The Harper and The Minstrel

Jay and Abby Michaels, who perform as The Harper and the Minstrel, are resplendent and refined on their fifth release, For a Moment.

According to Abby, the pair was greatly influenced by Sting’s recent volume of John Dowland’s seventeenth century lute compositions and they have inverted that concept by applying the Renaissance ethos to a trio of familiar, contemporary songs. The first of these, their reading of Sting’s Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, is both faithful and timeless. Hidden harmonies and a longing that belongs to no time are teased out and laid over a simple acoustic guitar arrangement.

Among the finest songs on the disc is their take on the Led Zeppelin classic The Battle of Evermore. Performed with a combination of harp and a soft acoustic guitar, they retain Zeppelin’s menace by allowing their voices to step alternately to the front, before retreating into a flowing harmony, followed by a punchy wire-strung harp that pulls everything into the celebrated denouement. Jay and Abby are at their best here, singing with just enough force to elicit a visceral response without tipping over into a clumsy caricature of Robert Plant’s sometimes heavy-handed vocals.

When I saw them perform at The Mediator Stage, their version of Sting’s Fields of Gold was stunning. It is the disc’s best example of how skilled musicians can make a contemporary composition sound like a two hundred year old traditional ballad that your grandmother used to hum. No tricks to tell you about, no insights: just Jay’s harp and Abby’s vocals; a great song expertly performed.

The title track, For a Moment, was inspired by a California countryside that evoked for Jay, the duo’s principal songwriter, the rolling emerald hills of Ireland. Jay plays the harp with an elegant passion on this track, and a spry pennywhistle lead pairs well with their careful harmonies.

Abby’s fluency with the exotic bowed psaltery is something to behold on Rosemary Faire, and, at just under a minute and a half, much too brief.

Jay’s songwriting is at its best on The Man that I Remember. Jay’s cindery baritone and the six- and twelve-string guitars effectively achieve a cool clarity in which the mundanity of memories is elevated to something singularly sublime and permanent. The narrative swings between straight biography and an even simpler exposition of memories that begin to seem random but by song’s end are revealed to be echoes: points relative to all of us, events that could be from the singer’s life, his father’s life or yours or mine.

For a Moment contains a pair of beautifully rendered Robert Burns ballads. Green Grow the Rashes, O and the unforgettable Comin’ Through the Rye, which features a melody that is a slight variation of the Scotch ballad Common ’ Frae the Town. Abby’s loyal and bold reading of Burns’ exquisite ode to youth and alienation is a highlight of the album and perhaps the most satisfying version of Comin’ Through the Rye that I’ve heard.

You can best judge a musician’s acumen by the way they interpret music, whether that music is familiar to you or obscure. On For a Moment, Jay and Abby Michaels’ deft adaptations of songs from Sting to Robert Burns are thrilling, and they reveal the pair to be artists of some skill.

By G. W. Mercure

Bonnie says: Jay and Abby Michaels are accomplished harpists, exceptional vocalists, husband and wife, and freaking awesome. Together, they are The Harper and The Minstrel. Their album, For A Moment, includes traditional folk tunes, original songs in the Celtic style, and harp heavy covers of Sting and Led Zeppelin songs. No, I’m not joking, and yes, you need to hear it. Preferably now.
Written by Jay Michaels, title track For A Moment is sure to resonate with anyone who is missing Ireland, or just wishing that they could be on the cliffs of Killarney, or in a Dublin pub, instead of wherever they are. I love the harp and the flute in this song, the instrumental interlude is fantastic. The lyrics are appealing, and altogether this is one of the best original Celtic themed songs that I have heard in a while. Also, when Jay and Abby harmonize it makes me happy.
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic is my favorite track from the CD. I would buy the album for the sake of that cover even if every other song on it sucked eggs, which is decidedly NOT the case. That’s an even bigger compliment than shows on the surface when coming from me, because I am very hard on people who cover songs that I am bonkers for. (Dixie Chicks, I will never forgive you for what you did to Landslide. Never ever.) Anyway. I’m smitten with Abby’s voice, and it’s beautiful, rich tone is displayed to perfection on this recording.
Track number twelve is a short but soothing and tranquil instrumental that gets more pleasing every time I play it. I would love to tell you why it’s called The Rustic Duck, but I haven’t got the foggiest idea.
Lately it seems like a good bit of my complaining and moaning is because of production issues. Well guess what, that’s all I have to complain about here. On Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, as well as a couple of other tracks, there are some breath into the mic sounds that slightly tarnish what is otherwise a stellar smorgasbord for the ears. Of course it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the album, as the content more than transcends those peccadillos, but I did notice it from time to time.
The Harper and The Minstrel has a whimsical twist and an irrepressible joie de vivre that sets them both apart from and above the average. For A Moment is a smashing good CD, whether you are a fan of Celtic music, Sting, or Led Zeppelin. Playing it too often does have it’s hazards, though. You may find yourself listening to the radio afterwards and thinking - where’s the harp at? There should definitely be more harp on this station. I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more harp! Oh well, what’s life without a little risk, eh?
**After I finished writing, it occurred to me that I ought to mention that some of the songs have political and religious content, as music often does. Personally, I would rather listen to something that an artist is passionate about, that I disagree with, than insipid tunes that are guaranteed to never offend anyone. Unless there is lyrical content that I find seriously disturbing, I stick to reviewing the music, not the message. I realize that not everyone shares my philosophy, so this is your standard disclaimer.

