Double Vision

A Collaboration With Rick Scott

David joins forces with roots veteran Rick Scott for a dozen songs of life, love and loss seasoned with literate wit, the grace of grief and considerable kindness.
Acoustic roots music in the tradition of the Canadian singer/songwriter,
with one foot on the mountain and the other in the swamp.
Influences include Delta blues, R&B, bluegrass and old time country music.

Tracks

(click on the selected tracks below to listen)

1. The Promise – Up Tempo Boogie Blues
Rick Scott, 1986, Vancouver, BC
Tracing the trajectory of a musical career in three verses.
Vocals, dulcimer, guitar, mandolin, steel, fretless bass

2. Willie P – Elegant Elegy Balland
David Essig, 2008, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
A portrait of Willie P Bennett in the early years of the London, Ontario folk music scene.
Vocals, guitar, dulcimer, baritone guitar, viola, acoustic bass

3. My Friend Has Gone – Heartbreak Ballad
Rick Scott, 1993, Salt Spring Island
A grownup’s reconciliation of a childhood heartbreak.
Vocals, dulcimer, guitar, weissenborn, acoustic bass

4. Little Cross to Bear – Up Tempo Appalachian Howl
David Essig, 2008, Protection Island, BC
David reinvents the lament in this portrait of his mother who gave him his voice and dealt with her blindness in the only way she could.
Vocals, guitars, dulcimer, baritone guitar, mandolin, steel guitar, acoustic bass

5. Your Mother’s Shoes – Graceful Folk Waltz
David Essig, 2000, Denman Island, BC
Dedicated to women friends who are even more beautiful now than they were then. Here’s to your attics of dreams.
Vocals, guitars, dulcimer, baritone guitar, mandolin, acoustic bass

6. Louisiana Mind – Up Tempo Highway Boogie
Rick Scott, 1994, Northern Alberta
Driving in a whiteout listening to the good old CBC, a modern day Sam McGee conjures up his roots to survive a blinding storm.
Vocals, dulcimer, guitar, steel, acoustic bass

7. Tears and Laughter – Folk Waltz
Rick Scott, 1976, Faro Festival, The Yukon
Celebrating conflicting emotions with music for the gods and the Northern Lights.
Vocals, dulcimer, guitar, weissenborn, acoustic bass

8. One More Song – Story Ballad
David Essig, 2008, Protection Island, BC
“Rick and I talked a lot about our fathers as we were making this CD – what heroes they are to us.
I wrote this for them and for us – four fathers with singing hearts.”
Vocals, guitar, dulcimer, weissenborn, fretless bass

9. Bottle People – Classical Folk for the Homeless
Rick Scott, 1991, Vancouver, BC
“Inspired by Pachobel’s Canon and my years living at Main and Cordova- the poorest postal code in Canada.”
Vocals, dulcimers, weissenborn, banjo, steel, violin, vola, acoustic bass

10. Saying It – Up Tempo Folk Duet
David Essig, 1978, Hamilton, ON
An old song with a simple message wrapped in a friendly groove.
Vocals, guitars, dulcimer, mandolin, fretless bass

11. Let’s Make It Right – R&B Ballad
Rick Scott, 1986, Vancouver, BC
A straight up R&B meditation on a sinking relation ship.
Vocals, acoustic and electric dulcimer, guitars, steel, acoustic bass

12. Symphony of Grace – Tender Folk Ballad
David Essig, 2008, Protection Island, BC
A new song in an old style, as if Yeats had come from the Appalachian mountains with a dulcimer on his knee.
Vocals, guitar, dulcimer, mandolin, viola, fretless bass

More Albums

Quick Programming Guide

Celtic Bluegrass

12. Symphony of Grace

Classical Folk

9. Bottle People (based on Pachobel’s Canon)

Uptempo

1. The Promise
4. LIttle Cross To Bear
6. Louisiana Mind
10. Saying It

Ballads

2. Willie P
8. One More Song
12. Symphony of Grace

Waltzes

3. My Friend Has Gone
5. Your Mother’s Shoes
7. Tears and Laughter