REVIEWS 

 

2002 Winner of the
Maple Blues Award for
Acoustic Act of the Year

Michael Jerome Browne

On his second solo album, Montreal's own Michael Jerome Browne cements his reputation as Canada's most accomplished interpreter of traditional, acoustic blues styles. Most of the album is solo tracks featuring Browne's singing as he moves between various guitars, fiddle and banjo on raggy tunes like I Love You Emry, developed from a Blind Willie McTell fragment, and Cancer Ward Blues, a moving original that Browne co-wrote, with lyricist B.A. Markus, about the last days of R&B piano legend Harry Vann Walls.

Some songs feature Browne with other Montreal musicians. There's a swinging version of Irving Berlin's He Ain't Got Rhythm that has Browne's guitar trading solos with guitarist Jordan Officer and Jody Golick on tenor sax, and Someday My Day Will Come, a George Jones country hit recast as a rolling blues, with harmonies and harmonica from Ray Bonneville."
-Mike Regenstreif, The Gazette
Montreal, December 27, 2001
****½

"Montrealer Michael Jerome Browne has followed up on the slightly flawed promise of his debut solo record with a striking new album of acoustic blues that begs, borrows and steals from a bunch of styles and backgrounds to create an almost entirely new one.

The man has elephant ears for his material and his virtuoso ability on a wide variety of guitars, as well as fiddle and antique gourd banjo, makes the music real.

If that isn't enough, Browne's vocals, honed through years as the frontman in the Stephen Barry Blues Band, are confident and accomplished, able to go from modern to deep south traditional (without sounding like a caricature).

Whether it's convincing blues remakes of songs from sources as varied as George Jones, Al Green, Stevie Wonder or Sam Cooke, among others, to more familiar tuneage from people like Tampa Red, Blind Willie McTell and Dinah Washington, to Brown's own assured and authentic songs - such as the staggeringly powerful Cancer Ward Blues, co-written with lyricist B.A. Markus in honour of Brown's owl partner, the late Harry "Piano Man" Vann Walls - this is a full-bodied, real-deal blues record."
-Norman Provencher, Ottawa Citizen
*****

"Michael Jerome Browne is a brilliant multi- instrumentalist and a marvelous interpreter of roots music traditions"
'Real Blues' Magazine

"Browne's soulful singing is matched by the depth of his instrumental powers on various guitars, banjos and fiddles...Reservoirs of musical talent...an encyclopedic knowledge of blues styles and history"'
'Sing Out' Magazine

"Michael Jerome Browne is a brilliant multi-instrumentalist and a marvelous interpreter of roots music traditions"
'Real Blues' Magazine

"Browne's passionate vocals and outstanding talents make him one of the best solo acts you will ever see"
Manitoba Blues Society

"Unquestionably Canada's finest roots and blues player"
'Scene' Magazine

"Powerhouse display of stunning vocal, songwriting and multi-instrumental talents"
The Winnipeg Sun

"Michael Jerome Browne is a country blues master"
Holger Peterson, CBC Radio

"Michael Jerome Browne delivers with skillful style and joins our list of the very best"
Greenbank Folk Music Society

 

 

 

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