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By: Dennis Cook
The challenge with instrumental records, especially ones that step outside neat genre lines, is to be more than an
exhibition of chops, to relate stories sans words using melody, nuance, texture, etc. The best albums in this field
have a resonance that's as deep as anything with fine lyrics. There is a human voice that speaks from within well
played instruments in service of well crafted pieces, and Chris Haugen's sumptuous tales on Seahorse Rodeo broadcast just this sort of
narrative humanity.
From the suitably liquid play of the title cut to the hot swing echoes on "Bump Bump Bump" to the dark night of the
soul inside "Shadow," Haugen creates compelling spaces full of color and detail, where the simple suggestive power
of the titles becomes something sweeter and more compelling inside the tune's themselves. Largely built around his
extraordinary Weissenborn lap steel playing (though he's no slouch on anything with strings here), each track is
layered with terrific small touches, some courtesy of talented chums like percussionist Matt Butler, upright
bassist Mike Sugar and vintage keys tickler Mark de Gil Antoni (love that Mellotron, man!).
However, the vision here is Haugen's own, and much like the first time one encounters Leo Kottke's 6- and 12-
String Guitar or Michael Hedges' Breakfast In The Field, one knows swiftly that they're in the presence
of a singular voice. Seahorse Rodeo is a serious pleasure, by turns meditative, moving or just plain
enjoyable, a work that pulls inspiration from multiple genres and thus makes country cousins of jazz men and folk
travelers, ambient explorers and classical ramblers.
Chris Haugen performs a solo showcase set this coming Sunday, December 13, at Yoshi's SF. There are several other
chances to see Haugen in action this month, too. See full tour dates here.
JamBase | Drifting Currents
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