Sharon Cort - "Country Cafe" - CD

4.0 out of 5 stars Eclectic tastes & forthright honesty in her Americana music

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2011

Sharon Cort's refreshing and contemporary "Country Café" album, featuring duets with Ernie Sykes and Rich Collins, is subtitled "Americana with a nod to the good old days..." With plenty of nostalgia and longing, Sharon's music has distinct flavorings of country, folk, bluegrass, swing and even Latin music. Touring Europe for over 14 years and appearing on French national television, Sharon Cort has found widespread acceptance, overwhelming appreciation and high enthusiasm for her music there. She has gained considerable recognition for walking the tightrope between musical genres, respecting their heritage but always looking to the future. She once told me "I just want the opportunity to make as much great music as I can. It sustains me. It's my lifeblood. Nothing else works for me if I can't make music. I will go wherever it leads. It all builds character, which makes me a more interesting person, which in turn leads to my expression of my experiences through my music, and that's really all I have to offer." Thus, her eclectic tastes and forthright honesty shine right through to the heart of her personality and vision.

Duets like "High Sierra," "Right Back Where We Parted," "Wish It Had Been a Dream," "One for You, One for Me" and "Sweethearts in Heaven" are carefully cultivated, expressive soul stirrers. In gutsy classic country style, the duets work even when the male voice occasionally seems more sturdy, confident and self-assured. Aaron Till's twin or triple fiddles are particularly soothing. "Cabin of Love" has a balanced radiance with its traditional bluegrass presentation. "Big Country" is a driving bluegrass instrumental that shakes things up, complete with a flatpicked guitar break. Just when you think you've got her music figured out, "Sway" gets you moving to and fro with its infectious Latin spunk featuring Aaron Till's multi-tracked instrumental artistry. That song's a perfect precursor to the swinging "Lovesick Fool" in which Richard Collins and Aaron Till show us how swing banjo and fiddle can put spirit in your step. The rest of the band includes Ernie Sykes (bass), Justin Clark (mandolin), and Rich Arnold (resophonic guitar). Butch Baldassari, Bill Keith and Jeff Wisor appear on "Stranded," about a down-home girl on a one-way track to love. Sharon's been friends and has performed in bands with many of these musicians since she first moved her family to Nashville in 1995.