Ken Sager
Here

Ken Sager is a lesser known but amazing Utah-based string musician. Master at mandolin and apparently equally adept at guitar, tenor banjo & guitar, he works a fretboard like a well-seasoned pro, but where he really shines on his recent release, "Here," is his ensemble proficiency. Without a doubt a tasteful soloist, what impresses even more is the multiplied role of sideman or sidemen as he multi-tracks all the accompaniment parts in reciprocal support of his melody playing.

The great trap in similar one-man band recording projects is when a musician has some annoying feature that is duplicated in the other roles, like a fax copied fax copy, or inbred family members of royalty, but Ken has a magnificent sensitivity and knack for not only staying out of the way but always sounding compositionally fresh. Understated, yet never producing anything less than complementary, his ear for the "gestalt," the essence of the bigger picture whole is quite spectacular, especially for a first-time major recording effort.

We asked him how he went about tackling the project, particularly how to avoid the that overdubbed effect and maintain the freshness, "I would always lay down a throw-away rhythm track first, mostly done on guitar, and always with a click-track. While adding other instruments I'd find it helpful to be able to have that rhythm track in place, but once I'd start adding other instruments I'd usually replace the rhythm guitar fairly soon. Doing this helped avoid some of the "sounds like me" issues by creating what felt more like real interplay than just playing to tracks. I also did the bass tracks last on every tune. I usually had a hard time picking up a mandolin after handling the upright so I'd do bass tracks at the end of the day.

"To get the blend I achieved I was always listening for what I like to hear in an instrumental mix. Nothing is too hot, or too subdued (maybe). Sometimes I worried I was playing it too safe, and the fiddle tunes are played with little -if any - variation. I didn't want it to be about the hottest licks I could muster, and I didn't want it to sound like something I'm not."

Though strongly bluegrass in influence (standards on the CD include Soldier's Joy, Red Haired Boy, Forked Deer, St. Anne's Reel, Squirrel Hunters, Angeline the Baker), he introduces a broader range of other Americana or "Roots" acoustic stylings in his original compositions, the lullaby-like "Good Night," western sounding "Black Nail," and "Don't Tell Fuzzy," the Celtic-tinged "Glove" and "Stank" and an O'Carolan-influenced ballad "Your Eyes." What we especially enjoyed were his capable jazz waltzes, "Thursday Finger," "Amber Sunset No. 22," and "MWD."

Sager demonstrates and admirable sense of line and phrasing. He can do the obligatory "motorboat" punctuations in the more traditional bluegrass, but his phrasing totally shines when he comfortably bears down for sustain and milks notes into musical sentences and thoughts. The CD is a good study in tone, a noticeable John Reischman purity in his touch.

Good studio ear, good picking, "Here" is a great study for both aspiring and advanced mandolinist. Nice work, Ken!

Selections:

1. Good Night
2. Thursday Finger
3. Red Bow Tie
4. Liberty/Soldier's Joy
5. Black Nail
6. Red Haired Boy
7. Amber Sunset No. 22
8. Don't Tell Fuzzy
9. Forked Deer
10. Glove
11. MWD
12. Stank
13. St. Anne's Reel
14. Squirrel Hunters
15. Angeline The Baker
16. Your Eyes

Artist Website: Ken Sager

Purchase Information: Here