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Reviews

Welcome to a Review Page!
We solicit your considered reviews of both recorded and live music. If you'd like to have your new CD reviewed or contribute a review, please send your CD or ideas or submissions to Roots66 or
Bill Yates
Webmaster, Roots66.com
1911 Arlene Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93036-2704
 or Erika Harding
Roots Productions
60 South Anacapa Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Please note that we review music in the categories listed in the links above. CDs submitted for review are not returnable and no guarantee is made that a CD will be reviewed.

CD Review
[Dan Wilson - All of Me]
Buy this CD from the artist or
CDBaby at 1-800-BUY-MY-CD
Dan Wilson

All of Me

North Oak Music
Produced by Dan Wilson

Dan Wilson - acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, 6-string banjo
Jonathan McEuen - electric guitar, lap steel, vocals
Jesse Steinberg - drums
Steven Chester Cooley - percussion
1) Hele Mai (Enter) (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
2) Ahwahnee Meadows (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
3) Chet & Edie (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
4) TR (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
5) La Mando Sangria (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
6) Mary Mary (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
7) Night Shadows (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
8) Kirk Creek (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
9) My Friend Flecka (Daniel L. Wilson, North Oak Music, BMI)
10) Vista del Rincon (Daniel L. Wilson, Jonathan McEuen, North Oak Music, BMI)

Review by Bill Yates, Roots66.com

First off, the disclaimer: I know Dan Wilson and do the web sites for two of his bands, the Rincon Ramblers and The Tatters. That said, I will give as objective a review of "All of Me" as I can. Who is Dan Wilson? Dan is an accomplished Southern California musician, both instrumentalist and composer, who has been around for a while and paid his dues. Dan has been involved with a number of projects including a couple of Grammy-nominated albums—Woody Guthrie & Arlo Guthrie (This Land is Your Land), and Brush Arbor's (I Will Follow), a multi-artist Woody Guthrie Tribute (Daddy-o-Daddy), the Rincon Ramblers (Green Rolling Hills of La Conchita), The Tatters, Jimmy Adams & Friends (There Comes A Time, Live at Cafe Voltaire - Vols. 1 & 2, 20/20 Vision), Jonathan McEuen (Sampolin 14), David West (Arcane), Left of Memphis (Left of Memphis), Rachel Sedacca (Lucky Like Me), and Jonathan Raffetto (Close Your Eyes). Dan is a member of the Rincon Ramblers and is part of the Lowly Sidemen, the back-up group for the female trio, The Tatters, which has his wife, Mary Z. Wilson, as one of the trio. This is Dan's first solo album, drawn from tracks laid down in various studios around California. All the compositions on this all-nstrumental CD are his with one co-written by Jonathan McEuen.

"Hele Mai (Enter)", starts slowly with a lush, tropical sound, but then picks up a rhytmic pulse with nice guitar work by Dan. He accompanies himself through the magic of multi-track recording on bass, mandolin, and percussion, a regular one-man band. and a very good one. "Ahwahnee Meadows" is named for the area in Yosemite where Wilson had one of his "great gigs". The quiet "Chet & Edie" is a tribute to Wilson's father and mother. Another tribute piece is "TR", dedicated to his life-long friend, Thomas Roland Duncan. "La Mando Sangria" was formulated over a number of years starting in 1987. It has a definite Latin influence.

"Mary Mary" is dedicated to Wilson's wife, Mary. This is an extended version of the song that also appears on the Rincon Ramblers CD, "The Green Rolling Hills of La Conchita". The title of "Night Shadows" came from a walk in the hills under a Christmas Eve full moon. "Kirk Creek" has more of a bluegrass/folk feel and, along with "Mary Mary", is probably my favorite track. Wilson adds his 6-string banjo to the mix here as he also does in "Chet & Edie" and "My Friend Flecka". The banjo in "My Friend Flecka" is appropriate as the title is in honor of the great Bela Fleck. The up-beat "Vista del Rincon" was co-written with Jonathan McEuen and features McEuen on electric guitar, lap steel, and background vocal.

"All of Me" is a fine album, long overdue from this talented musician. Wilson is in full command of his instruments and his compositions are easy on the ears. His sound is clear and the result of multi-tracking is a lush, full experience. The production is first-rate (Dan Wilson, again!). Take this opportunity to get acquainted with Dan. All of Him.


Rating: [Rating: 4 notes] 4 notes

Copyright 2004 William Theron Yates

2/8/04

This review is copyrighted but may be quoted in whole or part provided credit is given such as "--Bill Yates, Roots66.com". If you post the review on a web site, please link to http://www.roots66.com if you can.


Last updated 2/15/04.
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