Audio CD review:
John Fahey & Friends - Friends of Fahey Tribute

John Fahey & Friends - Friends of Fahey Tribute

Band: John Fahey & Friends Title: Friends of Fahey Tribute Rating: Release Date: 14 March, 2006 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Steamboat Gwine 'Round De Bend - George Winston 2: I Remember John Fahey - Tinh 3: Spanish Nights - Woody Mann 4: How White's Restaurant Destroyed My Life - Mark Lemhouse 5: In John Fahey There Is No East Or West - John Doan 6: Witness To The Messenger - Peter Lang 7: Evolution Of Blind John Turtle - Mitch Greenhill & Mayne Smith 8: Fahey At Bush Park - Terry Robb 9: Home / Auld Lang Syne - Tinh 10: Poor Boy - Peter Lang 11: Under The Volcano - Stefan Grossman & John Renbourn 12: When Your Way Gets Dark - Paul Geremia 13: Impressions Of Susan - Terry Robb 14: Why Haven't I Heard From You? - John Fahey 15: Steamboat Gwine 'Round De Bend (Harmonica Version) - George Winston

Customer Reviews A Well-balanced and Respectful Tribute `Friends of Fahey Tribute' succeeds because the musical selections are varied and interesting--all are well-executed, passionate, and reverent. Musical Tribute discs should be a celebration and honor of the featured artist. The liner notes say the disc's sales proceeds go to The Village School Foundation, a charity that provides scholarships and schools to the children of Viet Nam. Fahey's career spanned six decades. That vast continuum of music is well-represented here. In review in of another John Fahey Tribute disc, `I am the Resurrection', I commented that my expectation of a Fahey Tribute would be "of imitative playing style, and played. . . as John would himself. " On both that recording and on `Friends of Fahey Tribute', I was pleasantly surprised because we get that, plus interpretive extrapolations, and original tunes. Celebration, respect and honor for Fahey shines through in all of them. George Winston says it so well in his slow, deliberate, bluesy rendition of Fahey's `Steamboat Gwine `Round de Bend', playing it like Fahey's New Orleans Funeral March might sound. Mississippi Delta stylings of early Fahey are done faithfully by, Peter Lang (`Poor Boy') and Terry Robb (`Impressions of Susan'). Others are respectful of the Master's style, and render faithful versions of His songs. I especially like the songs dedicated to Fahey's memory which are Fahey-like, but completely original. Best examples are the selections from Tinh, Mark Lemhouse, and John Doan. Strangely, the weakest piece is a ghostly John Fahey answering machine message grafted onto a musical recording from later life titled `Why Haven't I heard from You?' It's like JF's placing a call from the great beyond. I hope John is pleased with the result. I am. . The Greatest Tribute To The Greatest Guitar Player And I was more than pleased! Tinh who studied under Fahey have done a great job producing this album with an impressing line-up of artists. Having every Fahey album I've been able to get my hands on, I had to get this too - just to see if it was any good. Instead of re-hashing Fahey songs, that no one could do better than the Man himself, most of these artists have written beautiful songs inspired by and in respect and rememberance of John. If I should have to pick favorites I think that would have to be track 2: "I remember John Fahey" by Tinh and 3: "Spanish Nights" by Woody Mann. The long lost track by Fahey himself "Why haven't I heard from you?" from his last ever acoustic session, starting with a vocal message from John (a message left on someone's answering machine) brings joy to your heart and tears to your eyes. It's the greatest tribute to the greatest guitar player I've ever heard. . You can see a complete list of all John Fahey & Friends discography, or go back to the John Fahey & Friends tabs