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Ballad for Brad

Margaret Slovak

Label: Slovak Music
Released: 2022
Duration: 52:21
Views: 1,745

Tracks

Again; Flowers for Marie; The Answer Within; Song for Anne; Forty-Four; Courage, Truth and Hope; Carrot Cake Blues ; Ballad for Brad; Thirty-Three; Will You Ever Know?

Personnel

Album Description

Jazz guitarist Margaret Slovak’s comeback album after overcoming major physical problems caused by a car accident is a quietly inventive trio set filled with original heartfelt compositions and subtle creativity.

Joined by bassist Harvie S and drummer Michael Sarin, Margaret Slovak displays a personal style on both nylon string and electric guitars, performing ten of her colorful originals.

Back in 2003 Margaret Slovak, an up-and-coming guitarist with great potential and her own sound, was seriously hurt in a car accident that damaged her right hand, arm, shoulder and brachial plexus. After many operations and years of struggle, she is now well on her way to making a successful comeback.

Ballad for Brad, her long awaited fourth album as a leader, features the guitarist in top form in a trio with bassist Harvie S and drummer Michael Sarin. The project is named after her beloved husband Brad Buchholz who has had a longtime struggle with cancer. Margaret Slovak contributed all ten compositions and, while the tempos are generally laidback and the improvisations are thoughtful, the music is filled with creative ideas and telepathic interplay by the trio.

The set begins with the harmonically advanced “Again,” one of several jazz waltzes on the project. It is followed by the tender ballad “Flowers for Marie,” an enthusiastic “The Answer Within,” and two songs dedicated to Margaret’s late sister: “Song for Anne” (which celebrates her life) and the somber “Forty-Four.” “Courage, Truth and Hope” is an upbeat tribute to journalist Bill Moyers. The whimsical “Carrot Cake Blues” gives the trio an opportunity to swing on a medium-tempo blues. “Ballad for Brad” has a complex melody that is played by Margaret with warmth and affection. “Thirty-Three” begins quite seriously with some bowed bass by Harvie S before it becomes a medium-tempo exploration with some beautiful chords from the guitarist. The satisfying set concludes with the complicated yet accessible theme of “Will You Ever Know?”

Now after many surgeries and a successful recovery, Margaret Slovak (who currently lives in Austin, Texas) is realizing her potential. Ballad for Brad, her finest recording to date, serves as the perfect introduction to her musical talents.

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