The Vancouver Province

This is the third album for Vancouver's Jesse Zubot and Steve Dawson and the first on a big, internationally distributed label. It's impossible to describe what these two suberb players actually do - it's a jazzy, bluesy, folky mix they call "Strang". "The Elf Hunter" for example, is a killer guitar run from Dawson layered with an insistent melody from Zubot. Like the other 11 instrumental tracks, it cooks. Kelly Joe Phelps supplies the only vocals on "May You Never", a perfect choice, although I'd venture this is the best backing band he's ever had.

(4 stars)

- John P. McLaughlin