VARIOUS ARTSTS —DANCING ALONE (True North Records)

[Maurice Hope]

VARIOUS ARTSTS —DANCING ALONE (True North Records)

www.wmhawkins.com
www.truenorthrecords.com

Combining folk, blues, jazz and country a bunch of 22 songs of famed Canadian poet and songwriter, William Hawkins’ work gains an airing on this various artist 2-CD collection. If proof of the great worth of the Ottawa songwriter were needed then this is it.
Bill Hawkins first came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s his head slipped below the radar and has recently been discovered by today’s crowd and rediscovered by his peers, Sandy Crawley, Bruce Cockburn etc..
From the moment I heard Lynn Miles sing the finely honed lyrics of the opening cut, Scorpio right on through to the dreamy and most enchanting Alison (Neville Wells) and Leonard Cohen-esque ‘Gnostic Serenade’ (Brent Titcomb) and light an breezy jazz ditty ‘Worry Worry’ (Mike Evin) the first CD offers a varied and most pleasing selection of work.
With artists like Murray McLauchlan, Ana Miura, Lynn Miles, Brent Titcomb, Ian Tamblyn and the rocking Suzie Vinnick enjoying two inclusions and impressing on each occasion the music spills forth with an intelligence and grace to hold the attention of the listener and gain not only Hawkins but the participants a bunch of new admirers. Crawley’s measured working of the sombre, image portraying ‘Cotton Candy Man’ with cello and vibes it contains some of the best textures imaginable.
On first listen the set —that is if you can take it in one helping is of such a diverse feel you will undoubtedly become lost with the changes, but after living with the borderline tracks for a little while they will likewise become firmly embedded in your play list.
Ian Tamblyn a masterful organ and piano player who produces the album has in ‘Midnight Gambler’ and ‘Tell Me That Story’ alongside McLauchlan’s version of ‘Merry Go Round’ and ‘Funny How People Get Old’ arguably the best performances rich in valued interpretations of the genial Hawkins. And, that is not to forget blues gal Vinnick’s ‘Your Time Has Come’ —her forceful electric guitar and voice to match has Sue Foley written all over it!
Maurice Hope


Digital Store here, all tracks or single tracks can be listened to and downloaded from http://www.truenorthrecords.com/Albums.php?album_id=439


Track List

Lynn Miles - Scorpio

Bill Stevenson - Long Lean Lonely Angel

Sneezy Waters – Louis Riel

Bruce Cockburn - The Trains Don't Run Here An...

Ian Tamblyn – Tell Me That Story

Ana Miura – Stone Solid Blue

Sandy Crawley – Royal Boost

Kelly Lee Evans – Merry Go Round

Suzie Vinnick – Frankly Stoned

Neville Wells – Allison

Mike Evin – Worry, Worry

Brent Titcomb - Gnostic Serenade

Intrumental – Io

Murray McLauchlan - Funny How People Grow Old

Ana Miura - Got To Get Free Some Day

Sneezy Waters – Misunderstanding

Lynn Miles – Io

Terry Gillespie – Dirty Shame

Brent Titcomb - Christopher's Movie Matinee

Suzie Vinnick - Your Time Has Come

Ian Tamblyn - Midnight Gambler

Sandy Crawley - Cotton Candy Man

Murray McLauchlan - Merry Go Round

Bill Stevenson - Gnostic Serenade

William Hawkins - Memories

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