Mike declarifies: Well, I guess by now my general dislike for the harp as an instrument is fairly well-known, but I have some happy news. Jay and Abby Michaels have come up with some interesting new ways to make noise with Ireland’s national symbol. My usual complaint is that the harp is simply not dynamic enough, or perhaps that harpists themselves are not generally dynamic enough. Either way, throw that argument out the window. There is a lot more than a weak background tinkling going on here, and it’s pretty fantastic. Add to that their two solid voices, skills with guitar, flute, pennywhistle, and even a bowed psaltery, and you’ve got some great stuff going on.
There are some awesome traditional songs on this CD, led by beautiful performances of “The Fields of Athenry,” and “The Rustic Duck.” I honestly can’t say how fans of Sting or Led Zeppelin might react to the respective covers presented here, because I’m not wild about either of the original performers myself. I would advise letting Bonnie’s reactions be your guide in this case. Of the four original songs present on “For A Moment,” all are good, well-thought songs which take advantage of the duo’s strengths, and it’s hard to ask for more than that. The title track stands out to me, though, as the best of the bunch. I have a feeling that it will hit home with pretty much everyone.

CD Review of Evening in the Enchanted Glade - Instrumental Celtic and Renaissance Music.................................

I have to admit I like this new CD by The Harper and The Minstrel among the best from local artists. The tunes here are well integrated with each other, from Jay Michaels' own compositions, to traditional Scots tunes to O'Carolan standards. Among the latter I particularly like the excellent "Fanny Power" and "Planxty John Irwin." Also an appealing "Planxty Burke." And "Irish Washerwoman," and "The Aire of Londonderry" where the duo take these time honored tunes and does something a little different here. Also in the now oldie "Scarborough Faire" where Jay has a nice harp solo. And as in the opening and title cut where he sets the tone. This release comes to a great finale with a haunting beautiful "Skye Boat Song" showcasing Abby Michael's flute.

This is an excellent CD for anyone who appreciates musical craftsmanship. The kind that gives you serenity. -AK

From "Faerie" Magazine.........................................

The Last Day of the Faire is the fourth CD from The Harper and the Minstrel. Jay and Abby Michaels, a husband and wife duo based in New England, perform at area Renaissance Festivals, Irish Pubs and coffee houses.

With lilting vocals, hypnotic harp, and occasional guitar and flute evoke the sensation of a warm spring day spent in an enchanted place, or perhaps a wooded glade conjured in fantasy. The lovely material is performed in traditional styles and keys, lending to an old-world feel to the arrangements. While many artists strive to appeal strictly to the modern ear, the Michaels adeptly create the feel of the ancient traveling minstrels with their simple and soulful sounds.

Of fifteen tracks on this compilation, five - including the title song -- are composed by the Michaels, and transport the listener to a land of faeries and fantasy. The remainder are traditional English and Irish folk songs, including such favorites as

"Once I Had a Sweetheart", "The Blacksmith", "Carrickfergus" and "The Wild Rover."