ROGER WILLIAMS

ROGER WILLIAMS
I KNOW THIS ROAD

Happy Appy Records
HAR-12

Roger Williams is the dean of New England resonator guitar players. Fifty-six years after he began playing, Williams now offers up a solo album. Solo, but hardly alone, since he leads a top-notch band including esteemed veterans Ray Legere on fiddle, bandmate Amy Gallatin singing harmonies, and brothers Bob and Dave Dick on bass and banjo respectively. On I Know This Road, they’ve created together a lovely album that displays the versatility of Roger’s playing and the diversity of his musical interests on 14 selections.

Deliciously tasteful playing and Williams’ warm baritone provide the consistent elements as he blends four of his own compositions and a few from his friends with eight selections that settled in his heart over the years. He combines the version of “Over The Waterfall” from Appalachian fiddler Henry Reed with a hit song from Canadian Gordon Lightfoot with the same deft touch as he renders Bach’s “Ave Maria.” He leads the ensemble through material from Benny Goodman, Graham Nash, Josh Graves, and Vince Gill. Williams pulls all this together into a coherent, consistent, and delightful album. (www.rogerreso.com)AM