I'm very pleased add to my blog entries a brand new CD by
Canadian Jeff Straker. His albums are always an event with me, and the new one
is called "Vagabond." This album, like a lot of his, seem to be
complete works of art, so it almost seems wrong to just pick single songs to
hear, but you can hear a bunch of them on his site. The ones that stick out for
me so far are "Birchbark Canoe" and "Botanic Garden."
And, I confess, I've been a fan of his music since 2006,
when he released "Songs from Highway 15." I got to interview him in 2010 when "Step Right Up" came out. That was the one that really
solidified my fandom. He told me at the time that CD got a lot of comparisons
to early Elton John meets Rufus Wainwright, with a dash of Mika. Well, I think
in that CD's case, more than a dash...there's a bunch of theatrical pop on it, with infectious energy and fun. But I don't mean to slight 2011's
"Under the Soles of My Shoes." I saw him sing just a few songs in a
showcase in 2006, so I know I would love to see a whole concert. Next time he
gets down from Canada I sure hope he comes my way.
Above, Jeff & me, 2006, NYC
Nice! Went to the website to pre-order the CD. Can't wait to hear it all!
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