Songs from the HEARTLAND reviews
Songs from the heartland
Heads up… good tunes
When I played my first gig, the idea of recording a song in a studio seemed nearly impossible. There were issues of cost and accessibility that at the time were insurmountable, and I didn’t have a clue where to go to find help on how to make a record.
Today, there’s so much information available via the Internet and with advances in recording technology and equipment there have been significant changes in this industry. Artists are recording with digital gear in their bedrooms, remote locations, and in sophisticated home studios, while they still have options to use remarkable recording facilities located across the country. Regardless of where it comes from, there is some great music being made, recorded, and distributed.
The question becomes, where and how to find it.
I have had many people ask me about “how can I find good music”? And that is a reasonable question. In our world of algorithm driven media feeds, it takes a little effort to get through the surface layer of music that is readily “curated” for your taste. These are songs assembled based on a number of parameters, including past streams and listening preferences, and mainstream music feeds.
But what if you want a selection of music that is maybe a little more unique? Music that might reference somewhere you know, or something you feel, something that might be closer to home? Is there a way to customize music feeds?
Over the past 6 years I have plugged into a much larger musical community, and I have enjoyed several revelations. 1) There are some amazing musicians based in the Ohio River Valley and the Great Lakes region. 2) This includes many talented players from NE Ohio. 3) Many of these musicians are recording and touring, 4) Folk Radio Stations have their own curated “Charts”, 5) And finally, you have to spend some time and effort if you want to learn about these folks.
Now, with my own performance schedule put on hold due to a traffic crash, I decided I would launch “Songs From The Heartland”. This will offer reviews of recording projects created in the geographic region described above. Hopefully, these written reviews will help promote these artists and performers and perhaps have a marketing value, regardless of how minor.
Most of the material that I review will come from Ohio and state surrounding Ohio. There may be a few exceptions, but I’m planning on hanging tight to the notion of “Songs From The Heartland”.
Bent String
Ghost Bikes video https://youtu.be/8h2ZhOFmRGM
I met Kevin Richards several years ago after taking a call from one of Cleveland‘s most enigmatic bass players, Joey Pavlovitch. He would not be able to make a gig and asked if I could cover it. He went on to tell me it was a duo, and he thought that my partner and I would have no trouble playing together. The other guy was Kevin Richards.
Joey was right; we did not have any issues at all. However, I have to say that Kevin was copping to my songs and following me, rather than the other way around. Since that time, he and I have done several shows together, and I’ve always been impressed with his musical virtuosity and his ability to play several instruments extremely well.
For several months, I’ve been hearing about a recent project he has been involved with featuring himself, Kevin T. Richards, primarily on guitar, a wonderful female vocalist, Kari Ann Rutushin, Ray Deforest on upright bass, Caroline King on piano, accordion, and tenor guitar, and Reed Simon on violin.
These folks are all top-flight musicians.
I’ve seen Ray perform with many different musicians in many different iterations. From bluegrass ensembles to stage bands at Cleveland’s prestigious Playhouse Square. Regardless of the situation, Ray is always a solid performer. His performance on this project is flawless.
I may have heard Reed Simon performed before, but I simply can’t recall, and that’s to my loss. He’s a clearly remarkable player and adds great interest and musical intrigue to this project.
Caroline King, aka another Carrie, is also a remarkable musician. She plays many instruments and is so engaging regardless of the instrument or genre. She plays an accordion on many of these songs. These musicians collectively provide a lovely sound bed which enables each to rotate as soloist and set the vocals up to really shine.
On this record, these musical powerhouses are joined by some of Northeast Ohio’s brightest talents. Add guest appearances by Chris Burge on woodwinds and Anthony Papaleo on guitar and lap steel, and you have a fine product.
I got to hear Kevin, Kari, Carrie, and Ray at the Beachland Ballroom in late June this year. I had just gotten out of the hospital, and this was right before they released their Bent String record.
The audience was mesmerized.
I heard they were releasing this record shortly after I started reviewing new local projects, and I asked Kevin if I could review this one. After a little bit of fussing around, I am happy to report we successfully transferred all of the digital files associated with the album, pre-release.
How does one go about making a record this exquisite? Well, first you have to assemble a crew of extraordinary musicians. Second, they all need to be able to find and put the spirit of the songs above everything else, and finally get them to play on a collection of songs that have both heart and are musically sound.
All of the musicians on this project are incredibly adaptable and have brought to life the old adage: if we work together, with the help of some creative magic, the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts.
Each musician makes an incredible contribution to this album. It is simply a delight to hear Kari Rustushin sing. She goes beyond where so many talented singers stop. She not only has a marvelous-sounding voice, but she also uses her voice as an instrument. She doesn’t simply sing the lyrics; she conveys an emotional feel pertinent to each of these songs. Of course, there are many marvelous vocalists who are pleasant to listen to and might convey emotion through their delivery, but few use the human voice as the beautiful instrument it can be. This is not the case with Kari. She is a delight to listen to, and yes, she conveys the emotion of the words, but she also has a command of her voice using nuance in her delivery that is just captivating.
And, hats off to the engineer and the producer. They did such an incredible job capturing Kari’s voice and all of the other instruments in such a fine way!
