Reviews of #111 "Heart Of The Minstrel On Christmas Day" by Harvey Reid

BOSTON GLOBE 12/8/90 by Scott Alarik
"New Hampshire folksinger Harvey Reid's "The Heart Of The Minstrel On Christmas Day" is among the loveliest of the many recent acoustic holiday records. On guitar and autoharp, he performs favorite carols with a traditionalist's melodic respect, sprinkled lightly, sometimes wittily, with his well-known instrumental élan." BOSTON GLOBE (Dec 1990)

GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE 11/4/91 by Andy Widders-Ellis
"Once again Reid proves his acoustic guitar mastery, this time in a superb set of traditional Christmas music. His Gallagher and Taylor 6-strings ring with crystalline clarity; every nuance and timbral shading comes through in this transparent recording. Reid's dynamics are second to none; and his spare yet creative arrangements hold your attention from start to end. In Reid's world, melody rules: The tune is never obscured by meandering accompaniment or fussy guitaristic maneuvers. Music to warm the heart on a chilly December night."

DIRTY LINEN MAGAZINE 12/12/91
This is a Christmas album that I won't mind playing all year around. Harvey Reid, known for his work on guitar and autoharp and for turning out impeccable recordings, has done it again. Actually this CD is a release of some songs originally on cassette in 1984 and 1987, with an additional track added for the rerelease; the whole project totaling just under 62 minutes.

For anyone thinking the autoharp is just a droning, old-fashioned instrument, this and other Reid recordings will certainly change your mind. Listen to 'Silent Night,' 'Ode to Joy' or 'O Tannenbaum.' The version of 'Silent Night' is particularly interesting because it was originally written for guitar, but Reid chooses to interpret it on autoharp with a pretty mandolin accompaniment. 'The Little Drummer Boy' has a Celtic feel that Reid produces with just a guitar and autoharp.

Interesting liner notes are included that give a bit of background on the music and the instrumentation. This is my favorite of the group and is highly recommended, both for the excellent quality of the work, and for the reverence for the music that comes through.

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