Sing Out! the Folk Song Magazine
Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen express a deep affection for traditional and contemporary folk music on this new live recording. Whether the song is a 500-year-old ballad, an early blues, or an original composition, the two singers combine respect and intuition into a captivating performance. You can also feel the enjoyment they share in performing this treasure trove of varied material together. Although Gillette is a talented songwriter, only nine fo the CD’s nineteen selections (the cassette has fourteen) are originals. The rest range from Mark Graham’s funny "Their Brains Were Small and They Died," to Elizabeth Cotten’s "Shake Sugaree," to the epic traditional ballad, "Annachie Gordon" (Child 239). The latter is given a definitive performance by Mangsen (CD only). Of the four versions in my library, hers is the most effectively delivered narrative. It brings a tear to the eye even after scores of hearings, without histrionics or melodrama. Mangsen also delivers a haunting, knowing a cappella version of the traditional "When I Was in My Prime." Gillette’s original compositions sneak up on you. You’ll enjoy them the first time around, then suddenly find yourself singing them later. "The River" and "Grapes on the Vine," co-authored with Charles John Quarto, and "Heartland," co-authored with Rex Benson, are particularly memorable as is Gillette’s best-known song from the ‘60s, "Darcy Farrow," co-authored with Tom Campbell. Gillette’s guitar picking throughout is also a treat. The album is also technically impressive. Recorded digitally at the Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan, it retains the feel of the live performance, while editing out the nonmusical elements.