Michael Jerome Browne
Double
Borealis
A recent live show at Montreal’s Main Hall comes packaged with Browne’s solo debut from 1998. Browne is neither a prolific writer nor volcanic singer, but if you appreciate the subtleties of interpretation, tunings and timbre, there is a great deal to like. Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Jimi Hendrix (“Manic Depression”) are just a few whose numbers get stripped down and refitted into slightly less electric versions. Bharath Rajakumar adds some deep-moan harmonica to the stage show that includes Sue Foley on guitar. Browne has an archivist’s grasp of the blues and a desire to be true while shaping it for new ears.
Doug Taylor
This article appears in Feb 7-13, 2008.