Produced by Dirk Powell and recorded in Louisiana, Take Me Back finds virtuoso fiddler, vocalist, and step dancer April Verch continuing to broaden the scope of her music while maintaining close ties to the music of her native Ottawa Valley. Performances like "Loggers in the Short Grass" and "Grand Slaque" are an ongoing testament to Verch's commitment to and mastery of the Canadian fiddle traditions, while interpretations of songs like Julie Miller's title cut and "All in a Night" (co-written by Claire Lynch and Missy Raines) are marked by more contemporary influences and feature Verch's captivating vocals.
April's previous Rounder albums Verchuosity (2001) and From Where I Stand (2003) were marked by convincing forays into old-time string band music, Brazilian rhythms, and contemporary instrumentals and originals. Take Me Back boasts a similarly eclectic range - including the rollicking bluegrass of "Tennessee Wagoner," the jazz-influenced "Monarch," and the original old-time tribute "Tom, Brad & Alice." Producer and engineer, Powell (whose previous work includes the Cold Mountain soundtrack, the Tim O'Brien Band, Balfa Toujours) melds Verch's extensive interests and abilities into a coherent, compelling album.
An excerpt from Dirk Powell's introduction
to the liner notes of Take Me Back:
"…April Verch is a musician for whom virtuosity, long a priority, has receded in meaning. As a youthful prodigy, she won every contest a young Ottawa Valley fiddler could enter, including the Canadian Grand Masters Championships, and received countless awards for traditional step dancing. She earned all this through dedication and the support of parents who recognized immense talent. Unlike many in her position, however, she has arrived at a place on the other side of these successes, where the technique she strived so hard to attain no longer has meaning on its own. It is now a means to an end, and the end in question is the realm of true personal expression.
With this disc, we aspired to move towards the deepest roots of the music, emphasizing the social setting that is its true home. We chose songs that spoke to us directly and tried to capture them in their most expressive forms. We made the choice to ride the highs and lows. I can say for a fact that, even in the earliest stages of playback, songs like "Bride of Jesus" and "I Still Cry" have made a difference in peoples' lives. No one who has heard them has been unmoved.
The tunes as well bring us right into the center of the session. The fiddle snarls, soars and sails. The piano dances, reminding us that the biggest man at the party can still be the lightest on his feet. The spoons snap, the guitars roar, the drums walk, canter, or gallop, the bass swells and glows. All of it rolls together on "This Ottawa Valley of Mine," a celebration of April's roots concocted with one part wink and twenty parts unbridled affection. The rocking final tunes of this medley are a tribute to everything we love about music and the lives it's given us…"
Take Me Back features the talents of these extraordinary musicians:
Benoit Legault - piano
Chas Justus - hollow body electric guitar, disinterested male chorus
Chris Stafford - acoustic guitar
David Greeley - harmony vocal
Dirk Powell - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, accordion, mandolin, organ, bass, piano, banjo, disinterested male chorus
Eric Frey - upright bass, harmony vocal, disinterested male chorus
Maegan Berard - harmony vocal
Marc Bru - spoons, percussion, bodhran, disinterested male chorus
Mike Burch - drums, percussion
Sam Broussard - electric guitar, electric slide guitar, acoustic guitar
Take Me Back will be available for purchase online ( click here)
or at fine record stores everywhere on February 14, 2006!
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