Samuel James, For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen (Northern Blues, 2009)
James Keelaghan, House of Cards (Borealis Records, 2009)
Oliver Schroer, Hymns and Hers (Borealis Records, 2009)
Jason Yates, Jason Yates (Vapor Records, 2009)

Music is the best part of life, I think. It reflects our emotions, our spirituality (even if we deny having such a thing), our moods. It lifts us from the mundane world in which we live to a higher plane, or at least to a different plane. One might argue that there's a huge difference between the music of Bach, and the Beatles. Gregorian chants and Green Day, and I would reply, "Ahh, but there's a time and place for each and everyone of them."

Music was important in my family, from the big band sounds my Mother favoured to my Dad's Jimmy Rodgers records, my brother liked English prog-rock, I liked everything and we all would share the turntable, stacking Roxy Music on top of The Rolling Stones, Merle Haggard and Artie Shaw and followed by Bob Dylan. When I began to play the guitar, my repertoire reflected this diversity and I sang songs written by the Carter Family, Donovan, Robbie Robertson, and Hoagy Carmichael. This inclusiveness continues and is reflected in the four CDs reviewed here. Four songwriters from different backgrounds and with different styles all creating music that speaks to the soul, to the heart.

James Keelaghan reminds this listener of Gordon Lightfoot. A rich baritone, lots of acoustic guitars, and melodic tunes. He has written (or co-written) ten new songs for House of Cards, his eleventh album. He self-production highlights the songs with an open sound that brings the ringing strings (and that baritone) to the forefront. He is joined by a small group of musicians (David Woodhead on basses and Hugh McMillan on mandolins and lap steel). There are a couple of expanded tracks, with horns or strings, but it's mainly the trio. And they make a gorgeous enough sound by themselves. As I mentioned there are several co-writers but Keelaghan's literate voice provides the constant.

The title song comes from the "Celtic Colors Festival in 2008," Keelaghan notes, "and the producers locked six of us in a house for a week, and the company included Dave Gunning, David Francey, and Rose Cousins, it was an amazing experience..." and the song matches the experience. "Easy credit no money down / that's the way we built this town / on a banker's ledge we watched it rise / a house of cards and a pack of lies." We've all been there! Respected American journalist Dave Marsh has called Keelaghan, "Canada's finest songwriter." That may be a bit of overstatement, but there's no denying he's in the top ten. House of Cards is a solid album.

In the spring of 2007 Oliver Schroer was diagnosed with leukemia, he recorded this album of hymns while waiting for treatment. Schroer passed away in July 2008. He was 52. Hymns and hers is his final statement. Schroer plays the fiddle, guitar, lap steel, and sings. He is accompanied by David Woodhead on bass, Bill Brennan on piano, Rob Piltch on guitar, Sharlene Wallace on harp and David Travers-Smith on trumpets. Rochelle Zubot, Teresa McGill, Kathryn Rose, Fides Krucker join on vocals. There are a couple other special guests, but this is Oliver's album. The music ranges from thoughtful to stately, sad to joyous. Well, let's say it is always thoughtful, even in its joy and its sorrow. Imagine a tune entitled "She's With the Angels Now" and Schroer's melody will take you there. He wrote, "written after the death of my dear friend Kelly McGowan from the Harbord Trio--adopted sister, musical collaborator. After her passing, I had the strong feeling that she was being absorbed into the celestial speres and sitting at the right hand of God, at peace after her long struggle with cancer. And son even though it was a sad time, it was also a peaceful time, and this came out of that."

Each of the pieces has a paragraph written describing its intent, otr its creation. These notes from Schroer add a certain melancholy, but also make the music real. The melodies are repeated, sometimes seeming like Phillip Glass's elegaic compositions, other times reflecting the jigs and reels Schroer played in the past. This is a gorgeous album, from the sleeve design, (even the fonts are beautiful) to the playing, and production. Perfect music for a quiet snowy night, with a log burning in the fireplace and a wee dram.

Jason Yates is a one time guitarist who has most recently made his mark playing keyboards. His new self-titled CD features a mix of guitar and drums,highlighted by the rolling sounds of Yates' Hammond B-3. He has a mellow approach to the organ, it doesn't jump out front like Booker T, or Billy Preston, but it's there almost spectral in the ambience. Not that this is ambient music at all. It's way too funky for that, and a large part of the credit for that funkiness belongs to the band he's brought with him. Gary Mallaber (drums) has played with everyone from Steve Miller to Van Morrison; Mark Lightcap (guitar) is from Angeleno and Acetone; bassist David Wilder played with Macy Gray; Oliver Charles (drums) was one of Ben Harper's Innocent Criminals (as was Yates). Ex-Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford is featured and C.C. White (who has sung with Taj Mahal, among others) joins on backing vocals. The music is raw, and has a groove that's inescapable. The songs are interesting and soulful. If there's a weak spot it has to be Yates' voice which never really takes control of the proceedings. But the groove is there, and the musicianship wins the day. An intriguing first album.

Finally there's Samuel James' new album for rosa, maeve and noreen. I reviewed Samuel's last album for GMR, and received an e-mail from James thanking me "I just had to tell you that you are the first reviewer that I have read who really got what I was trying to do with this album. I'm glad that you listened." I think I said he was a mix of O. Henry and Son House

. (I notice his management company virtually quotes me in promo material, although they've changed Son House to Mose Allison, I think Son House is a better comparison.)

He picks up from where he left off with the new one. "Bigger, Blacker Ben" kicks off with a long slow slide from the resonator guitar and then tells the story of "Ben" one of those men they couldn't hang. That's what James does, he tells these short stories set to fingerpicked blues. Producer David Travers-Smith has provided a warm sound to surround Samuel's guitar playing and vocals. There's no-one else on the record. Just Samuel's voice and his resonator, flamenco and 12-string guitar, banjo, harmonica, piano, and percussion. He's coming to play a club in my home town next April. I've already marked it in my calendar. I wouldn't miss it!

So there you have it. Four new discs from blues to hymns, folk to rock, but as Louis Armstrong said, All music is folk music, I ain't never heard no horse sing a song." These folk who we've considered today have all spoken to my heart and soul. I recommend any of these discs.

[David Kidney]