Dirk Powell - When I Wait for You

  by 1 Select Writer

published: 13 / 7 / 2020

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Dirk Powell has worked with the best as musician, composer, producer and engineer. He recently played in Joan Baez’s band for her two year farewell tour and she’s quoted as saying "God gave this one an overdose of talent." Dirk Powell is based in Louisiana, with all its rich association of musical heritage. He’s written film scores including the 'Cold Mountain' soundtrack. He has worked with Loretta Lynn and Linda Ronstadt, Layla McCalla and Rhiannon Giddens as well as Baez. He has also spent time as part of the Transatlantic Sessions band, making connections with Irish and Scottish traditional music and the musicians who play it. It has been six years since his last album, 'Walking Through Clay', was released. It must be hard to focus on a solo project when you have a busy and demanding working life but 'When I Wait For You' has definitely been worth the wait. This is also much more than a solo album because he has been able to call on contributions from friends and family to create a fabulous collection of songs. Personal favourites of mine include Rhiannon Giddens, Sara Watkins, Sean Watkins, John McCusker, and Michael McGoldrick . Other guests include Powell’s daughters, Donald Shaw and James Mackintosh. The PR notes describe this as a crossover roots album. Powell says it is "a loving kind of record, in a way more of an offering than my previous records." What is on offer takes us through a fantastic collection of songs, most of them written by Powell. Exceptions are the traditional 'The Silk Merchant’s Daughter', given a dramatic folk rock treatment and the wonderful Cajun style 'Les Yeux de Rosalie', co-written with Michael McGoldrick. The music is joyful, the harmonies are bright. Sara Watkins brings something special to a love song, 'The Little Things'. There’s infectious laughter at the end of Jack of Hearts'. 'Ain’t Never Fell' could be a traditional standard. It isn’t without a darker side though. 'Say Old Playmate' addresses the confusion of racism in a childhood friendship. 'I Ain’t Playing Pretty Polly' calls time on singing traditional songs where drunken men make victims of the women in their lives, contrasting those stories with a real life loving relationship that endured. Written and performed by musicians who have embraced the traditional while creating the contemporary, these songs are a perfect mix of the fresh and familiar, the new and the known. Powell describes the musicians as "Choosing the soulful path every time." There’s a lot of heart in this new offering too. As the first track tells us ‘Everything Is Alright’. It certainly is when there’s music like this to listen to.

Track Listing:-

1 Everything is Alright
2 Olivia
3 The Silk Merchant’s Daughter
4 The Bright Light of Day
5 Say Old Playmate
6 Let the Night Seize Me
7 The Little Things
8 Les Yeux de Rosalie
9 Jack of Hearts
10 Ain’t Never Fell
11 I Ain’t Playing Pretty Polly
12 You Will Live Love
13 One Note

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