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Artist: Joe Ross, vocals and guitar
Additional Artists: Susan Blanton, Bryan Bowers, Al Brinkerhoff, Tim Crouch, Mitsuki Dazai, Jason Heald, Randy Kohrs, Ron Stewart, Scott Vestal, Radim Zenki, with members of Cedar Hill, James King Band and Cold Thunder
Zephyr 0430 (2007)
12 Tracks
Running Length: 40 minutes
Soon after the release of his CD of original music, Festival Time Again, Joe Ross enters the arena with Joe Ross: The Spirit of St. Louis, that celebrates Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. Joe Ross is an arranger, singer and instrumentalist with a specialty in blue grass. In fact, the ambience of this CD will take you back to John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath" when people regularly rode the rails, with or without a ticket and air travel was still in an infant stage.
The first track, "The Logger's Song" is a regular hoe down complete with fiddle and timber men who travel for work. "Oregon logger, take my coat and roam," says it all.
The "River In Oregon" is wistful, but this song looks into the future, which may be bleak if we don't clean the water now.
Gospel songs are represented by "Mother's Songs" and remembering Mother singing about a home in Texas and God's love. The last track, "His Hand Is Divine" is plaintive with lyrics of "He opens His hand and answers our plea" The fiddle here is especially appealing
Instrumental pieces are "One-Legged Turkey" about a true bird that existed in Oregon and "St. Anne's Reel" which is the only piece on this CD not by Joe Ross. Both arrangements are lively and toe tapping with plenty of fiddle and a good sound mix.
My favorites are "The Spirit of St. Louis" that tells the story of Lindbergh's flight and could be used for schools as an introduction to this piece of American history. The music is set in a minor key and begins like the old "Thunder Road" from Robert Mitchum's 1958 movie of the same name. The other is "Streamliner" that is a hobo song of someone who rides the rails "forever passing thru" This song has a genuine train feel to it and that comes from the grand-daughter of an engineer.
Joe Ross's songs are Americana, and this CD gives the feel of a by-gone era in which oceans were a challenge, trains changing from steam to diesel, Mother's sat in rocking chairs on porches and rivers ran clear. The singer presents lyrics that are understandable and tell a story. Instruments are proficient and do not overpower the words so that the listener can connect with the singer. Whether hoedown, plaintive or storytelling, Joe Ross will have you toe tapping and ready to wave as The Spirit of St. Louis passes by.
Copyright 2006 Marie Asner
Submitted 11/05/06
