Most of the long time inhabitants of these parts know p.j. as a performer, as well as the partner of Dave Swan. Dave is one of the founding members of the venerable Oakland/San Francisco area singing group "Oak, Ash and Thorn". All this by way of introduction to a new CD that you simply must get.
p.j. is really Pam Swan. To say that she is a major talent seems trite in light of her incredible talent. She is multi instrumental, in that she plays piano, bodhran, pandero, pandereta, adufe, darbuka, wire bell, palmas, txalaparta. In addition to all this, she is a vocalist whose voice is a thing of great beauty. Couple this with an ability to tell a great yarn vocally, and you start to get the picture that she is a wonderful talent. And if you ask Rick, he will tell you that she ain't too hard on the eyes either............not that that has anything to do with the music.
I always assumed that if she collaborated with anyone, she would naturally be the lead person. Not so. Pam apparently is a great judge of talent too. She understood that a truly great collaboration happens when great talents join together, committed to the music, and determined to use all the talent they possess to give due homage to the music. And so she became a partner in this enterprise with Shira Kammen. This woman plays fiddle, violin d'amore (I love that instrument name!!!), viola, and palmas. And a voice that just draws the emotion out of the listener. Between her vocal offerings, and her excellent bow work, she absolutely fills up the other half of this offering.
The result? One of the finest CD's I have heard in a long time. This offering is a musical, ....and magical,..... trip through the tunes and songs of Ireland, Scotland, Cape Breton, Shetland Islands, Isle of Man, Brittany, and Galicia. Listening to it is a feast for the ears, and the soul. Every so often a collection comes along that fools you. You assume that it is the type of music that would be nice to put on while reading a book, conversing, or just relaxing. And this music is wonderful for all of those things. But, every so often you find the one that is so well crafted, so intense in its interpretations, so warm in its delivery, that you just cannot let it move to the background. You are drawn to it, and absorbed by it. Such is how this CD is. It combines wonderful tunes, and rich vocal interpretations (many of them in dialect)to produce a collection you just can't stop listening too. The arrangements are right on the mark, the delivery polished, and the spirit of the music comes blasting through. One of my favorites is the song from Brittany titled "Son ar Sistr". But I must tell you that the Irish sets are wonderful, as well. And p.j..................you may take this as official notice that I am cobbing you arrangement of "Pat Do This". I am going to have to dirty up the vocals a bit, but I have just swiped it from you..............hahahaha.
The liner notes are wonderful and detailed. This is one of the things I always look for as the crowning touch. This is, most likely, from being influenced by Sandy Paton and his wonderful Folk Legacy liner notes. And this CD of Kammen & Woods tops off the deliciousness of this serving with superb notes.
The final set of tunes on this CD is titled "Girls Night Out". It is three tunes about women. I am telling you something folks. These women need to get out more so the rest of us can hear more of them.