There are eleven songs included on the album, and seven of the tunes are original compositions. They all bear witness to the enduring influence of the music of the late 40s. Like a storyline vibe from the movies, Casablanca or The African Queen, what is not to like about the music generated from this same general period? It is truly timeless.
The original compositions are not only musically and lyrically engaging, but there is a true societal vibe represented in this collection of songs, so much so that I emailed Kevin and asked him to send me all of the lyrics.
When The River Turns is about the ongoing efforts to control the Atchafalaya River. The incredible environmental writer John McPhee wrote about this in his book, Encounters With The Arch Druid. I was caught off guard by the humanistic nature of the storyline of this song.
Another song that is a true earworm is Ghost Bikes. Musically, it caught my ear, and the reference to Elysian Fields was also a hook for me. My oldest brother opened the first record head shop in Dayton, Ohio, and it was named Elysian Fields. When you get past the musical intrigue, the listener understands the sad essence of the song and the shortcomings of urban planning.
“Broken spokes
Street lights red
Tires screech
A rider’s dead
Ghost bikes,
Strangle Elysian Fields”
Clearly, thought was given to the selection of covers included on this record, and they fit perfectly with the original compositions.
I expect by now, you understand that I was simply blown away by this recording project. I knew it would be good because I know most of the people involved, but I did not anticipate how profoundly I would enjoy it.
If you enjoy incredible musicianship, thought-provoking social and environmental commentary, delivered in engaging melodies, you must have a copy of this recording project.
Charlie Mosbrook
What Are We Waiting For? It’s Time.
What Are We Waiting For? It’s Time
Charlie Mosbrook is a Cleveland-area songwriter who performs his original material on a handful of instruments. What Are We Waiting For? It’s Time, is a lovely addition to Charlie’s catalog of material.
Entire Album Review by Steve Madewell
https://madewellmusic.com/files/1381106/mosbrook-what-r-we-waiting-for.pdf
Primary Website
CD Lyrics, Audio, and art
https://charliemosbrook.com/music/its-time/
If you would like Hi Quality files for radio or podcasts, please email
Ben Gage: Roads I’ve missed
BEN GAGE: ROADS I’VE MISSED
While it is not terribly unusual to come across a young person who dreams about becoming a professional musician, it is rare to meet someone who has methodically worked to turn their dreams into a reality.
Such is the case with Ben Gage. Ben Gage is an immensely talented and hard working artist.
I met Ben a few years ago at a regional Folk Alliance regional conference. He had sent out an email introducing himself to other Ohio participants, inquiring if we should try to get together for an Ohio song swap. While nothing like that formally happened, we did have some jam sessions in the hotel hallway.
I was impressed by Ben’s original songs, his harmonica playing, and his syncopated guitar style. He also had been selected as one of the showcase artists and I got to see him on stage in front of 250 musicians and musical professionals.
Since that time our friendship has developed and I have become increasingly impressed, not only by his talent, but his discipline and work ethic.
This record, Roads I’ve Missed, has a lot going on. This is a collecting of songs inspired by travel and return, and maybe the realization that home is no longer the same. There is not a weak song in the bunch. They are all musically engaging, and lyrically sound. Each song has a unique story line. Some provoke a sense of hope for the subject, others set a stage of inquiry. I listen to those and want to know more, hence taking me back to the title “Roads I Missed”
Haven’t we all pondered a choice or a turn not taken?
Ben has assembled the team that he clearly feels comfortable working with and it shows. He continues to work with audio engineer Tuck Mindrum who does a marvelous job capturing a beautiful representation of Ben’s music. Second in this line up is the multidimensional and incredibly talented, Dan Socha. Folks who have seen Ben perform, might recognize that name as Dan is often playing guitar for Ben, and what a fine guitarist he is. However, on this project,
Dan is working with Tuck sharing production responsibilities, and offering bass guitar and backing vocals.
Ben is providing the primary guitar lines, supplemented with one of Northeastern Ohio’s brilliant guitarist, Anthony Papaleo. I first heard Anthony several decades ago and immediately recognized that he was a huge talent. Anthony’s contributions to this record are remarkable, both technically sound and tasteful. To round out the crew, Ben has Josee McGee singing harmonies. The backing vocals are well thought out and add a great deal to the total production.
The song selection and sequence moves right along and makes for a comfortable total listening experience. Many of the songs have a guitar shuffle that is synonymous to Ben’s self taught playing style. Add some remarkably engaging harmonica, and you have the solid sound that you would hear at one of Ben’s solo performances. However with this line up of players, in a studio setting, the listener is treated to delightful musical experience.
Clearly the project title,
“Roads I Missed” gives some insight into the body of work. Making a decision to be an artist, especially a touring musician, requires discipline, direction and a tremendous commitment of time, and of course there is no guarantee what lies ahead. With the reference to a “voodoo queen” and the back room barter with the devil, you get the sense that Ben is waiting for a bigger deal. I don't get a sense of regret, but I do get a broadened sense of awareness that comes with time and experience. These are the emotions that forge great story lines.
I would be hard pressed to say which of these songs would stand out as my favorite. Included are some powerful musical hooks that cycle around in my head as I’ve gone through my daily chores.
Roads I Missed is a delightful piece of work.