Album Review
The idea for this album developed in a long period of time, during wich the guitarist-singer Gabriele Dodero felt a need to find a new way to express himself. The style, intentionally minimal and essential, only voice and acoustic guitar, is the most natural way for the musician to tell something about him, jumping in the Folk, Blues and Country traditions. The songs included in this cd have been accurately chosen because they evocate events and facts in Gabriele's life, as for example Guy Clark's “The Cape”, that is about all the people who live authentically, risking to express their ideals. Don Edwards' “Coyotes”, tells the story of an old cowboy, that watch the world changing and erase his reference points one after the other, until he understands that he's become the character of a story that lays between legend and truth. Basic points in the cd are the reinterpretation of fingerpicking master Doc Watson, “Deep River blues” and “Windy And Warm”, two classics of the Bluegrass tradition, as much as “Saturday Night Shuffle” by Merle Travis. A powerful connection with folk-blues is suggested by the reinterpretation of Mississippi John Hurt's “Stagger Lee”, Lightnin' Hopkins “Trouble In Mind” and Skip James' “Hard Time Killin' Floor”, songs that peer into the most obscure side of the human soul. “Feelin' Good” performed by Nina Simone, originally connected with the jazz scene, is revisited and drawned into the mood of the album. Finally Gabriele explores another different world, playing traditional gospel songs like “I Want Jesus”, “Going Down The Road Feelin' Bad” and “I Shall Not Be Moved”, chants in which he lose himself to his spiritual side. “Stories For A Friend” originates from a big initial encouragement, received from a close friend of Gabriele, that supported him and made he listening to a lot of music. Unfortunately Gabriele and his friend were unable to listen together to the recordings of the cd, because he passed away. This stories remain for him, and for all the people that strongly believe in their dreams.