Cary Morin Dockside Saints

Cary Morin
Dockside Saints
Self-produced

A member of the Crow Tribal group, Cary Morin came to wide-spread notice as a member of the Pura Fé Trio. Subsequently, he followed a solo career in which his talents as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist showed a performer of great talent. His fingerstyle guitar playing itself was sensational. This writer was impressed by his fourth album, "Cradle to the Grave," in which his blues roots perhaps were more in evidence than this current release, which probably is best described as Americana or roots.

Recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana, by producer Tony Daigle, Morin displays his versatility and immaculate musicianship and vocals on twelve originals. Daigle put together a remarkable group of Louisiana musicians including bassist Lee Allen Zeno, drummer Brian Brignac, accordionist Corey Ledet, keyboardist Eric Adcock, and electric guitarists. Keith Blair and John Fohl, fiddler Beau Thomas, and Celeste Di Iorio on harmony vocals. Morin fuses Zydeco, Cajun and Creole, Piedmont blues and country, gospel, and folk. This recording reminds this listener of Anders Osborne, who similarly blends a musical stew.

The wide range of grooves and moods starts with the zydeco two-step groove of "Nobody Gotta Know." With Ledet's organ-like chicken fried accordion and a driving rhythm, Morin sings with grits and conviction. It is followed by a haunting country-tinged ballad, "Exception to the Rule," and then the sultry "Prisoner" with a hypnotic acoustic riff. There is another country-tinged song, "Because He Told Me So," with another stunning vocal. He shares a vocal authority in common with such great roots singers as Levon Helm, John Fogerty, Marty Stuart, Bruce Springsteen, and Ruthie Foster. "Jamie Rose" is another South Louisiana to New Orleans groover with Beau Thomas' fiddle adding heat and Ledet's accordion. "Bare Trees" is a hauntingly beautiful instrumental with Ledet and Thomas adding atmosphere.

There is a remarkable song, "Valley of Tears," based on a true story that hishis great-grandmother told him at Morin's Crow naming ceremony. It was a story of her and friends escaping after being kidnapped as a teenager by a neighboring tribe. "When women were kidnapped back then, they were destined to a life of servitude." They escaped, stole their horses, and rode back home. "The moral of the story from my great grandmother to me was that there is nothing in life that you cannot overcome." He performs this without any melodramatics. The simple, honest rendition and the atmospheric backing results in an unforgettable performance.

Among the other musical delights, here is a funky blues-rock instrumental with Morin's electric fretwork, Ledet's accordion playing, and bassist Zeno showcased. Morin's artistry is on full display on the excellent "Dockside Saints."

I received my review copy from a publicist. here is a performance by Cary Morin from 2019 at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Cary Morin Cradle to the Grave

Cary Morin
Cradle to the Grave
Maple Street Music

Of Native American ancestry (he is a Crow Tribe member), singer-songwriter-guitarist Cary Morin in recent years was a member of The Pura Fé Trio before his present solo career. This is his fourth CD, and completes a three-album project of acoustic recordings by him. The press release accompanying this release states "On 'Cradle to the Grave', Cary Morin brings together the great musical traditions of America and beyond like no other artist. These recordings provide a timeline of his songwriting and guitar work spanning 2014 to 2017. The lyrics range from blues to folk and sometimes shine a light on his Native American Heritage and small town life in America. At times, the collection conveys the simplicity of a single chord to complex finger-style guitar."

While there is definitely blues roots to the performances here (eight originals and three interpretations), tone might view this recording as as much folk or Americana. This is a minor point because Morin is wonderful guitarist, who sings with warmth and conviction and writes some real good songs. His rendition of "Mississippi Blues," a Library of Congress recording by a Willie Brown (not the Willie Brown associated with Robert Johnson or Son House), is a marvelously rendered performance full of scintillating guitar runs although taken as an uptempo romp. The title track, a straight blues performance, reflects his own realization that life is fleeting and his accompaniment complements his gospel-like pleas. "Laid Back" opens with more startling finger-style playing (reminds me of some of the more gifted guitarists of the folk revival) with his peppery tempoed singing.

"Dawn's Early Light," was written in support of the efforts of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and he notes, "This song may be an oversimplification of the situation, but I have always felt that the honoring of a treaty, no matter when it was made, is not a complex idea. History has proved this not to be the case, but I hope this time it is." It is followed by the jaunty "Lay Baby Lay," an original, not a cover of the Dylan folk-ballad. "Mishawaka" is a superb folk ballad. "Back on the Train" is his take of a number by the jam-band Phish, with more superb guitar and then followed by a marvelous folk take on Prince's "Nothing Compares To U."

The closing "Watch Over Me," is a different take on the theme explored on the opening title track as he sings about making his way through this world as he asks for one to watch over him as he is only a child. It is a strong close to this album of consistently superb performances. Not having heard of Morin prior to this recording, this writer was thoroughly impressed by him and believe many others will as well by this first-rate CD.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 371) with some minor revisions. Here Cary performs the title track.