4.0 out of 5 stars
No (Sleigh) Bells And Whistles, December 23, 2010
This review is from: Heart of the Minstrel on Christmas Day (Audio CD)
I used to catch guitarist/autoharpist Harvey Reid annually here at a regular seasonal gig he did here in Upstate NY (ironic since he's actually based in my original home state of Maine, but I think he must have been moving in just when I was moving out, cuz I never heard of him 'til I was already ensconced in NYS). The annual holiday shows were a treat and something I always looked forward to, but I think Harvey reached a point where he wanted to spend his holidays at home with his wife Joyce and their kids, however, and who can blame him. Nowadays his gigs in these parts are more sporadic and are likely to take place be any time of year. (And that has it's plus side too: makes for a more varied set list).
Reid is a remarkable musician and his delicate instrumental renditions of ancient yuletide carols can't be beat. As he writes in his liner notes, his versions of these classics lack the "sleigh bells, drumbeats, synthesizers or choirs of 'angels'" and most importantly, there's no "studio trickery...[j]ust the unadorned sound of the steel-string guitar and the autoharp." Simple (or not so simple) and straight forward. The album has its moments of jollity (a jaunty "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" on steel guitar, for instance, but mostly it's reflective and quite lovely.
One minor cavil: I would have welcomed a few less well known melodies, maybe something actually from the Renaissance or the Elizabethan era: the cover art almost promises as much. One happens upon such collections from time to time, and, yes, sometimes the selections prove totally unfamiliar to the audience. We may not even recognize the music as being all that "seasonal" at first. But that can be addressed by thorough and thoughtful liner notes. I would have loved to hear Reid's take on something from that era: his autoharp playing would be perfectly suited to something a little less conventionally "carol-y."
One exceptional track is the title cut (and the only vocal on the record), "The Heart of the Minstrel on Christmas Day." This song actually DOES feel like it's from another time (if not the Renaissance, at least the 19th century). Harvey Reid would probably be the first to admit that he is not a conventionally "good" singer, but his achingly sincere vocal on this track is all the more effective for its diffident quality.
One could argue til the reindeer come home about what else SHOULD have been included. What's here is great stuff, to be sure. Save it for a late December night, when the kiddies are abed and you're up for a little reflection and meditation on some familiar, but nonetheless beautiful themes.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
