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Dave Carter's
"Snake Handlin' Man"
Reviewed By Michael P. Jones
One of the best recordings that has come out of the State of Oregon for a long
time, not to mention the Pacific Northwest, is "Snake Handlin' Man" by
Dave Carter. This eleven-song CD features a collection of tunes from one heck of
a tunesmith. He is a talented individual that could be labeled as a Folk
musician, but really can't be easily "pigeon-holed". This is because
he reaches out to a large, diversified audience. Dave is surely one of the best
singer-songwriters not only West of the Rocky Mountains and I'm sure you'll
agree once you've given a listen', far beyond.
Carter's release of "Snake Handlin' Man" signifies his serious
approach to his craft. He has moved far beyond the comforts of the stage --
which he masters most brilliantly -- and is now displaying his talents on the
airwaves for anyone who cares judge his talents in the quality of the
presentation of his music and lyrics in this splendid recording project.
"Snake-Handlin' Man" is a great CD, but it's not unique in respect to
Carter, because when he hits the stage all of his performances are great,
appreciable, and definitely not easily forgotten. Undoubtedly this recording
project clearly "mirrors" the incredible talents of this
singer-songwriter.
This CD features the talents of this multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and
is a must for anyone who appreciates a refreshing approach to "life's
music". Whether it's "The River", "Where
She Sleeps", "Long, Black Road into Tulsa Town", "The
Promised Land", "Texas Underground", "Snake-Handlin'
Man", "Cowboy Singer," or any of the other tunes written and
performed by Carter for this project, you'll become a fan if you are not one
already.
Carter's career as a singer-songwriter has just begun, but he's already won some
major honors. He was awarded the "Best Contemporary Stylist" by the
Portland Songwriters Association in 1998; won First Place in the "American
Songwriter Lyrics Contest" in 1998; named "Entertainer of the
Year" by the Portland Songwriters Association in 1998; and won First Place
at the "Sisters Folk Festival Songwriting Contest" in 1998.
As for his stage appearances, Carter has traveled the highways and back roads
throughout the country, performing in festivals and clubs and gaining an
impressive reputation as a brilliant tunesmith and entertainer wherever he goes.
And, as more and more audiences discover his talents and identify with the
timeless, sensitive stories which he tells through his songs, the demand for his
music will continue to soar.
Already, Carter has opened for an array of top acts. This includes Bonnie Raitt,
Jackson Browne, and Ian Tyson. He even was picked up once while hitchhiking by
the one and only Merle Haggard who wished him the best of luck in this
unpredictable world of music.
Carter's music seems to take on a life of it's own. The songs appear to reach
out to the listener and gradually, if not quickly, pulls them into the threads
of the tune, where they find themselves pleasingly haunted by the songwriter's
lyrical and musical messages.
All the songs of Carter seem to tell the stories of the American people.
Everyone everywhere will be able to identify with the tunes, whether they've all
traveled the same or different roads. There is something about the words and the
way the music is presented that seems to be able to filter through the
distractions of our everyday lives and find its way into the fabric of our
conscience.
"Snake-Handlin' Man" is one CD that you'll gladly add to your music
collection and should never tire of. It represents one of those recording
projects that reflects life's living tapestries as reflected in the various
moods, lyrics, and music served by Carter.
Carter's "Snake-Handlin' Man" is sold for $15 throughout the Portland
Metropolitan Area or from the stage wherever he is performing. And, to find out
more about him and his music, you can reach him directly at (503) 228-2319 or by
email davidc@teleport.com. Or, you can
write him at Number 40, 25 N.W. 23rd Place, Suite 6, Portland, Oregon
97210-5599.
[SPECIAL PERFORMANCE NOTE: Dave Carter has performed at the Cascade Geographic
Society's 1997 and 1998 "Mount
Hood Huckleberry Festival & Barlow Trail Days", and at the
Society's 1997 and 1998 "Mount
Hood Salmon & Mushroom Festival".]
Theresa
Demarest & Good Company's
"Keiko's Dream"
Reviewed By Michael P. Jones
Theresa Demarest is a singer-songwriter from Portland whose style of music could
be called "Neo-Folk/Jazz-Fused-With-Blues." The message in her music
is creating positive change in the environment through music. And that means
great music.
Demarest is an award-winning singer-songwriter who plays guitar, piano, and
sings. She performs with an incredibly talented band called "Good
Company." The release of their latest recording in September 1999, marks
the third CD to their credit so far on Joshua Records, with more surely to come.
"Good Company" is comprised of the following collection of talent:
Janice Scroggins on piano; Tim Ellis on lead guitar; Chata Addy on African
talking drum and congas; Dennis Springer on saxophone; Myrtle Brown on vocals;
and Linda Hornbuckle, who they refer
to as the affiliate member, on vocals.
"Theresa Demarest & Good Company" performed at the "Mount
Hood Huckleberry Festival & Barlow Trail Days" in 1999 on the
"Great Northwest Music" stage. Their music proved to be not only
show-stopping, but perfection at its best, as they put on a show that most of
the audience will not forget.
Recently, these creative folks took some live recordings and fashioned the songs
into a spectacular CD. These great songs were recorded by Dana Monroe and,
later, mastered by Bob Stark. Ten of the 11 featured tunes were performed on
stage at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts in September of 1996, while
"She Alone" was recorded by Richard Mathis in 1992. The end result was
their creation titled "Keiko's Dream -- Theresa Demarest & Good Company
Live in Concert", on Joshua Records.
The title song of the CD, "Keiko's Dream", is dedicated to Keiko, the
Killer Whale, who was rescued from a zoo in Mexico and taken to Newport, Oregon,
for rehabilitation. Then Keiko was moved to a special sea pen located in his
native waters in Iceland. This tune is an original instrumental piece that was
written by Demarest and eloquently performed by lead guitarist Ellis, and is
dedicated to this cetacean and evokes his song and his ultimate dream of being
released.
"Keiko's Dream" is a great CD if you love superb vocals and music
performed by some outstanding musicians. If you don't have this CD already, it's
one that you really need to have. Also, don't forget about the others on Joshua
Records -- "Bein' Who You Are" and "Moon Rising."
"Theresa Demarest & Good Company" is utilizing "Keiko's
Dream" as a centerpiece of their recent tour. Proceeds from the sale of
this CD goes to the Ocean Futures Society, which resulted from a merger between
The Free Willy Keiko Foundation, Inc. and the Jean-Michael Cousteau Institute.
The "Keiko's Dream" CD is available at Music Millennium, Tower
Records, Borders Books & Music, and Locals Only in Portland, Oregon. If you
are on the Pacific Coast, it's on sale at the Words, Inc. store at the Cannon
Beach Information Center. Or, you can order it directly from Joshua Records at
P.O. Box 3132, Portland, Oregon 97208 for $13 (which includes shipping).
For more information on "Theresa Demarest & Good Company", phone
or fax
(503) 235-6072. Their toll free message phone is 1-888-771-6893. Or, visit their
website at: http://www.theresacd.com or
you can email them at Joshua Records at theresad@teleport.com
to keep up on this exciting collection of musicians.
[SPECIAL PERFORMANCE NOTE: "Theresa Demarest & Good Company" has
performed at the Cascade Geographic Society's 1999 "Mount
Hood Huckleberry Festival & Barlow Trail Days".]