Stafford, MarkHarpspace2003IndependentBM002

Stafford, Mark - Harpspace - 2003 - Independent - BM002

Written by John Taylor

There's nothing wrong with looking to the past for musical inspiration.

But too much reverence for what has come before can easily lead to artistic stagnation, or worse, mere nostalgia. Infinitely more exciting are those who use the sounds of a "classic" era as a mere starting point, and add to it rather than simply imitating a style that passed from fickle public popularity long before all avenues of expression were exhausted. (Guitarist Kid Ramos said it best - "It's not retro, it's unfinished business.")

Which brings us to Mark "Bird" Stafford. Stafford's music would be right at home in 1950s Chicago, an explosive era of greasy grooves and seamless ensemble playing as bands struggled to be heard above the unfamiliar cacophony of the city. He mixes it with a good dose of west-coast swing to keep things lively. It's not an unfamiliar mix these days.

However, Stafford isn't simply repeating hoary old riffs, nor is he out to re-do stuff that was, frankly, more or less perfect the first time 'round. He actually adds to the canon with some fine originals, and finds new shades, and new facets to explore within the handful of covers on Harpspace, his sophomore release. And he does it with singular style and panache. The result is, quite simply, one of the most enjoyable discs I've heard in a while.

Mark's assembled a crack band featuring the cream of Toronto's current crop of bluesmen. There's the very-near-if-not-brilliant Peter Schmidt, a master of tension and resolution who's studied hard at the school of T-Bone; Bob Vespaziani is on drums most of the way, and bass chores are shared by Alec Fraser (the disc was recorded at Fraser's Liquid Studio, pretty well universally regarded as Toronto's blues-recording mecca) and Ka Cheong Liu.

Tyler Yarema mans the piano bench for all but a few (and contributes trumpet on the old-timey sounding Ruby), with Mel Brown sitting in for one. Other guests include Downchild's Pat Carey and roadhouse rocker Jack de Keyzer, whose slide guitar provides perfect accompaniment to Stafford's harp on Take A Step Back, a duet with sympathetic interplay between the two.

These guys are as good as it gets, and Stafford, who wrote eight of the disc's 12 songs, shows a sure hand at allocating resources. The arrangements are well thought out, the chops are impeccable, yet the band stays loose throughout, with an easy-going sense of swing on every track. Sound is superb, clean enough yet without the too-polished sterility evident on many an overly-produced project these days. There's lots of sweat and grit, lots of dirt here. And that, of course, is how it should be.

Stafford's playing can be raw and earthy - tone is the holy grail for harp players, and his is positively spine tingling - but there's also a refined taste at work, a musical intelligence that eschews excess. Every note is carefully placed for maximum effect. Packaging, too, is exemplary for an indie release; one would never guess this project wasn't backed by big bucks from a major label.

Stafford hasn't been blessed with a particularly bluesy voice (at least by everyday standards). But he seems to realize his limitations, and while I can't see him winning any vocal awards, he's eminently effective here.

It's a deceptive instrument, the harmonica, often regarded as little more than a toy; but in the hands of a player like Stafford, who knows how to coax the full spectrum out of it's tonal palette, it's ability to reach the soul is astonishing. This is a fine outing… highly recommended!

Copyright 2004. Review by John Taylor.

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