Trisha Gagnon- A Story About You and Me

In this week’s Roots Music column in the Red Deer Advocate I advance the coming area events and feature a review of the brand new album from Jaybird bassist Trisha Gagnon- it is an impressive album with strong songs, great instrumentation, and spectacular harmonies and vocals.

Roots Music Column, originally published November 5, 2010 in the Red Deer Advocate

Trisha Gagnon A Story About You and Me Jam ‘n Music

Long a member of the western Canadian bluegrass scene, Trisha Gagnon came to prominence as a member of Tumbleweed, for many years a band of significant repute on the British Columbia landscape. For the past decade she has been a vital presence within John Reischman and the Jaybirds, laying down creative bass touches while providing clean harmonies and impressive lead vocals.

After more than a half-dozen group recordings with Tumbleweed and the Jaybirds, Gagnon steps to the front of the stage with her debut effort, A Story About You and Me. Backed by her Jaybird compatriots, Gagnon maintains a folk and country balance with her bluegrass roots.

Drawn from the threads of her experiences, the dozen performances are consistently impressive and interesting. The overall impact is one of gentle intensity, with an impressive flavouring of the bluegrass sounds one normally associates with Gagnon and the Jaybirds.

A few of the songs are quite soft sounding, and wouldn’t normally appeal to one who enjoys the harder side of life reflected in song. However, Gagnon’s appeal is that she carries upon her vibrant vocal personality the intimacy and introspection of her songs.

She sings of nature and family, adventure, faith, and challenge, and the relationships that connect us as Canadians and westerners. With the finest acoustic outfit providing the instrumentation, augmented by guests including Rob Ickes and Tony Furtado and vocal visitors Peter Rowan, Kathy Kallick, and Shaun Cromwell, Gagnon keeps things moving along with songs that convey true emotion and impact.

Highlights include a duet with lonesome-singing Jim Nunally on Deeper in Love, the bluegrass gospel tune All I Want to Do, and a classic-sounding country duet with Vince Gill, On My Way to You.

We’ve waited many years for this album, and the strength of this polished and attuned recording reveals that the wait has been justified; mature, acoustic roots music doesn’t get much better than A Story About You and Me.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee- Donald