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by
Natalie Keaton, January 26, 2008
Canadian
fiddler, dancer and singer April Verch performed last Friday
in Marshall drawing the largest crowd yet at the Arts Center.
With contagious energy and a side of comedic flare, Verch
and her band had the audience on their feet more than once,
and the room vibrating with toes tapping, hands clapping.
Verch,
who has won numerous awards and has a new release coming
out soon, had concert-goers lining up on the street an hour
before the show.
"It's
a real coup, I think, that we got her here instead of Asheville"
said Arts Council director Rod Bowling proudly.
"We
like to go to new places and to return where we've been
well received", said Verch.
Infused
with both Canadian and Appalachian influences, her fiddle
playing and vocals are a sweet mix of old and new.
Verch
has said that her father always reminds her not to forget
where she came from, and for her that means playing the
music she knows and loves with pride and always acknowledging
its heritage. |
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by
Rob Weir, December 12, 2007
Ottawa,
Canada's cosmopolitan capital, doesn't exactly evoke rural
life in the average person's mind, but April Verch hails
from the upriver Ottawa Valley, a region of farms and timberlands,
not retail and politics. When Verch sings sweet country-laced
songs or fiddles serious hoedown tunes, it's an authentic
manifestation of tradition, not Gillian Welch-like affectation.
Take
Me Back sounds like Alison Krauss with a little bit of Natalie
MacMaster thrown in. Like Krauss, Verch made her initial
mark as a fiddler, but now she also catches listeners' attention
with vulnerable vocals whose light tones can evoke utter
sincerity, as on the title track, or break your heart on
songs such as "I Still Cry." Plus, while Krauss
leaves most of the fancy instrumental work to hired hands
these days, Verch evokes MacMaster with her high-energy
bowing and step-dancing, which combine musical talent with
an instinct for spectacle. This new mix of bluegrass, country,
old-time melodies and original material might just catapult
Verch to the same lofty heights as Krauss and MacMaster.
But star or not, her talent is undeniable. more>> |
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by
Emily Tuttle, October 13, 2007
April
Verch's love for the sound of the fiddle started when she
was only 3 years old and taking step-dance lessons in the
shadows of an older sister. Now at age 29, Verch is still
step dancing. But she has since nurtured her love for fiddle
into a repertoire of finely tuned sounds as versatile as
her instrument and has claimed the spotlight for herself.
more>> |
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by
Eamon McLoughlin, July 12, 2007
It
wasn't too long ago that the idea of a female fiddler leading
her own show was a novel idea and hard for some in the industry
to accept... more>> |
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by
Petra Jones, Spring 2007 Issue (Vol. 14 No. 1)
Award-winning
fiddler, step dancing expert and vocalist April Verch brings
new meaning to the word multi-tasking. A winner of
both the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle and Open Fiddle Championships,
April was already pleading with her parents for a fiddle
of her own by the age of three. Today she is a consummate
musician whose mastery of fiddle playing technique has left
her free to fully explore the fiddle as a vehicle for self-expression.
April's critically-acclaimned current album Take
Me Back (2006) sees her branching out into bluegrass (Tennessee
Wagoner) and jazz (Monarch). But she remains true
to her Ottawa Valley roots with locally-inspired pieces
like "Grand Slaque" and manages to capture the
magic of her live performances on tape to make her most
satisfying album yet. (Full interview with April follows
this introduction in the magazine issue.)
more>> |
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by
Matt Forss, April 2007
After
reviewing and thoroughly enjoying Verchuosity
a few years back, my interest was ignited in Canadian fiddle
music. As soon as I heard the April Verch Band was coming
to my university town of Marquette, Michigan, I clamored
at the opportunity to witness the fiddle maestro in action.
The venue for the concert was set for 7:30 PM on March 18,
2007 at the stately, Masonic Building in downtown Marquette.
