I have decided to start a new “series” of sorts, here at Guitar Musings. Along with giving you my thoughts and recommendations on new CD’s that I have purchasedt, I will also grab some music from my collection and let you know what I think. Why should all recommendations come from new releases when there is so much music to explore that has been around for years?
My first selection is Bruce Cockburn’s “Speechless.” I chose Bruce because it was his playing that inspired me to study fingerstyle guitar with his signature alternating bass lines with that unwavering thumb and his melodies continue to make my draw drop. Speechless came out in 2005 and is a collection of his instrumentals throughout his almost 40 year career. I think every song on this release is wonderful but here are some of my favorites.
Rouler Sa Bosse: He has been performing this live quite a bit now. Took me over a year to get that sucker down.
Sunrise on the Mississippi: Great blues tune. A great example of how his thumb is independent from his entire body. Make you feel like you’re on the front porch down south with some of the old greats.
Deep Lake: Slow meditative song that reminds me of a trip I took to the English River in Canada.
Water Into Wine and Sunwheel Dance: Both of these songs are perfect examples of his mastery of fingerstyle guitar. There is so much happening in these songs, you sometimes wonder if there is someone playing with him.
Mistress of Storms: Another “thumb” song but he adds vibes to this for a more jazzy feel. If you can get a hold of him doing this live, get it! His improv is incredible.
In a previous post, I did a review of Bruce Cockburn’s performance at the Swallow Hill Folk and Roots Festival last March. I also posted my report to CockburnProject.net and found an interesting addition to my review by someone called Audrey. Audrey had some really good “inside” information regarding the circumstances surrounding Bruce’s performance. Apparently, Bruce’s normal stage crew wasn’t there to set his rig and so there was a bunch of “fiddling” around trying to figure out what was wrong and Bruce’s in ear monitor was also on the fritz. Plus, with the long delay Bruce had to keep focused because there was a curfew and if they went over that curfew, there would be fines. Therefore the reason why Bruce wasn’t engaging the audience like I mentions. Anyway, thanks to Audrey for shedding some light on the situation and knowing what I know now, I’m even more grateful for Bruce’s performance. He could have thrown in the towel and just showed up but he still played a great show. THANKS Bruce!
After a long night of great music at the Swallow Hill Folk and Roots Festival in Denver, Bruce Cockburn was the last to play. We had quite a long wait after Nanci Griffith’s set, probably about 45 minutes. Good thing the emcee’s Harry Tuft, Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore had quite a few songs in the repertoire to keep us entertained. But we were ready for Bruce and he was finally on stage, just him 3 guitars and a mic.
The show started off a bit tough because the mix was a bit hot and Bruce even mentioned it and asked for the mix to be turned down a bit. A few songs in, the mix was pretty much dialed in and we were on our way. As always Bruce’s playing was spot on and that thumb never quits. Had some great solos on “Stolen Land” and “If a Tree Falls” and surprised me with “Kit Carson” and “Trouble with Normal. Ended the night with “Rouler sa Bosse” and “Tie Me at the Crossroads.”
Great show by Bruce, one of the better shows that I have seen him do. The only thing that was different about Bruce, this time was that he didn’t really converse with the crowd all that much. He would respond to some of the comments the audience made but wouldn’t offer anything on his own like he usually does. So sometimes there was an awkward silence when he was tuning or switching guitars. Maybe because of the long delay before he went on, bad day, etc… Who knows? Either way, his performance was awesome and he never fails to deliver.
Set List
Last Night of the World
See You Tomorrow
Lovers in a Dangerous Time
Pacing the Cage (wow!)
Trouble With Normal
Stolen Land
Kit Carson
Put it in Your Heart
If a Tree Falls
Wondering Where the Lions Are
Encore:
Rouler Sa Boss
Tie Me at the Crossroads
Other Bruce Cockburn Concerts I have reviewed:
7.22.03 Boulder Theatre - Boulder, Colorado (First time I saw Bruce Live)
* I also was at the the November 12, 2003 show at the Paramount Theatre in Denver but didn’t leave submit a review. Should-of though because he did a version of “Stolen Land” on electric guitar that was amazing. I remember thinking that he was channeling the spirit of Jimi Hendrix during that song
In a little over a month, I will be at a Bruce Cockburn concert. He will be playing at the Denver Folk and Roots Festival March 28th. It will be the 7th time that I’ve seen him play live and I will never miss a show. In case you didn’t know, he is a big influence on my playing. Probably the single reason why I switched to fingerstyle guitar completely. The man can write some serious music; his guitar playing is incredible with that “thumb of steel” pounding the base while he plays some incredible leads. To top it off, he is a master at the words so if are in the Denver area that Friday, go! You will not be disapointed.
was the last to play. We had quite a long wait after Nanci Griffith’s set, probably about 45 minutes. Good thing the emcee’s Harry Tuft, Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore had quite a few songs in the repertoire to keep us entertained. But we were ready for Bruce and he was finally on stage, just him 3 guitars and a mic.
