-gloss sound, their letter-perfect touches catching notice only here and there. Daum has a very strong vocal presence and fills each of the songs nicely, though there aren't many big changes of pace in the ballad-heavy outing.

The album opens with "Cottonwood," a soft tune packed with expressive lyrics about memories of a past love. The tune builds up well, as Daum establishes her smooth, unaffected voice. "Going to New Mexico" pushes the beat harder but stays in the same comfortable alt-country groove, and pays off with a catchy chorus. "Landfall" is a piano-based ballad clearly intended as a highlight; it has an interesting melody but doesn't match "New Mexico" or some of the later tracks in impact. Next up, a different, bluesy vibe as a Hammond B3 leads the way on "Water Tower"; Daum gives this an aggressive vocal that draws from gospel in one of her best performances on the disc. The clear standout of the disc is "Pearl," a mid-tempo pop number that blends nifty lyrics, a great melody hook, and perfect arrangement. "Rock Stars" is full of clever verses about relationship issues and being numb; it's a good song - but not as good as "Pearl," which it follows and musically resembles. Like the earlier "Water Tower," "Always on Time" changes things up a bit with a more syncopated, R&B-style rhythm, though the Austin crew does a lot to smooth this out.

Throughout, Daum sings with an assurance that belies the fact that this is her recording debut. She has good range, no overdone twang, and doesn't sound like some other singer. The thoughtful lyrics are provided in the disc packaging, a plus nowadays. The disc is one of those that gets better with repeat listening. 

Daum puts together three of the strongest tracks on at the end of the disc, a place often reserved for filler. "Preacher's Slough" has great dynamics, a country power ballad that starts quietly and fills the room with Daum's heartbroken voice, slide guitars, and B3 in crescendos. Next up "Cry" clicks with her piano work, a locked-in catchy melody, and a B3 riff floating over the top. The closer is "You Give Me Air," co-written by Harvey, uses another simple but memorable hook with harmony vocals to bring together another standout cut.

Jackie Daum makes an impressive debut and quite a statement with The Sky Inside. It shows a confident singer who has written some interesting songs, and knows her way around a ballad.

Right off the bat, let it be known that there isn't one dog in the pack on Sara Petite's new CD Dog House Rose. Dog House Rose is a fully bloomed, seamless piece of Americana art that is sure to see Sara achieve high accolades and national attention this year.

Expertly produced in Nashville by Eddie Gore, with a fine cast of over-achieving studio cats, this disc sounds great and plays great. Well-crafted songs, heartfelt singing, great musicianship, and perfect sequencing make this a very strong work; I dare might say an "Instant classic!"

The opener, "Magnolia," twangs to life with its unison guitar and dobro licks, loping rhythm section, and very catchy chorus. The second song happens and just keeps happening with "Take What I Can Get," which moderately builds and evolves into a modern country-rock anthem that devastates the memory with its hook. Absolute timeless magic! "Baby Let Me" proceeds to burn the barn down with Kenny Vaughan channeling the ghost of the late Eddie Shaver with some ferocious guitar soloing while a boozed up Sara is busting down the front door with her sultry plea of need.

The title cut, "Dog House Rose," is a tender, acoustic, and fitting tribute to Steve Earle, one of Petite's major influences.

The only song on this CD that Petite didn't write turns out to be a rockin' cover of Harlan Howard's "He Called Me Baby." A great version! "Bootleggers" is another ultra-tempo burner about moonshine. You'll find yourself singing the fun chorus by the end of the song. Kudos to Sasha Ostrovsky on dobro. "Souvenirs" is a slower, touching acoustic tale of loved one's items and the poignant memories they hold.

The forbidden temptation of "Shouldn't Be Doing This" and the perfect title of "Beautiful Thing," with their ethereal eloquence, remind one of a chapter taken from Emmy Lou Harris' Wrecking Ball. Both are superb and you can hear Daniel Lanois' footprints everywhere.

Sara Petite has done her lessons thoroughly and wears her heartfelt influences on her sleeve. You'll hear nuances of many of the greats in her work; however, Sara has created her own masterpiece here. The excellence and continuity of Dog House Rose can't be overstated. Congratulations to Sara and the Sugar Daddies. One of the best CDs of the decade!

Ask just about any musician and they will tell you that whatever project they are currently working on is the one that contains their best work. In the case of Tim Flannery and his recently released Travelin' Shoes, his ninth CD in a musical career that dates back some 30 years, that actually happens to be true. This 12-song collection, recorded under the watchful eye of multi-talented producer and performer Jeff Berkley, represents a high water mark for Flannery and his star-studded backing band, which he jointly refers to as the Enablers.

Hearing Flannery and his mates perform makes it hard to imagine how he ever found time to enjoy a successful Major League baseball career. From February until October he remains fully engrossed as the San Francisco Giants' third base coach; fortunately, he always makes time for his music.

This new CD delights from beginning to end with its carefully crafted song writing, clever lyrics, and outstanding overall musicianship. It is enhanced by the contributions of a bevy of stellar local musicians that Flannery has attracted with his magnetic personality. The credit's lists reads like the Who's Who of San Diego acoustic music.

On his way up to Riverside to visit his older brother, Flannery spoke about some of his favorite tracks on the album.

"Each one of these songs is on this record because they mean a whole bunch to me, but I [particularly] love "All the Things We Carry." The title comes from a Tim O'Brien book about Vietnam. The song is about the accountability and responsibility that we all carry and the responsibility that I carry as a man. I think it might be my favorite song out of the ones that I have written."

During the baseball season Flannery would listen to the title and opening cut, "Travelin' Shoes," on his way to the ballpark every day. This bluegrass number is one of several on the album that benefits from the "Caplinger effect." "Enabler" Dennis Caplinger can play just about anything, but put a banjo, fiddle, or mandolin in his hands and magic occurs.

While Flannery has become an accomplished songwriter in his own right he is not opposed to covering other people's songs. Mixed among the originals there is a brilliant cover of Tom Petty's "Scare Easy" as well as a beautiful version of Karla Bonoff's "Home."

"I love the cover that we do of Eliza Gilkyson's ‘Think About You.' I actually had a song called ‘I'm a Half Moon Away,' but it was such a long song and it had too many words. While I was recording it I heard Eliza's song and I realized that she had done what I wanted to do in about two and a half minutes. So, I decided to record her song instead."

Barbara Nesbitt's beautiful backing harmonies on this cut blend perfectly with Flannery's earthy, warm voice, making this one of the many highlights of the album. Throughout the years the duets he has sung with artists such as Randi Driscoll, Eve Selis, and Nesbitt have ranked among his best work.  

The rollicking "Don't Come Home on Account of Me" takes on a Cajon flavor with the addition of Sharon Whyte's jaunty accordion and its bouncy beat.

"That one is a collection of about four or five stories all played in one song," Flannery said.

The famous parrots of San Francisco's Telegraph Hill are used as a metaphor in his song "Telegraph Hill." Here the highly spiritual Flannery returns to a theme found frequently throughout his albums: God's grace and salvation.

"Words Unspoken" is about the San Francisco's Depression Era speakeasies and the rum runners of Half Moon Bay. Like "Think About You," it benefits from Nesbitt's backing vocal.

"I can't pick out a favorite song, but I love this record and I am proud of it," Flannery said. "It is something I'm sure I will look back on when I remember my time in San Francisco."