Album Review: Karen Tweed - Essentially Invisible to the Eye (May Monday Adventures)

Highly inventive solo accordion playing from one of the best players around. Karen Tweed knows the instrument like the back of her hand and can play just about anything at the drop of a hat, which she often does. The term musician's musician is too often used, but in Karen's case it's right on the button. Known in folk circles as an accompanist second to none, it's with something like the Bruce Molsky produced ESSENTIALLY INVISIBLE TO THE EYE, Karen's latest solo project, that we hear the genius of her playing.

Entirely instrumental albums are never on the top of this reviewer's wish list but in this case an exception will be made. Even on the timeless Edelweiss and Que Sera Sera, probably the most familiar melodies on the album, included in the Karine medley, Karen shows the beauty of the accordion and demonstrates what it is capable of in the right hands. These tunes speak to us as if they were full of words; passionate, emotionally engaging and full of depth, I challenge anyone who enjoys music not to fully engage with the five lengthy pieces, each a girl's name, on this gorgeous album.