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Binkelman's Corner by Bill Binkelman |
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Bill Binkelman is a long-time icon in the industry. |
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| I Am a River |
| By Bill Leslie |
| Label: Capitol Broadcasting Company |
| Released 10/1/2006 |
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| I Am a River tracks |
1. The Waterman 
2. Catawba
3. I Am a River
4. Tall Ships
5. Pungo Gumbo
6. Aqua Night
7. Cullasaja
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8. New River Dawn
9. Reese (a Lullaby)
10. Pamlico
11. River of Peace
12. Edenton
13. Come Through the Water
14. Sacred Waters
15. Nantahala
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I Am A River |
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A few songs into I Am A River and it’s readily apparent how influential the late Micheal O’Dohnaill was to multi-instrumentalist Bill Leslie and the latter’s music. This album is dedicated to O’Dohnaill, who was one of the two founding members of the landmark neo-Celtic fusion band, Nightnoise (along with Billy Oskay). The CD’s twelve instrumentals and three vocal numbers play as if they were cut from the same cloth which yielded all those great Nightnoise releases. Leslie infuses Irish moods and flavors via a variety of acoustic instruments (guitar, whistle, and piano) as well as some superbly executed orchestral keyboards and he’s sometimes joined by accompanists on cello, violin and percussion. The tone here varies from somber and reflective, tinted with melancholy, to dramatic and powerful, and to spirited and cheerful. All the players acquit themselves in excellent fashion performing with both passion and grace. I Am A River is one of the best releases of 2006 and marks the pinnacle of Leslie’s musical career so far. Even his vocal tracks stack up admirably when compared to the instrumentals, owing to his fine voice (occasionally joined by Mary Suttle Long) singing self-penned lyrics which are poignant and personal.
Opening the CD, The Waterman is a gentle ballad played out on guitar, whistle, and violin (throughout the recording, Leslie layers assorted subtle electronic keyboards, most notably strings, with the utmost taste and dexterity, as he does here). Catawb begins with the sound of a babbling brook and sparse piano, moving slowly forward with the addition of mournful cello, picking up the pace a wee bit midway through and adding lilting whistle. The first vocal song is the title track and it’s the best of the three with singing, understated and softly elegant, yet also unpretentious and sincere. Tall Ships (composed as the official song for the 2006 America’s Sail Maritime Festival) opens with some of the best synth strings I’ve heard this year, before becoming a dramatic overture of sorts, with timpani, orchestral strings, and a soul-stirring solo on a synth woodwind. One can almost see the four-masted schooners bursting into view upon the sunlit sea. Pungo Gumbo kicks back its heels with hand drums, lively guitar, soaring violin and a true sense of joie de vivre. Later on, New River Dawn blends synth strings with real cello to solid effect, with some of Leslie’s most soulful whistle playing in a beautifully nostalgic piece, while River of Peace, which opens with echoed piano, reminds me of Nightnoise, with its blending of whistle and violin. Nantahala closes the CD on a somber note, as piano and whistle dance a slow pirouette, matched by synths and cello, but eventually throwing off the shawl of solemnity near the end of the song, erupting into a joyous blast of uptempo good cheer.
Bill Leslie and his accompanists (Susan Babini on cello, Jennifer Curtis on violin, Will Leslie on percussion and vocalist Mary Suttle Long) blew me away on I Am A River and each playing of the CD only increased my appraisal of the music and the talent of all involved. Special kudos belong to Leslie for writing all the songs. This is a very special recording and I recommend it without reservation to those who enjoy the music of Nightnoise or other purveyors of contemporary Celtic fusion music (on the gentler side). I also think the album holds appeal for those who liked David Arkenstone's recent Sketches from an American Journey because Leslie is Arkenstone’s equal when it comes to integrating orchestration with melodies (more than once I flashed on Arkenstone's recording while listening to this one). Finally, I have to imagine that Bill Leslie's dear friend Micheal O'Dohnaill is smiling in appreciation and gratitude at this musical tribute. Well done, well done indeed.
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Rating: Excellent  |
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- reviewed by Bill Binkelman on 10/3/2006 |
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