A set of pipes you need to hear
Bob Zeidler | Charlton, MA United States | 11/17/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a pleasure to see Susan Osborn's newest release,"ReUnion," available here! For far too many years on a new-recording hiatus, Susan is back with us, and we all get the benefit of her return.
If you are of a certain age, and were in the right place (Greenwich Village) at the right time (when folk music was king, during the turbulent late '60's - early '70's), you may have caught Susan at a very early stage in her career. More likely, if her name and voice are familiar, it is because of her work with Paul Winter over the better part of a decade from 1976 to the mid-'80's, during which time she was an artist-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. Her vocal work can be heard on such Paul Winter Consort classics as "Common Ground," "Concert for the Earth," and most especially "Missa Gaia" (Earth Mass), where she reigns supreme as a gospel vocalist. Also an inspiring vocal coach and choral leader, her contributions in these areas can be found on the final track of "Earthbeat," a joint world-music effort between the Consort and the Dimitri Pokrovsy Singers from Russia. Perhaps her best album over that period was her eponymous solo debut album, "Susan," on Winter's Living Music Records, a discontinued rarity worth scouring the earth for at auctions, used CD stores, and similar sources.
This is Susan's first domestic release in about 15 years, and it is a delight from start to finish. Using a mostly acoustical background of 6- and 12-string guitars, 8-string tenor guitar and keyboards, she has crafted a set of new original songs in "retro" settings that can bring back 30+ years of memories to those who remember the heady days when Baez and Collins were queens and pop folk was king.
The significance of a song lies in both its text and its setting. All of these songs have a special significance, and Susan is as good a lyricist as she is a composer and performer. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be "Run with an Arrow." But "Bittersweet," the title track, and "Chain of Life" are also attention-grabbers. In fact, every track on this new album deserves special mention. So just get it and enjoy the whole dang thing!
What a set of pipes! You'll thank me. But that is just part of my reason for sharing my thoughts in these reviews. Enjoy!
Bob Zeidler"
Reunion - Susan Osborn
Bob Zeidler | 10/15/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Susan's new domestic album is most wonderful! Her voice as always is rich and each note meaningful. As a song writer she has grown - her lyrics and melodies speak to my soul. I love this album!"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1