Upon arrival around 7 PM, I noticed a minivan with Ontario
plates – and that's when the anticipation began!
more>> |
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by
Joe Ross, November/December 2006 Issue
Take
Me Back gives April Verch plenty of room to strut
her stuff as she journeys on both traditional and contemporary
roads. Written by Julie Miller, the title cut allows April's
captivating vocals to speak to removing some of the weight
from her shoulders. By track two - the nearly six-minute
Grand Slaque - we hear an entire different side
of April, that of lyrical fiddler in the finest French Canadian
tradition with notes that bounce like ping pong balls. The
set makes a contemporary turn with Claire Lynch and Missy
Raines' All In A Night that incorporates drums
and electric guitar. Another instrumental, Monarch, is a
jazz composition that wafts like a butterfly in a summer
breeze. Thus, these four numbers alone show what we're in
for on the entire album - many adventurous jaunts. Musically
moving hither and thitherward, April demonstrates great
versatility and skill. Some listeners, however, may find
the set's flow a bit disjointed or lacking coherence due
to the broad spectrum covered. April really likes to mix
it up a bit. Her displays of virtuoso musicianship and pleasant
vocalizing are best for those with eclectic musical preferences.
I Still Cry is a remarkably powerful, slow love
song. What large jumps we make to the aural experience of
Eclipse - fiddle and piano bursting with pep -
to Bride Of Jesus - slow mournful singing - to
Loggers In The Short Grass - another very danceable
instrumental. Texas fiddling styles are captured in Tennessee
Wagoner that shares breaks with guitar, piano and even
string bass. Cruel Moon is another slower song
with dreamy electric guitar and the set's transition to
a more lilting instrumental, Seven Years , works
well. Tom, Brad & Alice demonstrates old-time
sensibilities as the fluid fiddle and frailing banjo speak
to each other. This Ottawa Valley is a fun closer
in 3/4 time that pays tribute to her home and incorporates
the sounds of a party going on at the recording session.
April Verch is a musician of many talents and interests.
Her extensive interests and abilities make this a very impressive
album. more>> |
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by
HK, Bluegrass Unlimited, June 2006 Issue
April
Verch can no longer be considered as merely a talented young
fiddler. She has also taken her singing to a higher level,
here giving moving interpretations of a halfdozen songs
by Julie and Buddy Miller and Claire Lynch. Meanwhile, her
fiddling on a wide variety of Canadian tunes, along with
forays into oldtime, Scandinavian, and acoustic jazz fusion,
showcase her brisk confidence and stylistic versatility.
The title track, a Julie Miller waltz, has been begging
for a cover version for years, and Verch delivers it effectively
along with a heartrending take on the same songwriter's
"I Still Cry." Her vocal selections also include gospel
tracks such as the bluegrassy "Wings To Fly" and the stately
"Bride Of Jesus." The prominent presence of drums on several
of the vocal selections indicate that the Americana market
is being targeted with this recording.
Bluegrass/oldtime traditionalists who don't care for piano,
percussion, or electrified instruments in their music may
have to limit themselves to the pair of aforementioned gospel
tracks and the frisky oldtime instrumental "Tom, Brad, And
Alice." More adventurous listeners can hang on to their
seats while Verch's fiddle and vocals, under the production
guidance of Dirk Powell, take flight. It'll be interesting
to see the audience she draws as she spreads her stylistic
wings, and it might also be good for her to draw from a
wider pool of songwriters (although the tunes here are all
fine choices and wellpresented). As young as she still is,
it's astonishing to think how her skills and tastes will
continue to grow over her career.
more>> |
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Fish
Records, United Kingdom, April 2006
Excellent
album from Canadian fiddle player and songwriter April Verch
- the album is a balanced mix of singer/songwriter material
and virtuoso instrumentals. The title track (along with
two others) is from the pen of Julie Miller and is a beautifully
bittersweet song and this is a theme that continues through
the lyrics over the course of the disc, but the downbeat
lyrics are tempered by the up-tempo traditional dance tunes
played by her own fiddle and a tight group of musicians.
