Search - Jean Gros, Deby Benton :: Beyond the Shore

It will touch your heart and dance your soul.

09/25/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

""This collection of sea-related tunes will really bring you to and immerse you in the sea itself. Deby Benton Grosjean was inspired by the sea that she loves so dearly, the Monterey Bay. Her expert fiddle playing, arranging and compositional skills enliven Celtic sea themes. You'll hear Gaelic airs of farewell as well as her own strong compositions such as "Grey Whales in the Monterey Bay". "Jay Salter (leader of the Santa Cruz Pipe and Drum Band) states, "Her medley of jigs is framed by mysterious wave-like rhythms on fiddle, with deep undercurrents from cello. Add to that beginning such atmospherics as the groaning of a buoy and the tintinabulation of a ship's bell, and suddenly you have a musical tableau evoking the mystery and danger of a rolling ocean on a fog-bound coast. This is further explored by fiddle, cello and the guitar throughout the three jigs with recurring motifs of unpredictable rhythm and unsettled melodic phrasing. The Celtic mist here is of an entirely different order that what is heard on too many albums these days. This is sea fog, and one is delighted to have their ears opened to it! Two of the three jigs in this set are traditional, and the third is Grosjean's. I'm reminded here and elsewhere on this album of William Jackson, with his ability to not only select great tunes, and to imprint them with his own strong musical stamp, but to also compose with a palate of voices and techniques found in orchestral music." "This classical musician and expert fiddler and her crew bring to life the marine sanctuary through their traditional and creative Celtic music. It will touch your heart and dance your soul. A must to have." - Pattie Mills, Connection Magazine"

One of my all-time most cherished CDs!

teel bee | 01/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm sure I have listened to this recording hundreds of times. I cannot bear to take it out of the CD changer. Sometimes, I have to listen to track 3 and 8 two or three times in a row. (I frequently miss my freeway exit when this CD is playing.) The passion, beauty, and joyful nature of this music is really beyond words. You just have to experience it."