The Thing that Came from Somewhere
Don Ross and Andy McKee
I love guitar duets, so when I was tipped off to this CD by Randy Finney I was delighted to have the chance to review it. What a combination of guitar talent! Don Ross is a two-time winner of the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship in Winfield Kansas (1988 & 1996) – the only person to have won it a second time. Don has recorded about a dozen CDs and is one of Canada’s most highly respected guitarists. His duet partner Andy McKee is another virtuoso performer on the guitar as well as the harp guitar, whose CDs have been very successful.
The CD contains duet versions of “five familiar tunes composed by each guitarist, two duet arrangements of compositions by Russell Ferrante and Mike Marshall, and two solo tracks by each of Don and Andy for a total of 11 great performances.”
Spirit of the West starts off the collection with the lush sound that only two beautiful guitars can make. Ross and McKee toss around single-note lines and strummed accompaniments as if they had been playing the song all their lives, and a discreet pad in the background gives the track a bit of sweetening.
Rylynn begins with some lovely fingerpicking, echoed with imaginative and subtle effects until it kicks into a mellow groove. The baritone guitar mixes in so smoothly that it sounds like it is one huge guitar playing – albeit by someone with four hands! (And listen to that last note – huge.)
The Thing That Came From Somewhere, the title song, is played by Ross solo. Again the song begins with some lovely fingerpicking. The free-floating feeling here slowly resolves into an insistent groove as “the thing” seems to arrive from “somewhere” to take over the song. As if enthralled with the fingerpicking, the thing slowly resolves into the fingerpicked opening figures, combining the best of both.
Dolphins is a happy song that gives me the impression of these creatures playing in the sea, racing underwater to finish by dashing through the waves in leisurely good-natured fun. Textures change, the mood slips from warm and contented to frisky and frolicking, but the simple joy of living is always there.
Ouray gets going with an infectious muted bass groove that spawns a melody that slowly rises until it is soaring up in the clouds of harmonics. This is McKee’s first solo, and he makes the most of it. The melody then heads out on a journey through some more distant harmonic territory, always driven on by that insistent bass. The journey ends back up in the clouds, as the harmonics signal that we have reached our destination.
Tight Trite Night is my favourite track. What a rocking groove they have going here! The rich chordal melody is carried along on a frenetic wave that is unrelenting for the entire song. The frantic bass figure highlights the rich timbre of the bottom strings of the baritone guitar, showing off the superb technique of ‘slap bass’.
Hoover the Musical Dog had me wondering if I was listening to a musical portrait or perhaps a particularly memorable incident. Not that this matters – the song is a refreshing and light-hearted romp through some great fingerpicking, produced by Ross solo.
Ebon Coast begins with some damped fingerstyle playing against the snap of either strings or an ad hoc percussion instrument, which keeps the song tied to a strict beat. The melody emerges as the song continues but stays tied to the beat, seeming to escape halfway through before being drawn back in.
Dreamcatcher is a contemplative, somewhat dreamy piece, played by McKee solo. Occasional string slaps keep the song drifting along, drifting until it finally fades like a dream on awakening.
With You In Mind begins with a very deliberate figure that turns out to be the accompaniment to a very lively melody. This is a terrific start to a song. and yet another strong groove makes this one a strong contender for best in the whole collection. Melodies that you leaving humming, glowing cascading chords, a strong yet unobtrusive beat, subtle harmonics, and some great playing make this a real treat for the ears.
Klimbim shows just how full and rich two guitars can sound. The rhythmic interplay is just great as the guitars diverge then converge, all within yet another strong groove. You can also hear how wonderfully recorded this collection is: these are certainly wonderful guitars being played, but the recording plays its part by maintaining their wonderful sound.
As for guitars, Ross plays a Beneteau long-scale custom 6-string and a Beneteau custom fanfret baritone, while McKee plays an Avalon 6-string and a Beneteau standard baritone.
The playing here is consistently top-notch, and Ross and McKee play in the pocket on all of their songs that set up a groove. The solo songs blend seamlessly with the duos and add a nice bit of contrast. This is high-level playing of very nice songs beautifully recorded. You really should check it out.
You can learn more about the songs, listen to sample from each of them, and even buy the CD at Don & Andy’s joint site at: http://www.donrossandandymckee.com/Don%20%26%20Andy%20Home.html
The CD is available from CandyRat Records (www.candyrat.com) who have a wide selection of other great guitar music as well.