MUSIC REVIEW

DECEMBER 1999/JANUARY 2000

Expect much from Assume Nothing

The Songs of Bob Mackenzie

by Jon Sears

"Under the moon, like a first star, my heart/ lies so alone dreaming you wish./ I'll light the night, till you come, my own first star./ One million years I'll shine for you."

— From the song "First Star"

This is from my favourite track on Assume Nothing: the songs of Bob MacKenzie, an October 1999 Poet Pourri Entertainment release. The next verse, which begins the chorus, is as fine a piece of pop jazz lyric as you might find: "I was looking for you when I noticed the moon/ Where could you be at this hour?"

This enhanced CD offers top entertainment value for anyone who has access to CD-ROM technology (CDN $18.99). Setting aside the bonus of navigating session notes, lyric sheets, biographies, photos and a complete mystery novel entitled Ghost Shadow, the music on Assume Nothing — 20 songs, three producers, five vocalists, six instrumentalists, and more than a dozen composers — stands on its own. It's eclectic entertainment and an intriguing experiment.

The CD-ROM material shows that Assume Nothing is part of a larger artistic vision and community, drawn together by the Poem de Terre performance ensemble, led by McKenzie. The ensemble's philosophy that "no one is the star" notwithstanding, Assume Nothing shows that, in a project as encompassing and ambitious as this one, some combinations shine, while others only glimmer. Certain tracks are clearly the product of blended expertise and talent, while others offer imaginative and enthusiastic, if not entirely refined, experimentation. This patchiness gives Assume Nothing its own challenges and its own charm.

And speaking of charm, vocalist Lesleigh Smith sings "First Star." Kingston folk and country music lovers may recall her prize-winning performance at the Kingston Exhibition and Home Show in September. On Assume Nothing, Smith is comfortable in and beyond her country mode — especially in pop jazz. Although the CD's eclectic range includes folk and funk, classic rock, country and new-age ambience, the best songs embrace the richness of jazz & blues. "First Star" is the best example of this.

The song's lyrics, by MacKenzie and Julie Knetsch, are basic and genuine without sliding into the kitsch that tarnishes other numbers, or into the stilted quality of certain spoken word pieces. The lyrics integrate well with the lounge-blues music (by Wes Garland and Knetsch), and Smith's vocals coax the accompaniment from Jim Graham on guitar and bass. MacKenzie preserves the spirit of the performances in his engineering and production of this song.

It's hard to capture the sound of live performance in the studio — particularly in folk, jazz and country ballads — but MacKenzie and Alex Young produce certain tracks impeccably. And there lies the future. An ever-changing cast may make this future difficult. However, Assume Nothing shows that MacKenzie, and the eager artists he gathered together, are committed to meeting the challenge that his poetry entails and are equal to the task.

For more information or to order go to the Assume Nothing website.

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