Rick
Jamison
& Copper Canyon
"Tales from the Canyon"
"With so many regional bands releasing compact discs, it is not surprising that independent albums are frequently missed in the cavalcade. One would be wise to seek out the debut offering of California's Rick Jamison & Copper Canyon.
"A quintet, Rick Jamison & Copper Canyon display a wealth of strengths. Most noticeable is the quality of their singing and instrumentation. Phil Cornish (mandolin) possesses a strong, yet mellow, bluegrass singing personality, one that encourages the listener to embrace mid-tempo pacing and vocal freshness. The harmonies of Pat Ickes (banjo/resonator guitar), Jamison (guitar), and Megan Lynch (fiddle) are effectively arranged and expertly executed. While some bands have difficulty blending masculine and feminine voices, Rick Jamison & Copper Canyon has no such shortcoming.
"The collective musicianship supports the lyrical detail and emotional intensity of the talented writers. The instrumentation is stellar and Lynch's fiddle touches are sensitive and spirited. Ickes's banjo playing (yes, he is Rob's brother) is entirely enchanting on the instrumental "Snowfall on Cedar," while Cornish's mandolin offerings are bold and display a solid, woody tone. The dozen tracks are all originals with the subject matter both traditional-breaking hearts, appreciation of our blessings, dogs, and criminal behavior-and unusual, too-time travel. While the themes may be familiar, their specific references and manner of presentation are entirely contemporary. Broadening the aural variety of the album, the three instrumentals each have an individual sound and tempo.
"Featuring strong songwriting and instrumentation, Tales from the Canyon is as bluegrass as it gets and can be favorably viewed beside the productions of well-established bluegrass recording artists. It is that rare disc that will generate discussion and praise within the bluegrass community."
Donald
Teplyske
Bluegrass Now
December 2004