Terry Tufts is a finger-picker and singer-songwriter from... well, from several places, but maybe I should say Ontario. He's been performing professionally since 1974, but this is only his second album. The first, Walk On, is a studio album; this one was recorded live in 1998 at Rasputin's Cafe in Ottawa. Most of the tracks are songs; three are instrumentals.
The best part of this album is Tuft's guitar playing, and it follows that the instrumental tracks might be considered premium because it is on these he works hardest on playing guitar. Two Nights Solo begins with an accidentally Celtic piece called "H'aid Nor H'Aire," inspired by log rolling on the Ottawa River. Tuft's fingers are all over the place, this track is absolutely wonderful. In fact, when I first heard this track I said "Whoa!"
This fast-paced millipedic maze of an instrumental stands in contrast to the vocal tracks. Those fortunate to know Vance Gilbert will say they have similar styles; Tuft's vocals are light, jazz and blues influenced, relaxed. This style works quite well with his guitar style, which despite its intricacy, exudes a measured calm. The lyrics are fairly abstract, seldom of the empty-Labatt's-at-the-Dew-Drop-Inn-in-Sudbury-after-the-hockey-game variety. One of the perkiest and most melodic of these is "Marylou in Burgundy," though we never find out the bar Marylou works in. Sometimes the lyrics, as I read them, look really nice, for example, from "You Said": "Now you're a limb torn off that haunts me, only the aching has remained: A ghostly pain that haunts me still everytime it rains down on my head with things that you said." This amorphousness suits Tuft's style, but still, it is difficult for me to retain these lines long enough to catch his train of thought. They just blur into the music. Conversely, some people really like this type of lyrics. Small minds think about people and things, large minds think about concepts, I guess.
Another raucus song is "Tearing Up the Tundra," infused with a mildly country style. This track describes the scene at The Zoo in the Frobisher Inn, "if the sun don't come up soon it's going to drive me up the wall." And I did notice the lyrics on "All You Really Need To Know," which is about Canada and the rest of humanity as well. "You share this house with many souls and each one plays a special part." All the songs are written by Tufts, at least in part, except for covers of "With A Little Help From My Friends" and "I Remember You."
The production here is exemplary; it is difficult to tell that it is a live performance. The solo performance is verite, only Terry Tufts and his guitar. Tuft's voice is melodic and mellow and neither it, his delivery, nor the arrangement will irritate anyone. Two Nights Solo is a fine recording for a lazy Saturday afternoon, when you're wanting to hear great guitar and not worry about anything specific.
Terry Tufts fingerpicks his heart out here.
