April Verch & Cody Walters - Passages and Partings (2023) Hi Res

Renowned Ottawa Valley fiddler, singer, songwriter, and step dancer April Verch and her Kansas-born husband roots multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Cody Walters create new musical tributaries within Verch's award-winning and critically acclaimed body of work with their debut duo album, 'Passages and Partings'. Working on a foundation of old-time tunes culled from a variety of sources, a number of new Verch originals are found on 'Passages and Partings', two standouts being "John and Carol's Waltz" and "Firewood." Verch and Walters put their spin on tunes ranging from classic country (Hank Williams' "Mansion On The Hill" and Bob Carlin's take of "Ain't Gonna Get No Supper Here Tonight") to century-old tunes, such as "Horse and Buggy-O" from the book of mountain music pioneer Art Stamper. The combination of musical ingredients heard on this 16-track collection showcase the duo's instrumental agility and talents as vocalists. But Verch and Walters aren't the only duo stirring the pot on 'Passages and Partings'; award-winning Canadian duo Pharis and Jason Romero lent their considerable skills and empathetic playing to "Dear Brother" and "Not To Fall." Betse Ellis, a fierce force on the acoustic music scene, added her fiddle to "Jawbone" while her duet partner, Clarke Wyatt, is found on the same track injecting his Norman Blake-inspired guitar playing into the piece. 'Passages and Partings' is a new tributary for April Verch and Cody Walters, created during a window of time when collaboration and interaction were altered and supposedly stifled. But perseverance, patience, and inspiration win out, as these two musicians continue to blaze their own path, creating a remarkable musical adventure.