Michael Hart is PT favourite. He was there, along with Allen Desnoyers, Dirk Van Stralen, Evelyn Loewen and me (and maybe Michael Hart?) the first time we tried the Christmas Presence experiment at the Regent College bookstore, and he's been indispensable since. His album Dulcimer Light is at the top of the Reed Family playlist each Christmas, and his other recordings have all been well played around our place over the years.
A gifted guitarist as well as singer and songwriter, Michael has just released a cd of instrumental recordings. All The Things I Feel But Didn't Know How To Say can be ordered at Michael's website, where you can hear samples of all the tracks.
From the website...
Known as a singer songwriter and guitarist from Canada, this time it's his Gurian steel string and Bill Lewis nylon guitars that do the singing. He brings a rich diversity of original acoustic fingerstyle compositions from Celtic, nouveau Spanish, open tunings, folk-blues. These are visually evocative pieces that bear both motion and emotion. The upbeat "Travelogue" takes off on the album, then a myriad of styles - an Eastern desert caravan, a jazzy dog on a bone, a Celtic jig for a friend, a raw steel, wire & wood, a haunting Sati-esque elegy for a father, a high capo sunset through a loved ones eyes, and harmonic raindrops falling through a bluesy tapped riff. The last cut "Journey Home" is apropos given that this project takes you to just a few different places. The melodies creep up on you and connect through the pristine production. Light touches of mandola, dulcimer, balalaika and percussion grace this album, yet never too much, and the overall effect is inspiring. It's a wonderful recording, and with twelve original tracks you can't go wrong. Did I say I love the title?Michael can be heard at Christmas Presence this year on the Pacific Theatre stage December 14 and 20, and at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium December 18. On December 18 he'll be joined by an extraordinary line-up including Carolyn Arends, Anna Vandas, Lance Odegard, Jonathan Anderson, Spencer Capier and Nelson Boschman!
Influences: John Martyn, Jessi Cook, Bruce Cockburn, Pat Methany, Phil Keaggy, Eric Clapton, Mason Williams, Paul Simon, Michael Hedges, Joni Mitchell.
Tickets at the PT website or by phone: 604 731-5518
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