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At its most elemental, rock has some reference to blues and
country forms. In the case of Kate Schrock's music, the references
cannot be missed. Her first CD, Refuge, with its sparse
organ, voice, and piano arrangement, serves up a wide range
of rock and gospel. And while her lyrics spring from the
sagacious and penetratingly honest tone of writers like Joni
Mitchell, the self-expression and particularly female point
of view - especially on points of love and the heart - go
back to a tradition that begins with Bessie Smith. Much of
the CD has the familiar ring of piano, acoustic guitar, and
voice developed by the rock minstrels of the last three decades,
but she takes it a step farther. Her singing has an offhand,
recitative style, which pushes the bounds of the usual hook-driven
pop song. But it is the restless intelligence, truthful experience,
and cutting wisdom of her words that makes her music ring
true to the rock minstrel heritage. The keyboard playing
works because it supports and never obscures the words. Her
second CD, Shunyata, which means a momentary state
of enlightenment, includes all these elements, but comes across
with a more open, expansive spirit.
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