Musical trio a treat for tiny concert crowd

BY JENNIFER HOEGG

NovaNewsNow.com

With 10 guitars, judicious use of a wa-wa peddle and a dose of funny stories, Don Ross, Andy McKee and Brooke Miller filled the Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre with beautiful music Friday night.

With only a quarter of the beautiful theatre’s seats filled, it took a while to build energy, but the show was first-rate. The intimate setting allowed interplay between audience and musicians, creating a comfortable atmosphere in which to appreciate the three award-winning composers and guitarists.

Ross opened the show just after 8 p.m. with a Brazilian-style lament. The Canadian guitar great drew more music from his guitar in a five-minute warm-up than many musicians do in an entire set.

Then Ross told the story of hearing a new guitarist on CBC radio while driving through Truro. So intrigued was he by the woman’s voice, he called the CBC and found out her name. A month later he met Brooke Miller in person, offered to produce her second record and to marry her!

With this introduction, PEI singer songwriter Miller took the stage next, opening her contribution to the night with World on a Whim.

Following Miller, YouTube finger guitar sensation McKee dazzled the audience with his percussive guitar skills. On his second Canadian visit, the Topeka, Kansas native has been collaborating with Ross since Ross judged his performance at the Canadian Guitar Festival.

The performance continued through two lengthy sets, alternating pieces from Miller and Ross, then Ross and McKee.

After Ross and McKee played the latter’s achingly pretty “Rylynn”, the three closed the second set together, playing Miller’s rollicking "Country from a Dome Car".



Diverse yet complementary styles

With concerted applause, the small but mighty crowd coaxed the performers back onstage for two more songs. Fittingly, the show ended with the very song that piqued Ross’s interest in Miller’s music; a sweet, lyrical tune from her first CD AM Song.

It’s difficult to choose a favourite number from the two-hour show, as the styles of the three guitarists are so diverse, yet complementary. If forced to choose highlights, it has to be a tie between the rocking good time of McKee’s arrangement of Toto’s Africa and Miller’s Everywhere, which filled the gorgeous Imperial.

The influences on the music played are almost too many to mention. Aside from folk and rock roots, heavy metal, hip-hop, ‘50s B movies, Dungeons and Dragons, spy movies love and loss contribute to the compositions. Also, the musicianship on display was breathtaking.

During the Ross/McKee duets, it was impossible to decide where to look: at Ross’s intricate dance with his guitar to McKee’s flying fingers. Guitar aficionados had the added pleasure of seeing a diverse grouping of instruments, including steel lap slide guitars, a fan-fretted, multi-scale baritone guitar and the bizarrely beautiful harp guitar.

Other than the low attendance, the only downside of the night was the lack of a dedicated sound technician. It took most of the first set to even out the sound on Miller’s vocals. It was a shame, as her songs have beautiful and meaningful lyrics.

After the show, all three performers mingled with concert-goers in the lobby, signing autographs, posing for photographs and chatting. Such a treat, and difficult to imagine in a big city show!

The night was an excellent contribution to the Hants County arts scene and many in the audience had driven far to enjoy the guitarists’ prowess. Hopefully Mermaid’s Imperial will continue to host interesting musical acts and more Windsor residents will make the effort to take in the shows.