MORE ABOUT HENRY A Musical Documentary

Canadian musician and composer Adam Goddard introduces us to his 89-year-old grandfather in this CBC broadcast. We learn a bit about the crusty farmer's life and listen to his wry and pithy comments as Goddard sets about recording the conversation and manipulating sound bites into a song, complete with orchestration. What results is a charming and unique process of composition and conversation, history and whimsy. Grandpa Henry is a bit befuddled as he hears his voice--grandson claims that it's somewhere between a B-flat and a C-sharp, while grandpa comments that he never could sing worth a damn. But as the old man's commentary is sequenced into repeating phrases, chorused, and melded with electronica, a fine audio documentary is created. D.J.B.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 04]