Book of Sparrows is a seven-song EP by American folk singer Tracy Grammer released in December, 2007. Grammer accompanies herself on a number of different instruments and also receives support on vocals and various guitars from Jim Henry. She and Henry have been touring together since September 2003.
The songs
The seven compositions are all covers from highly acclaimed writer/performers and many of the songs have themes of love and loss. These include titles by established artists such as Paul Simon's "April, Come She Will", and Tom Russell's "Blue Wing". There are also songs by artists who are relative newcomers to the folk scene, like David Francey's "The Waking Hour". Kate Power's "Travis John" tells the story of Corporal Travis John Bradach-Nall, one of the first soldiers from Power's home state of Oregon to die in the Iraq War.
Also, notable are the two songs by her former partner, the late Dave Carter. "Lord of the Buffalo" is a previously unreleased song, and this version of "Gypsy Rose" has been described as a "slower more reflective" take than the one that appeared on her previous album.
Personnel
Musicians
- Tracy Grammer - vocals, guitar, banjo, mandola, violin, percussion
- Jim Henry - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dobro
Production
- Produced by Tracy Grammer and Jim Henry
- Mastered by Dave Chalfant
Charts
Date | chart | peak |
December 2007 | Folk Radio Airplay [5] | 3 |
External links
- Music page from the official Tracy Grammer web site (includes lyrics)
References
- 1 2 Review: Tracy Grammer - Book of Sparrows, accessed May 20, 2008
- 1 2 Arthur Wood, "A Taste While Waiting", FolkWax, January 2, 2008
- 1 2 3 Kevin McCarthy, "Review of the Tracy Grammer CD Book of Sparrows" Archived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine., Kevin and Maxine’s Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews, November, 2007
- ↑ Michael Devlin, "Tracy Grammer - Book of Sparrows", MusicMatters Review, 25, accessed May 20, 2008
- ↑ Richard Gillmann, Top Folk Albums, Songs Artists and Labels of December 2007, from FolkDJ-L playlists