March 23, 2023

Jeff Parker / Matthew Stevens | "Alberta"


Guitar innovators Jeff Parker and Matthew Stevens have teamed up for a track on the upcoming tribute to the legacy of Doc Watson, I Am A Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100.

Jazz and experimental guitarist Jeff Parker and guitarist/composer Matthew Stevens have a recorded a new version of the traditional track "Alberta," which was a song that was embraced and made popular by the legend Doc Watson. The duo's take is a stunning display of intertwined guitars that play in flowing harmony, the dichotomy of the electric and acoustic giving it a remarkable sound and feeling of instant nostalgia. According to Parker, “It’s such a privilege to get to make music with my friend, the great guitarist Matthew Stevens, and channel some of the mournful beauty within Doc Watson’s ‘Alberta.’” It's the first ever recording between the two artists, but their interplay is instantly striking and brimming with life. Their dynamic is natural and flowing and their exchanges show their care and forethought. Parker's use of dissonant feedback in exchange with the warmth of Stevens' acoustic playing sends reverberating shivers down the spine before finding each other once again in resounding harmony. It's a delightful take on a classic and one that radiates in the joy and fondness the two musicians clearly have for one another. It's like listening to a conversation between old friends from a distance, there might not be any words, but you can tell the everlasting sentiment and bond is real.

I Am A Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100 is out April 28.

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