V/A – Concert for St. Stephens

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More than just a church, St. Stephens is a vital pillar of the Kensington Market community offering a number of services to those in need. And it has had a real impact on many musicians, including Molly Johnson, Jane Siberry, and Bruce Cockburn. All three, along with Daniel Lanois and Kurt Swinghammer, took part in the benefit concert and appear on the disc. A quick aside, a Lanois recording or live show is rare enough, let alone both. That in and of itself is worth the price. The disc includes Sook-Yin Lee’s introductions, which initially add to the charm and give the recording the same flow as the show, become tedious after a few listens. But that’s nitpicking. The novelty of listening to the complete event in order never really wears off. The album is a live folk recording slam dunk; the acoustics are great, the artists world renowned, and the performances top notch. (True North, truenorthrecordings.com) Broose Tulloch

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