Customer Reviews

Friends of Fahey Tribute

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Having every Fahey album I've been able to get my hands on, I had to get this too - just to see if it was any good. And I was more than pleased! Tinh who studied under Fahey have done a great job producing this album with an impressing line-up of artists. Instead of re-hashing Fahey songs, that no one could do better than the Man himself, most of these artists have written beautiful songs inspired by and in respect and rememberance of John. If I should have to pick favorites I think that would have to be track 2: "I remember John Fahey" by Tinh and 3: "Spanish Nights" by Woody Mann. The long lost track by Fahey himself "Why haven't I heard from you?" from his last ever acoustic session, starting with a vocal message from John (a message left on someone's answering machine) brings joy to your heart and tears to your eyes.

It's the greatest tribute to the greatest guitar player I've ever heard.

Musical Tribute discs should be a celebration and honor of the featured artist. `Friends of Fahey Tribute' succeeds because the musical selections are varied and interesting--all are well-executed, passionate, and reverent. The liner notes say the disc's sales proceeds go to The Village School Foundation, a charity that provides scholarships and schools to the children of Viet Nam.

Fahey's career spanned six decades. That vast continuum of music is well-represented here. In review in of another John Fahey Tribute disc, `I am the Resurrection', I commented that my expectation of a Fahey Tribute would be "of imitative playing style, and played...as John would himself." On both that recording and on `Friends of Fahey Tribute', I was pleasantly surprised because we get that, plus interpretive extrapolations, and original tunes. Celebration, respect and honor for Fahey shines through in all of them.

George Winston says it so well in his slow, deliberate, bluesy rendition of Fahey's `Steamboat Gwine `Round de Bend', playing it like Fahey's New Orleans Funeral March might sound.

Mississippi Delta stylings of early Fahey are done faithfully by, Peter Lang (`Poor Boy') and Terry Robb (`Impressions of Susan'). Others are respectful of the Master's style, and render faithful versions of His songs.

I especially like the songs dedicated to Fahey's memory which are Fahey-like, but completely original. Best examples are the selections from Tinh, Mark Lemhouse, and John Doan.

Strangely, the weakest piece is a ghostly John Fahey answering machine message grafted onto a musical recording from later life titled `Why Haven't I heard from You?' It's like JF's placing a call from the great beyond.

I hope John is pleased with the result. I am.