Jonathan Ramsey: ‘Jonathan Ramsey’
Irish music to me has always brought to mind darkened pubs, a roaring fire, meat off the bone and pints o’ Guinness. Then again, just about anything can bring to mind a pint of Guinness … but I digress. Jonathan Ramsey’s self-titled solo CD combines the folk singer with traditional Irish sounds. It’s a sparse recording in some ways - Jonathan singing and playing guitar, recorded live in the studio. No fancy stuff, just good music. Ramsey’s voice is solid and on the money, but does somewhat lack the traditional Irish burr one would expect. However, that’s not really a negative - to my ears of Norwegian descent, I could actually understand the lyrics. The songs are traditional Irish, but all with Ramsey’s own touch and original guitar accompaniments. Here’s the scorecard: Production: a solid 10. Performance: a solid 10. It’s a great CD, with or without a pint. Irish music purists may not accept it at face value, since there are times when he sounds much more American than Irish in his accent, but to me it’s a great CD. Check out his Web site at www.jonathanramsey.com. His CD is available online through www.CDBaby.com (don’t laugh - it’s a good service. I have purchased several CDs through them, and have been quite impressed by their customer service). Three reasons to buy this CD: 1. It’s good. Period. 2. You’ll support a local musician. 3. It’s quite different from the over-processed techno-kludge you’ll hear on most radio stations.
–X Entertainment Monthly - December 2003
Jonathan Ramsey - Jonathan Ramsey
Murder, suicide, double amputees, haunted flutes, drunken wakes; these are the stuff of Irish songs. Someone once said there was no such thing as a happy Irish song, and Jonathan Ramsey’s new compact disk, aptly named “Jonathan Ramsey,” is no exception, unless you count “Star of the County Down”, but then again, you never find out if the boy gets the girl. At first glance Ramsey doesn’t look like your typical Irish songster. With his innocent choirboy looks, you might be expecting a sweet Irish tenor, but when he belts out a hardy, and gritty rendition on the first track, “Johnnie, I Hardly Knew You,” you quickly sit up and take notice. The CD is interspersed with quirky songs, ballads, and the standard tunes in every Irish singers repertoire, like “Black Velvet Band”. Some of the songs were new to me, but I quickly recognized some of my favorites, like Bobby Sand’s sad lament, “Wish I Was Back Home in Derry”. Another one of my favorite rebel songs, Come Out You Black and Tans, is also included. Ramsey’s rendition of “Step It Out Mary,” is also hauntingly beautiful, even though the tale is yet another Irish tragedy. There seems to be a reoccurring theme in some of the songs of women getting their comeuppance over men. It would be hard to find anything to fault in that, especially when the husband is a drunken lout of a man. Ramsey’s debut CD can be purchased on-line or at local outlets like Sheehan’s, Browne’s, and Streetside Records. You can catch Ramsey performing live every Thursday night at Harlings Upstairs. For more information about Ramsey and his debut recording check out his website at www.jonathanramsey.com
–Marsha Lytle - Heart of America Irish Life - November/December 2003