Throughout the 14 songs she goes through a number of styles
(especially in the instrumentals) and this gives the disc
a fresh and vibrant feel, and rather than sounding disjointed
it shows the links between country, traditional dance, folk
and jazz. The disc has a clean, fresh sound and is an intelligent
and engaging listen. |
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April
2006 Issue
April
is on the cover of and featured in the April 2006 issue
of Strings Magazine
- pick up a copy today! more>> |
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Viillage
Records, March 2006
Canadian violinist Verch headed down to Louisiana
and recorded this fine new disc. It's a sultry mix of original,
instrumentals and well chosen covers including the Julie Miller
title track. This recording us unpretentious and contains
some wonderful songs and passages that will be stuck in your
head after just one listen. |
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by
Brent Raynor, NOW Toronto, March 2, 2006
It's
great to be a virtuoso fiddler who's won big-time awards
and earned some respect. But being a champion fiddler doesn't
mean you can write good songs. Thankfully, April Verch is
multi-talented, and her latest showcases her knack for writing
tight, melodic little country/roots ditties that'll have
you convinced she's from Nashville and not the Ottawa Valley.
This may partly be due to the excellent production by Dirk
Powell (the Cold Mountain soundtrack), but it's more likely
that Verch worked her ass off to come up with 14 tracks
that stand up as well on their own as they fit within the
construct of a complete album. And that's just what Take
Me Back is – a fully realized set that does not retreat
into a fiddle fest the moment things get tough. If anything,
there's not enough fiddling. It says a lot when the thing
you remember about a master fiddler is her engaging voice.
more>> |
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Daniel
Gewertz, Boston Herald , February, 2006
April
Verch may not have the pop-country appeal to become the
next Alison Krauss, but she's Rounder Records' best bet.
A warm, buoyant fiddler with a folk style bred in Canada's
Ottawa Valley, she's recently become a delicate sweetheart
of a singer. Her fine new CD, ‘‘Take Me Back,” adds heart-rending
Americana songs by Julie and Buddy Miller, Claire Lynch
and Jennifer Kimball to the Canadian folk mix. |
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Nashville
City Paper, February 14, 2006
April
Verch sings with such stark, direct intensity that it's
almost surprising that her fiddle playing has touches of
flash as well as fire. Take Me Back obliterates
the notion vintage music must be presented in a stoic, reverent
manner. Verch and her comrades perform such numbers as “
Take Me Back ,” “Loggers In The Short Grass,” “Tennessee
Wagoner” and “Seven Years” with equal amounts of eloquence
and authenticity, yet there's absolutely nothing remotely
dated about the arrangements or solos. Whether doing Julie
Miller's enticing pieces “ Take Me Back ” and “I Still Cry,”
executing a medley of reels, or covering Mac Beattie's haunting
tunes about the Ottawa Valley, April Verch soars on a sparkling
set blending country, Cajun, bluegrass and folk elements.
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by
Bob Mercereau, The New Brunswick Reader, February 4, 2006
The Otttawa Valley's April Verch is perhaps
everything you want in a fiddler-singer-dancer. Her vocals
cut through eras and genres to take you to that timeless
place, somewhere in our collective memory but very close
to your heart. Her raw fiddling is playful, tuneful but
not showy, a welcoming tone. It seems to be equal parts
Don Messer and French Canadian. Her choice of tunes is perfect,
with three from the Julie Miller songbook, two from bluegrass
star Claire Lynch and a bunch of first-class instrumentals.
I'm now going to admit something that may get me kicked
out of the region: I think Verch is the best singing fiddler
I know, including all the Maritimers. |
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Midwest
Record Reviews, February, 2006
An ace fiddling step dancer from the Great
White North, since this isn't an ecd, Verch focuses on giving
you the greatest musical experience she can. Taking her
down home fiddle around the world via the Americana pen
of the Millers, originals, instrumentals and other tidbits
that fit right in, this is some of the best organic playing
simply to come along. Tasty, expert playing that never feels
rote, Verch is a young pro that knew what she wanted at
an early age and has done her part to stay the course with
a great mixture of integrity and chops. Boomers that miss
'real music' will really enjoy this.
more>> |
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by
Doug Taylor, The Coast (Halifax), February 22, 2006
As I child, the Ottawa Valley native won
enough trophies to fill a garage. Her command is in
evidence on the instrumentals, as is what separates Upper
Canada and Cape Breton... more>> |
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by
Allie Goolrick, Paste, February/March, 2006
Canadian fiddler and stepdancer April Verch
has a lot going for her on her latest, Take Me Back.
