FERNWOOD
Arcadia
Belss Spring – The Pan Chaser – Vision At
Vasquez Rocks – Red Hill Trail – The Lost Night – Crossing The Divide –
Owens Hideaway – Young Mountain Memory – After The Big Sky Falls –
Escape From Sycamore Canyon – Winter Way
Vasquez Rocks – Red Hill Trail – The Lost Night – Crossing The Divide –
Owens Hideaway – Young Mountain Memory – After The Big Sky Falls –
Escape From Sycamore Canyon – Winter Way
Todd Montgomery and Gayle Ellet make up ‘Fernwood.’ These
remarkable musicians hail from California, Topanga to be more exact, the
very location that Will Geer created and built his remarkable
performance center deep in the forest there. Geer if you might not
remember was ‘Grandpa’ on the Walton’s television show, and a close
friend of Woody Guthrie. Guthrie, like me, would appreciate what these
two excellent musicians are accomplishing with this remarkable CD.
There are some remarkable acoustic musical instruments on this
adventure, with special efforts made to make sure it’s as ‘pure’ as it
can be, just the way I like it. The duo also wants you to know these
instruments are made of wood (as opposed to the manifest imitations made
of electrical sound), and they are played by hand (as opposed to the
machinery of sound used so improperly in Nashville these days). Guitar
Magazine has called this duo’s work “wonderfully melodic and emotionally
direct.” I could not, nor would not attempt to say it better. Instead
I will revel in the ‘feelings’ so valiantly laid upon me. It’s the
instruments that sound so great, and you’re going to hear a ton of them
here. Gayle plays the Greek bouzouki, dilruba, charango, tanpura,
surmandal, Rhodes, harmonium, ruan, dobro, upright bass, guitar, piano,
tenor ukulele, bells & chimes, all of them acoustic. Todd
Montgomery plays Irish bouzouki, sitar, guitar, banjo, baritone guitar,
mandolin, violin, slide bouzouki, bowed guitar, all of them acoustic.
I’ve always liked original arrangements, and this is very obvious in
this offering. This is a kind of ‘folk’ music, but it is much more than
that, it’s a sophisticated presentation of musical improvisation that
requires a steady ear a ready mind and a ‘Getty’ observation. The
incredible Getty Museum is located not very far from where these
gentlemen hold forth on their musical excursions, and it would be my
most fervent desire that I should be so fortunate to hear them
performing at the Getty Museum. Astonishing to say the least.
remarkable musicians hail from California, Topanga to be more exact, the
very location that Will Geer created and built his remarkable
performance center deep in the forest there. Geer if you might not
remember was ‘Grandpa’ on the Walton’s television show, and a close
friend of Woody Guthrie. Guthrie, like me, would appreciate what these
two excellent musicians are accomplishing with this remarkable CD.
There are some remarkable acoustic musical instruments on this
adventure, with special efforts made to make sure it’s as ‘pure’ as it
can be, just the way I like it. The duo also wants you to know these
instruments are made of wood (as opposed to the manifest imitations made
of electrical sound), and they are played by hand (as opposed to the
machinery of sound used so improperly in Nashville these days). Guitar
Magazine has called this duo’s work “wonderfully melodic and emotionally
direct.” I could not, nor would not attempt to say it better. Instead
I will revel in the ‘feelings’ so valiantly laid upon me. It’s the
instruments that sound so great, and you’re going to hear a ton of them
here. Gayle plays the Greek bouzouki, dilruba, charango, tanpura,
surmandal, Rhodes, harmonium, ruan, dobro, upright bass, guitar, piano,
tenor ukulele, bells & chimes, all of them acoustic. Todd
Montgomery plays Irish bouzouki, sitar, guitar, banjo, baritone guitar,
mandolin, violin, slide bouzouki, bowed guitar, all of them acoustic.
I’ve always liked original arrangements, and this is very obvious in
this offering. This is a kind of ‘folk’ music, but it is much more than
that, it’s a sophisticated presentation of musical improvisation that
requires a steady ear a ready mind and a ‘Getty’ observation. The
incredible Getty Museum is located not very far from where these
gentlemen hold forth on their musical excursions, and it would be my
most fervent desire that I should be so fortunate to hear them
performing at the Getty Museum. Astonishing to say the least.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, PRESIDENT NTCMA www.ntcma.net
for Country Music News International Newsletter