Music of the West
By Hugh McLennan
Aug-Sep 2007
River
Steve Fisher
When I listened closely to Ben Crane’s amazing project, Off My Rocker, I was really impressed with the outstanding musicians Ben convinced to add their superb talents. The acoustic guitar work really caught my ear and the liner notes said that would be Steve Fisher. I looked a little closer at my library and found some more fine picking from Steve on a CD from the Sheep River Rounders. Then I found out he’s also the lead vocalist and guitar player from the great bluegrass group Restless Lester.
It turns out that more years ago than I’ll count, Steve was a guitar student of my little brother Jim. In the last couple of years, Steve and Jim have been blending their talents and playing a lot of venues around Alberta.
River is an ambitious and thoroughly professional project with twelve outstanding tracks.
They’re not all western, but The Streets of Calgary will be played on the Spirit of the West by the time you read this. It’s a great song written by Kate Wolf, and cowboys, oil workers, construction workers, farmers and ranchers can all relate. Steve’s pleasant voice, supported by the close harmony of Chris and Sally Jones bring the story to life.
Several instrumental tracks will have you turning up the volume and sayin’ Wow! Ridin’ the Reservoir and Florida Blues are superb. Jim’s original instrumental composition Prairie Rose is recorded here for the first time. It features Jim’s lead guitar in a dropped D tuning with Steve playing the harmony.
This album is an intriguing collection of fine vocals and some of the most skillful acoustic guitar, dobro, mandolin, fiddle and even a touch of clarinet playing you’ll find anywhere.
Order it from Steve at (403) 242-3386 or his website at stevefishermusic.ca.
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