Huron Street

Don Ross

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 3, 2001)
• Original Release Date: March 27, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Narada
• ASIN: B00005AKIA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,033 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Canadian guitarist Don Ross is a multitechnique fingerpicker who sits comfortably in the company of Preston Reed and Leo Kottke. Rerecording compositions from earlier, Canadian-only releases, Huron Street's melodies arrive out of a confluence of folk, country, and a dollop of classical sensibilities that keep things from getting rustic. Alternating down-home grooves with plaintive ballads, he writes complex tunes that roam like a Jack Kerouac novel. Although he fingerpicks, and has the whole two-handed tapping technique down, Ross's approach is more rhythmic than most, with lots of chordal strumming used to effect dynamics. It gives him a hard-edged, linear sound that often seems more plectrum driven. That tack wears thin over the course of the album, as he reverts to strumming to keep the rhythm going instead of letting his melodies flow outwards. The string bass on a couple of tunes definitely helps and is the kind of lift Ross needs to separate himself from the acoustic guitar glut. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chops., July 6, 2001

By	Robert Lunte "Author of The Four Pillars of S... (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Vastly technical and full of chops. Light on melody. Guitarists will love it. Others will enjoy it. Dont expect pretty Windham Hill melodies here. Your in for some solo finger-style maddness.

One thing thats unique about Ross is he plays a Baritone guitar, slightly larger with more bottom end. Very pretty.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Huron Street shows Ross in all his brillance, April 26, 2001

By A Customer

I became a fan of Don Ross after hearing his first Narada recording, "Passion Sessions". Since then I became aware of the several albums that he released in Canada, and I had wanted to hear them, so when I saw that his latest CD "Huron Street" was music culled from his earlier Canadian albums, I was excited. "Huron Street" doesn't disappoint. After a few listens the songs spring to life in all their texture and harmony. At times Ross's technical ability overshadows his song writing in that he fills every measure of music with slaps and taps and harmonics that can become overwhelming. The songs show his writing style which does not seperate melody from technique. It might not appeal to everyone, but it is unique, and I find it interesting and moving. That is just a minor critizism of what is a very good fingerstyle guitar record. Check it out for yourself.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great cd, ignore the 2 star reviewers, June 11, 2006

By	Diogenes DogSnack (Redwood City, CA) - See all my reviews

First of all I can't believe anyone could give this cd 2 or 3 stars. This is first rate material. The comparisons to Hedges are apt, how could that be a bad thing? Ross is a technical wizard and few indeed can play at his level of ability. Far from just playing the guitar, the compositions are bright,memorable, and energizing. I waited too long to buy this cd. Hope to hear Don play one day, but he seems to be playing almost exclusively in Canada.