First Impressions...
Reviews
Gail Wade, Journey
Online Independent Review (Joe Ross / April 2007)
Being an eclectic musician with many
interests can help a versatile performer land many engagements, but it
can also make an artist difficult to categorize. No matter because who
needs categorization? Grounded as a singer/songwriter and guitarist, Gail
Wade demonstrates comfort with folk, blues, jazz, and swing idioms. With
regular performing during the past 25 years, I suspect that she's built
a considerable fan base for her approach to music. She's sung on the Tall
Ships in Maine, toured Europe as a member of "The Hot Flashes," and completed
an Irish tour with singer/songwriter Gary Ferguson (who harmonizes here
with Gail on her self-penned song, "Harder Every Day").
On "Journey," the core band includes Gail Wade (lead & harmony
vocals, guitar, clawhammer banjo), Peggy Ann Harvey (fiddle, flute,
sax, harmonica), Kevin Lynch (mandolin, lead guitar, National steel
guitar), and John Urbanik (string bass). On one track apiece, she's
joined by Stephan Wade (lead guitar on "Rio"), Ian
Wade (percussion), and Gary Ferguson (harmony vocal).
"Journey" will launch Wade to new heights as more folks discover
her earthy and enchanting material. Her relaxed and seamless set offers
plenty of intelligently thoughtful sentiment. Wade opens with an interesting
rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'," with some countering sax riffs that
impart a personality of their own. Other covers come from Roseanne Cash/John
Levanthal, Deborah Hornblow, Pam Gadd, Richard Torrance/John Haeny, and
Mark Irwin/Irene Kelley. Her scat in "Rio De Janeiro Blue" shows another
way that she embellishes a song, and my guess is that she learned this
song from Nicolette Larson's cover of it in the 1980s. The banjo and flute
in "Will You Remember Me?" give that piece a haunting old-time, almost
Celtic, flavor. With a more erudite, poetic approach to songwriting than
Wade's more direct style, Deborah Hornblow's "Winter" is a beautiful love
song that requires contemplation. Gail's rendition of bluegrass songwriter
Pam Gadd's "All the Old Men are Gone" is quite different than the version
I've heard Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver do.
Most impressively, Gail Wade wrote six of the songs on "Journey."
Lyrics aren't included in the CD jacket, and I hope she'll find a way
to upload them on-line. To analyze her skill development as a tunesmith,
I started with her blues at track #8, "Hurry Home Daddy," that Gail wrote
way back in 1980. It's rather standard fare, enhanced by Harvey's harmonica
and Lynch's guitar. Written between 2000-2004, Wade's other originals
have thoughtfully flowing melodic twists and lyrical turns. I appreciate
songs that are straight-forward, conversational, and that have a beginning,
middle and end. Such is the case with songs like "Try it On for Size,"
Harder Every Day," and the spiritually-tinged title track, "Journey."
Her messages are clear and sincere. A ballad like "Anna's Owl" has lyrics
that set a stage, pull us into the story, grab our attention and hold
it until the song's conclusion. Gail's bouncy instrumental "Down the Kennebec"
conjures imagery of river rafting in Maine.
Similar to Karla Bonoff's singing, Gail Wade's alluring voice is
silky smooth, and her folk/blues-based repertoire makes for an enchanting
listen, especially at dusk when in a reflective mood. I'd like to hear
Gail sing some more duets with a male voice. Perhaps a song like "That's
How You Know" (recorded as a duet by Steve Wariner and Nicolette Larson)
would work for her and Gary Ferguson. I wonder if Gail has ever had any
interest in singing solid roadhouse R&B. That type of production could
convince a major label that she's more than just a versatile folkie with
a sweet voice. No matter what direction she takes, I'm certain that major
recognition and success are just on the horizon for Gail Wade.
(Joe Ross)
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Gail
Wade, Journey
Bluegrass
Now Magazine (October 2006)
There's so much to appreciate about Gail Wade in this excellent debut
recording, it's
difficult deciding where to start. First, Gail's enticing vocal range
permits her to move with ease from sultry and mischievous to poignant
and heartwarming. Her diverse musical apprenticeship prepared her to feel
at home in a broad variety of musical styles, whether it is bluegrass,
blues, jazz/swing, folk, or country. In addition, she plays guitar, clawhammer
banjo, wrote six of the compositions, and she produced the CD.
The standard "Ain't Misbehavin" opens the collection
with Gail's playful, romantic vocals, along with a jazzy rhythm guitar,
backed by Kevin Lynch on mandolin, Peggy Ann Harvey on soprano
sax, and John Urbanik on upright bass. From there, she changes moods nicely
on her lovely folk original, "Anna's Owl," with Peggy's plaintive
fiddle runs.
Gail gets down and bluesy on "Try It On For Size," which
includes some smoldering guitar work by Kevin. Then it's off to Brazil
with the Latin "Rio De Janeiro Blues" before returning to American
folks with "All The Old Men Are Gone." The one instrumental
of the CD is Gail's lilting "Down The Kennebec," with everyone
taking a turn on guitar, fiddle and mandolin.
With her broad and very tasteful musical and vocal range, it's
easy to envision Gail showing up, and excelling, just about anywhere:
the Grand Ole Opry, your local jazz venue, a Top 40 country , or pop radio
station.
She and her band are a refreshing treat and a musical force deserving
of big-time discovery. ("cd Reviews"
by Joe Faletta)
Click here to see actual article: "Pick of the Best in 2006" (.pdf file)
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Review (in
Dutch) from Strictly Country Magazine in the Netherlands:
Voor haar
eerste solo CD schreef Gail van helft van de songs zelf, en ze laat zich
kennen als een gevoelige folk-achtige, soms wat bluesy, soms wat jazzy
singer-songwriter.
De begeleiding is voor het grootste deel in handen van muzikanten
die ook bij de Hot Flashes speelden:Peggy, Kevin en John, met hier en
dar een enkele bijdrage van de andere genoemden. Alles zeer smaakvol en
akoestisch.
Peggy Harvey is iemand die de meest verstokte purist nog kan verzoenen
met wat zij uit een en deze stijl onverwacht instrument aals har sopraan
saxofoon tovert. Ende speelstijl van Kevin Lynch is iets waarvoor het
woord subtiel lijkt te zijn uitgevonden.
Een hartelijke aanbeveling voor deze prachtig klinkende eigen productie
van Gail Wade is op zijn plaats.
Rienk Janssen ~ Vlagtwedde, The Netherlands
English Translation:
For her first solo CD Gail wrote half of the songs. She can be known as
a sensitive folk, somewhat bluesy, somewhat jazzy singer-songwriter. The
accompaniment is, for the most part, in the hands of musicians who played
also with The Hot Flashes: Peggy, Kevin and John...with here and
there some contributions from several genres.
Everything very tasteful and acoustic. Peggy Harvey is someone
who is mostly a purist, but still can conform with the different styles.
An unexpected instrument, her soprano saxophone, works magic. The playing
of Kevin Lynch is something for which the word 'subtle' seems to have
been invented.
A cordial recommendation is offered for Gail Wade's splendidly
sounding self-production. Rienk
Janssen ~ Vlagtwedde, The Netherlands
Note: Rienk Janssen is founder and editor of Strictly
Country Magazine and co-producer of the annual European
World of Bluegrass. He has received two major awards from
the International Bluegrass Music Association for his years of dedication
and contributions to Bluegrass & Acoustic music in Europe.