Reviews
Artist:Jeff And Vida
Album:Selma Chalk
Label:Self Released
Tracks:11
Website:http://www.www.jeffandvida.com
Vida Wakeman and Jeff Burke are New Orleans based duo Jeff and Vida, although one was born in New Jersey and one in California and grew up in Germany. On this, their fourth CD, they are accompanied by Jake Schepps on banjo, Justin Hoffenberg on fiddle, Greg Schocher on guitar and bouzouki and Will Downes adds bass. Jeff and Vida produced the CD themselves and it is apparent from first listen that both the band and production are very tight. Vida tends to take the lead vocals on the majority of songs, having been compared to the likes of June Carter, Gillian Welch and even a young Dolly Parton. The album was written entirely by Wakeman with co-writes from Burke on four tracks and Pat Flory on one. The CD title, it seems,comes from a term for “an impurity found in the most fertile ground of the South”
I admit to not being overly impressed by what I had heard of this duo previously, thus, it was with some trepidation that I put Selma Chalk into my CD player.
What immediately struck me was the somehow more mature, edgy sound, in songs such as Alabama Sky, which leaves you in no doubt of the talent which exists within this partnership as Vida delivers the stirring lyrics; “in that Alabama sky/there’s a falling star for each goodbye/and I just saw mine coming down/last night leaving town.” However, as we move into songs such as ‘Boxcar Blues (Hello Sunshine)’, ‘Fire in the Water’ and ‘Little Sara’ it just all became too bluegrass for me and failed to hold my attention to the end. That said, subsequent listening was easier on the un-bluegrass trained ear.
I feel that they haven’t quite yet reached their potential, as if they are growing more into what they do, but still have some way to go to show us what they really have to offer, certainly in terms of variety, although all the signs are there that it exists.
In the meanwhile, I am sure that fans of their early work and hardcore bluegrass fans will find this a welcome addition to their playlists, I hope as a taster of what is still to come.
Helen Mitchell