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| Mark Sustic - Founder, Champlain Valley Folk Festival |
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"... a refreshing and unique take on traditional dance and vocal music ... some great poetry and music ... always driving, enthusiastic and expertly played. Just try to listen without moving something. I can’t do it!" |
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| Cindy Hill - CDReviews.com |
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"... Turning the Compass, a pinnacle of performance reflecting ten years of growth deep into the heartwood of North American folk traditions ... a living picture of the complex and interwoven history of New England culture and music ... the original pieces flow naturally from these roots ...”
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| Ron Morgan - President, Mount Independence Coalition |
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"Atlantic Crossing: Energetic, high spirited, and playful. Your toes will tap, and your spirits will soar. The musicians love Vermont and its history, and it comes through in many of the songs they play. Great fun." |
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| Art Cohn - Executive Director, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum |
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"Atlantic Crossing has been a central part of many dynamic Lake Champlain Maritime Museum celebrations. Their skill and talent is extraordinary, and together with their special interest in maritime themes this makes them a perfect complement to any event." |
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| Tony Bates - Highlands 100.7 FM, Australia |
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Turning the Compass is "An excellent album ... modern but traditional... The musical interplay has to be heard to be believed" |
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| Andy Dooley -Miller - KVMR, Grass Valley, CA |
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"Great! There is enough energy on this album [Turning The Compass] to power a city. I loved the interactions between the musicians. I'm a fan." |
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| Mary Palmer - High Plains Public Radio, Kansas |
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"I love this CD ! [Turning The Compass] The novelty of the arrangements as well as the level of musical acumen are clear and exciting. I highly recommend to anyone with ears." |
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| Sidney Collier - Montpelier, VT |
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"My husband and I saw you last night in Montpelier, and thought you were FANTASTIC! We bought your CD - turning the compass- and have been listening and dancing to it all day with our children; We love it … Keep up the great work." |
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| Vicky Loven - VT |
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"I've been a long time fan of AC and just wanted to say that the set you played at First Night was really great! My husband and I have caught many many of the band's shows and really enjoyed them all." |
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| Pam Polston - Seven Days VT |
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"Subtle and complex. . . Like a fine wine, Atlantic Crossing's take on tradition is a taste worth acquiring." |
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| Andrew Smith - 3NRG Radio, Australia |
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"A great mix of acoustic roots music - fresh and vibrant. Highly recommended." |
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| Bob Davis, VT |
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"… let me express to you ..... how much my wife and I enjoyed your First Night performance. Of particular note were the songs written about area historical events, such as the sinking of the Troy. We enjoyed your music and the performance." |
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| Colin Clary - Vermont Times |
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"Polished and professional . . . Familiar-feeling tunes played by talented musicians to near perfection, lifting you up out of your seat and getting your toes a-tappin'." |
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| Robert Resnick - Seven Days VT |
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"Carefully researched material, rock-solid rhythms and meticulous musicianship . . . in the forefront of the Vermont acoustic music scene." |
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| Steve Lemcke - Burlington Free Press |
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"Smooth confidence and subtle grace...A very solid and compelling performance...Might have been the music of the oppressed at one time, but Atlantic Crossing brings forth the hopeful and joyous core that lies within." |
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| Elisabeth Crean - Seven Days VT |
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"This updated version [of Gardner MacKay's play Sea Marks], in its world premiere at Waitsfield's Skinner Barn, floats on a tide of traditional and freshly composed Celtic tunes by the Vermont folk ensemble Atlantic Crossing, who fiddle, strum and drum throughout the show. The combination of stellar acting and a toe-tapping score made Sea Marks a swimming success." |
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| Steve Winters - Profiles in Folk, WSHU Public Radio, Fairfield, CT |
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[Turning the Compass is] "another 'discovered' jewel for me -- really energetic music ala Nightingale. I appreciate the historical songs, as well." |
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| Zeb Dartt - age 8 |
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"I really like this music! It makes me calm. " |
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| Mark Sustic - Champlain Valley Folk Festival founder |
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"Atlantic Crossing have been tilling the hills and hollows of Vermont and beyond for at least 10 years ... ever molding and tweaking and creating what is a refreshing and unique take on traditional dance and vocal music. Turning the Compass is the latest and greatest snapshot of their continuing evolution and growth. Coming into full bloom is a deep respect for the maritime tales and legends of the Lake Champlain region, and wedding them to some great poetry and music. There’s a healthy dose of the motoring Celtic, Quebecois and Yankee dance tunes ... that have been the band’s cornerstone since the beginning - always driving, enthusiastic and expertly played. Just try to listen without moving something. I can’t do it! ... the recording is jammed with new and interesting material rarely heard elsewhere." |
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| Robert Resnick - Seven Days VT |
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"Vermont’s acoustic quartet Atlantic Crossing have just released their fourth CD in eight years, Turning the Compass. In between records, the group has played numerous contra dances and concerts throughout the Northeast, even touring Great Britain a few times. The band’s latest proves their longevity is paying off musically.
Turning was recorded at Williston’s Ad Astra Studios — a favorite among area folkies — with engineer Peter Engisch. This is the first AC release not produced by respected local musician Pete Sutherland; this time, band members took on the task themselves.
Twin fiddlers Viveka Fox and Peter Macfarlane and mandolin/tenor banjo wizard Brian Perkins swoop and swarm like a flock of musical birds on this eight-tune set, which features both traditional and original numbers. Rhythm man Rick Klein lays out a rock-solid foundation, with guest bassist Mitch Barron lending the occasional hand.
Fox and Macfarlane sound like one big, beautiful bowed instrument on a set of Swedish waltzes. Their shimmering, dance-friendly sound wouldn’t sound out of place on that country’s Dalarna dales.
In addition to the instrumentals, the CD features six vocal numbers, including three original compositions by Fox that all concern local history. Several of the musical turns on The Wreck of the Troy call to mind La Maquisarde, another lovely Fox composition from AC’s 2000 release, Full and Away. The singular Rumrunner Blues is a beatnik-jazz number about smuggling hooch in the Champlain Valley.
The album also includes a few gems from the collection of Vermont folklorist Helen Hartness Flanders, as well as the old-time chestnut Fiddler’s Green.
Vocalists Klein and Perkins both have quirky pipes, and at times their singing style eclipses the material. The most effective vocals are on MacDonough’s Fleet, another Fox original about War of 1812 hero Thomas MacDonough. Equally strong is Clinton County Jail. Each features more than one voice, singing either in harmony or in unison.
Turning the Compass represents a step forward for an already seasoned band. Its sparkling sound and performances hint at even more to come." |
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