
This is a great CD by Canadian Bruce Cockburn from 1996. I first heard this music at a Jefferson Starship concert. They were playing this CD while they were setting up the stage after the opening act was finished. I found myself really liking the music and wondering who it was. A while later I heard “Night Train” on the radio and found out it was Bruce Cockburn and immediately went out and bought the CD. This is kind of a Jazzy Folk album with Rob Wasserman’s Jazzy bass. Wasserman had been in Bob Wier’s Ratdog and Weir himself sings harmony on “The Whole Night Sky”, Bonnie Rait plays some slide guitar on that track as well. Gary Burton (another artist who has a CD in my ECM :Rarum collection) plays the vibraphone on several tracks including the wonderful instrumental “Mistress Of Storms” a duet with Cockburn playing acoustic guitar. Besides “Night Train”, a jumpy track with Wasserman’s great bass and the instrumental the other song I remembered from the concert was “Birmingham Shadows” a nearly 10 minute song with Cockburn speaking the verses and singing the chorus. With acoustic guitar ,bass and vibes on many of the songs it makes for a delightful listening experience. Was released as a 2 record set in 2021 if I see it I will definitely buy it.