British Columbia dobro player Doug Cox, a member of the band Travels With Charley, puts a contemporary spin on this undervalued instrument. In the hands of Cox, the dobro takes stage centre with its unique, evocative sound. On Canadian Borderline, Cox joins forces with a tightly-knit group of musicians to create a mixed instrumental/vocal album of his compositions and songs. While Cox's workman-like vocals aren't quite as polished as his instrumentals, the harmonies from his colleagues help smooth over any rough patches. Although the album has many highlights, especially Cox's instrumental compositions, the dobro interpretation of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" lingers in the mind like a fondly-remembered dream. Cox received the Porcupine Musicianship Award in 1995.
Cox describes Bone Bottle Brass or Steel as an "exploration of the dobro and slide guitar in many different styles of music." An equally apposite word would be "celebration." From its unusual, catchy opening number, "Fanfarinette"--a bluegrass version of the Jean Philippe Rameau theme song of CBC's Disc Drive radio show--to the raucus closer, "I like to Slide," the album ranges freely from bluegrass to blues to pop to rock. With a stellar cast of musical friends joining him as guests and collaborators, Cox continues his development as one of Canada's pre-eminent dobro/slide guitarists.
Cox has extremely good taste in guests. The Leadbelly "Good Morning Blues" track is sung by Long John Baldry. The sparkly "Dave Macon Rag/Strawberry Creek" medley contrasts Cox's dobro with Ken Hamm's infectious acoustic fingerpicking. "In the Days of the Pied Pumpkin" is a song written by Bob Bossin about the legendary 70's folk trio, the Pied Pumpkin, of which Shari Ulrich was a member. Because Bossin is always comparing Cox's band, Travels with Charley with the Pied Piper, Cox brought in Bossin, Ulrich, plus Travels with Charley lead singer Jackie Janzen. This hugely successful mix has resulted in a classic cut that should receive a lot of airplay.
One of Cox's specialties is taking well-known tunes and turning them into lonesome, almost eerie instrumental solos. On his previous album he did this with Neil Young's "After the Goldrush." This time around it's a dobro version of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and a bottleneck guitar rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Circle Game."
A fine album, Bone Bottle Brass or Steel should rank high on your purchase list if you enjoy dobro and slide guitar. One caution, the final track, "I like to Slide," is electric and monotonous. It forms a rather jarring ending to an otherwise fine acoustic journey.
Other musicians on the album, in addition to those already mentioned, include Clive Gregson, David Grier, Ken Hall, Al Hume, Jonty Parker-Jervis, Rick May, Ellen McIlwaine, John Reischman, Pat Stewart, Tony Trishka, Diamond Joe White, and James Young.
Canadian Borderline
1993 Malahat (MMM-CD-001)Mary Greig; Let the Mystery Be; Garry Owen/Banish Misfortune; Canadian Borderline; My Father; Lenny; Don't Bring Me Water; Caravan; We're All the Way; Rain On; Fool's Paradise; Shuckin' the Corn; Take Back the Nation; After the Gold Rush 58:20Bone Bottle Brass or Steel *
1996 Malahat Mountain Music (mmmcd004)Fanfarinette; Good Morning Blues; Wrapped Around Your Finger; Dave Macon Rag/Strawberry Creek; Musta Notta Gotta Lotta; In the Days of the Pied Pumpkin; While My Guitar Gently Weeps; Red Haired Shake; The Layoff; The Circle Game; Suicide Creek; Riley's Lullaby; I like to Slide 44:03