Lynn Harrison at Winterfolk '09: Songwriter and Master Quilter - Review by Tricia Myles I grew up watching my Aunt Jean make award-winning quilts. I remember she would be tell me about the history of quilts and how, if the quilter's aim was true, each one could tell a wonderful story. My aunt was so skilful, she inspired me as a child to want to be the clothing itself...to be stitched into her beautiful works, made so lovingly by hand. Lynn Harrison, singer-songwriter, is also one such quilter. Lynn appeared at the Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival on February 14th, 2009, part of a lineup of more than 100 mostly local roots musicians. Because it was Valentine's Day, she introduced her solo set by paying tribute to her parents (who by coincidence were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on that day) and by stating her intention to take the audience on a journey through the many stages of a love relationship, while singing through her set list of original songs. The result was something unexpected--and ultimately much ore rewarding than I imagined. For the attentive listener, this sequence of Lynn Harrison's songs resembled not so much a sesries of songs played in a line, but a textured, multi-dimensional body of work that resembled an award-winning quilt. And it wasn't just the choice of songs that added colour and excitement. The performance area of The Willow restaurant's front room provided the perfect backdrop for this group of Lynn Harrison songs. The somewhat tacky neon palm tree at the corner of the stage seemed to spring to beautiful, vivid and purposeful life when Lynn began to sing. Warm spotlights added a friendly and affectionate glow to the stage, and Lynn's lacy crimson and gold blouse seemed perfectly suited to Valentine's Day. As an audience member, I felt privileged to witness this singer's "experiences of the heart" as she wove together stories of her romantic life: stories of love that speak to us all. The set began with songs that represented the early stages of courtship: the melodic "Crossing My Mind" and the perkily optimistic "You Don't Say". From those romantic beginnings, Lynn moved to songs that realistically foreshadow the trials of all relationships: "(If I) Didn't Know Better" and "My Messy House". Matters got a little more serious in "Slow Me Down" and "No Place To Go", a thought-provoking yet upbeat song about the futility of infidelity, once an award-winner in a songwriting contest dedicated to saving marriages! Indeed, the humour of relationships seems never far from Lynn's mind, and in the quirky "Take Me to Mars", she paid tribute to celebrity billionaire Richard Branson and his tongue-in-cheek plan to head a manned mission to the red planet. The set included one other love song to a celebrity, "I Feel Hopeful Today", an anthem to Barack Obama that provided a bright and colourful splash to the "quilt" taking shape: "Yesterday is long gone/Tomorrow, just a guess/But today we walk on/With the one who says 'Yes'." (The audience responded with whoops and hollers.) Finally, Lynn provided a "backing piece" for the quilt: a tender, everything's-gonna-be-alright song about mature love called "You Rhyme With Me". The 45-minute long set included material from three of Lynn's four recordings ("Lynoleum", 2001; "Learning Curve", 2003; "Broadview", 2005; and "Simplicity", 2008) plus new songs from her recent tenure as songwriter-in-residence on CIUT 89.5 fm's program "Take5". Set to songs of this quality, the sequence of love relationships seemed anything but linear and one-dimensional; instead, it had the depth and richness of a fine quilt that is more than its individual squares. Like my Aunt Jean, Lynn is a storyteller of the heart and about the heart...and in her performances she sings elegantly from the heart. Like all of us, she maintains hope in love, and perseveres despite setbacks. The result is an offering of music that is both life-affirming and reassuring...one that feels especially welcome on this cold Valentine's Day. For me, Lynn Harrison's music will always be like a warm comforter on a very cold day. Feb. 16th, 2009 |