But singing isn't one of them. Of course, Verch wouldn't
be the first to warble and waver her way through a rootsy
folk album, and knowing she trained as a violinist at Berklee
lends credibility to an artist who, otherwise, could easily
be lumped in with every Emmylou Harris wannabe on the circuit.
Jaunty fiddle tunes like "Eclipse" and "Tennesee
Wagoner" are obviously Verch's forte, but achingly
intimate tracks "Bride of Jesus" and Julie Miller
cover "Take Me Back" showcase Verch's deep knowledge
and affection for both her native Ottawa Valley tradition
and the broad scope of contemporary folk. |
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by
Patrick Langston, Ottawa Citizen, January 18, 2006
At last year's North American Folk Music
and Dance Alliance conference in Montreal, an event that
attracted musical heavy hitters and corners alike, Pembroke's
April Verch was spotted fiddling in a nondescript hotel
hallway for a small knot of listeners.
more >> |
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Joe Sixpack's
Hillbilly Record Riot, January, 2006
An extraordinarily pleasant, appealing record
-- possibly my favorite new
folk/country/Americana album -- and one that, for some reason,
I can't seem to get out of my CD player.
more >> |
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by
Jeff Simon, Buffalo News, January 15, 2006
April Verch, "Take Me Back" (Rounder). Her
voice is lovably high and lilting, like that of Emmylou
Harris or Dolly Parton. It's almost as musical and delectable
in their way too.
more >> |
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by
Rick Anderson, allmusic.com, January 2006
On her third disc for the Rounder label,
Canadian fiddler, singer and step dancer April Verch finds
her continuing to explore the folk traditions of her own
native region as well as those of the regions south of the
border (Canada's border with the U.S., that is) and more
modern country and folk-rock sounds. Other artists might
eventually meld all of those varied influences into a personal
multicultural fusion, but that doesn't seem to be Verch's
inclination — instead, she jumps from one style to
another, skirling out a vigorous set of jigs or crooked
French reels one minute, then delivering a jazzy original
tune or a straight-up country weeper the next. There's nothing
willful at all about her sound — she's just making
the music that she loves, and she happens to love several
different kinds of music, so the overall mood is one of
joyful eclecticism rather than pretentious overreaching.
Verch is a very fine singer... more
>>
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by
Don McLeese, amazon.com, January 2006
In her artistic maturity, the champion Canadian
fiddle prodigy has developed a mastery of musical mood swings.
About half of Take Me Back comprises sprightly instrumentals--many
of them traditional tunes from April Verch's native Ottawa
Valley--which spotlight her extraordinary virtuosity (and
nimble step dancing). more
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by
Joe Ross, Talent On Display, January 2006
"Take Me Back" gives April Verch plenty room
to strut her stuff as she journeys on both traditional and
contemporary roads. Written by Julie Miller, the title cut
allows April's captivating vocals to speak to removing some
of the weight from her shoulders. By track two (the nearly
6-minute "Grand Slaque"), we hear an entire different side
of April - that of lyrical fiddler in the finest French
Canadian tradition with notes that bounce like ping pong
balls. A step dancer herself, her fiddling is "reel-y" enjoyable.
The set makes a contemporary turn with Claire Lynch and
Missy Raines' "All in a Night" that incorporates drums and
electric guitar. Another instrumental, "Monarch," is a jazz
composition that wafts like a butterfly in a summer breeze.
Thus, these four numbers alone show what we're in for on
the entire album - many adventurous jaunts. more
>> |
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by Roy Kasten, No Depression,
January 2006
There are infinite ways of modernizing tradition.
You could say that every time a pick hits a string or a
voice meets a microphone, tradition is altered. But for
young musicians steeped in the past yet looking toward the
future, the pressures are different. How far and in what
direction do they take their inheritance? more
>>
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