This Sunday (May 11, 2008), I am honored to have the privilege of a visit from Pat Wictor on WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS. Pat has appeared on TRADITIONS in the past, both with Bill and myself. This week, he is coming in with a brand new CD to share and some of the finest music I’ve heard in a long time!

Pat’s newest CD is called “Sunset Waltz“. As if writing, arranging, singing and performing weren’t enough – Pat added the title of “producer” to his credits for this CD. This is the first time Pat produced his own recording, and he has done an admirable job. “Sunset Waltz” shows Pat continuing to grow AND explore new territory as an artist – all the time maintaining the skills that have garnered him attention thus far.

For the first time, Pat has recorded songs from Phil Ochs – and you might not recognize them! Pat selected “That’s The Way It’s Gonna Be” and “Changes“, songs that Pat brought out while touring with the Phil Och’s Song Nights. “That’s the Way It’s Gonna Be” is given a haunting bluesy feel that works well It took a bit more for me to get used to “Changes” with the waltzing touch that Pat added – but it also is effective! The sign of any good folk song is that other artists can sing it and make it their own – yet the original message still shines through. Pat succeeds and breathes new life into two songs that are iconic classics of the late Phil Ochs.

I fell in love with “Eventide“, a song that features Pat’s signature laptop steel with some subtle accompaniment from Jon Carroll on organ, Cheryl Prashker on drums, Don Porterfield on bass and lovely vocal harmony from the duo of Joe Jencks and Helena Nash.

Pat can write some very personal songs yet make connections so that the listene can feel they have shared the experience, rather than be a bystander to someone elses troubles. There are some great lessons in “Whiskey Vaction” and I would hope that some Nashville recording artist might pick up on the tune and bring it to a wider audience.

As on previous recordings, Pat embodies the spirit of the folk community by interpreting songs of some of the finest songwriters on the folk scene. Pat does a bare bones version of the Pierce Pettis song “Song of Songs” that becomes one of the recordings standouts.

He also re-works one of his earlier songs “Where Did You Go?“ that was featured on Pat’s 2005 CD release “Waiting for Water“. This time he is joined by Red Molly – Abbie Gardner, Laurie MacAllister and Carolann Sollebello. (It seems as though there is at least one member of Red Molly featured on every decent CD that has been released this year!!!).

“Sunset Waltz” may be the finest recording to date from Pat Wictor, but you can bet this prolific artist will continue to be at the forefront of the folk scene for years to come.

(Pat Wictor will be a guest on WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS at 4pm this Sunday May 11. You can listen in at 89.1FM or online at www.wfdu.fm )