"April Verch, already known as a world class fiddler, shines as well with outstanding vocals on Steal the Blue.
This collection is beautifully produced, performed and arranged. April's fiddling is fancy and a lesson in substance and expression.
I
look forward to hearing more from this wonderful artist."
- Sam Bush
I’m
not going to tell you how good April Verch is—the music on Steal The
Blue makes doing so unnecessary. But I will say that this collection is not
only compelling proof of her continuing development, but also the best portrait
yet of April as a performing artist.
It was my pleasure to be a member of April’s band for nearly three years,
joining shortly after the issue of From Where I Stand (2004) and leaving (regretfully)
not long after Take Me Back (2006) was released. During the last year or so,
April built a set list around songs from the latter, and we were struck by
the difficulty of translating some of them from their full arrangements into
the sparser sound of the stage show. So when the topic of another project
was broached, I argued as forcefully as I knew how for an approach that would
reflect the band’s natural sound—one that I had seen bring audiences
around the continent to their feet time after time. At the same time, April’s
desire to take her singing to a new and higher level had led her to extensive
consultation with Stephen Mougin, who had filled in with the band on a couple
of memorable dates in early 2006. In the end, we decided to collaborate on
the next album—the one you hold in your hands.
But Steal The Blue is not only a reflection of these things. It also testifies
to the esteem in which April is held by Nashville’s bluegrass and roots
musicians. Writers were quick to offer songs, and singers lined up to add
their voices to hers—and while all their names may not be household
words, they resonate deeply among fans, making for an all-star cast in the
truest sense of the term. Yet despite the many ways their participation has
enhanced the album, it is ultimately all about April and her band; the way
these songs sound here are the way they sound when there’s nothing but
her, her musicians, and an attentive audience. And though it may not be my
place to say so, they sound mighty good.
-Jon Weisberger, Cottontown, TN, June 2008
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Listen
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